SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FORM 8-A
REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
ILLINOIS 36-3873352
(State of Incorporation or Organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
727 NORTH BANK LANE 60045
LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS (Zip Code)
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to
General Instruction A.(c), please check the following box. |_|
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to
General Instruction A.(d), please check the following box. |X|
Securities to be Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class Name of Each Exchange on Which
to be so Registered: Each Class is to be Registered:
------------------- ------------------------------
None None
Securities to be Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
<PAGE>
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
On July 28, 1998, the Board of Directors of Wintrust Financial
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of common stock, no par value (the "Common Stock"), of
the Company to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 7, 1998
(the "Record Date"). Except as described below, each Right, when exercisable,
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of
a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a price of $85 per one one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"),
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Illinois
Stock Transfer Company, as Rights Agent, included as an exhibit to this
Registration Statement on Form 8-A. The description of the Rights set forth
below does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Rights Agreement.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be
distributed. Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of
Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make)
a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group
would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with a
copy of the Summary of Rights Plan mailed to shareholders of record on the
Record Date and not by separate certificates.
The Rights Agreement also provides that, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock, with or without a
copy of this Summary of Rights Plan, will also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, if any, and
will expire at the earliest of (i) July 31, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
(ii) the redemption, if any, of the
2
<PAGE>
Rights by the Company as described below, and (iii) the exchange, if any, of all
Rights for Common Stock as described below.
The Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will be
subordinate to any other series of the Company's preferred stock that may be
issued in the future. One one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock will be
purchasable upon the exercise of one Right (unless and until the Rights have
been adjusted in accordance with the terms of the Rights Plan as described below
to provide holders of Rights the option to purchase shares of Common Stock (or
other securities or property of equivalent value) at a discounted purchase
price). Each whole share of Preferred Stock will have a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend rate equal to the greater of $42.50 per share or 100 times
the dividend declared on Wintrust's Common Stock. In the event of liquidation,
no distribution will be made to holders of Common Stock unless prior thereto the
holders of the Preferred Stock have, subject to the rights of holders of any
other series of Wintrust's preferred stock, received a preferred liquidation
payment equal to the greater of $8,500.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid
dividends, or the equivalent of 100 times any payment to be made per share of
Wintrust's Common Stock. Holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to
notice of and to vote at any meeting of the Company's shareholders. Each share
of Preferred Stock will have 100 votes, voting together with Wintrust's Common
Stock, except as Illinois law may otherwise provide. Such shares do not have
cumulative voting rights. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other
transaction in which shares of Common Stock are exchanged, each share of
Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, subject to anti-dilution
adjustments, 100 times the amount received per share of Common Stock. The rights
of the Preferred Stock as to dividends and voting, upon liquidation, and in the
event of mergers and consolidations, are protected by customary antidilution
provisions. The shares of Preferred Stock are not redeemable by the Company.
In the event that any person (other than the Company, or any person
receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company) becomes
the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common
Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The Rights Agreement
contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company directly
to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by the
Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person
would become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock, provided
that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or
50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision
will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right.
3
<PAGE>
Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will immediately
become null and void.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other
circumstances, in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split,
combination, consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the
Common Stock, or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or
the Common Stock.
At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group, which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price. The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares
of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after the date of the Rights Agreement until the time that
a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of
Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors. Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Issuance of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights
will be subject to any necessary regulatory approvals. Until a Right is
exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of
the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends.
The provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Company,
except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an
Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights.
4
<PAGE>
As of August 7, 1998, there were 8,149,946 shares of Common Stock
outstanding and 2,057,306 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
employee benefit plans. Each outstanding share of Common Stock on August 7,
1998, will receive one Right. One hundred thousand (100,000) shares of Preferred
Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise of the Rights.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial
number of Rights being acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights
beneficially owned by such a person or group may become void. The Rights should
not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the
Board of Directors because, if the Rights would become exercisable as a result
of such merger or business combination, the Board of Directors may, at its
option, at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price.
ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.
4.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of July 28, 1998, between Wintrust
Financial Corporation and Illinois Stock Transfer Company, as
Rights Agent.
5
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By: /s/ DAVID A. DYKSTRA
--------------------------
David A. Dykstra
Chief Financial Officer
Dated: August 27, 1998
6
Exhibit 4.1
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
between
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
and
ILLINOIS STOCK TRANSFER COMPANY
(Rights Agent)
Dated as of July 28, 1998
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
<S> <C> <C>
Section 1. Certain Definitions..............................................................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent......................................................................................6
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates......................................................................................6
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.......................................................................................9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration...............................................................................11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.........................................................12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...................................................13
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates..............................................................17
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock.................................................................................18
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.....................................................................................19
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights..............................................20
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares......................................................32
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power............................................32
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.........................................................................36
Section 15. Rights of Action................................................................................................38
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders......................................................................................39
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder...............................................................40
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.....................................................................................40
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......................................................41
i
<PAGE>
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent..........................................................................................42
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent..........................................................................................46
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates..............................................................................48
Section 23. Redemption......................................................................................................48
Section 24. Exchange........................................................................................................50
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events........................................................................................52
Section 26. Notices.........................................................................................................53
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments......................................................................................54
Section 28. Successors......................................................................................................54
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement......................................................................................55
Section 30. Severability....................................................................................................55
Section 31. Governing Law...................................................................................................55
Section 32. Counterparts....................................................................................................55
Section 33. Descriptive Headings............................................................................................55
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors............................................................55
Exhibit A - Form of Statement Setting Forth Resolution Fixing Terms
of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights Plan
</TABLE>
ii
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
----------------
Rights Agreement (hereinafter "this Agreement"), dated as of July 28,
1998 between WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION, an Illinois corporation (the
"Company"), and ILLINOIS STOCK TRANSFER COMPANY (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
--------------------
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of
the close of business on August 7, 1998, (the "Record Date"), each Right
representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred
Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions
herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined).
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:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Stock of the
Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company, or any person or
entity holding
<PAGE>
Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of (a) an
acquisition of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of
shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding or (b) the acquisition by such Person of newly-issued Common Stock
directly from the Company (it being understood that a purchase from an
underwriter or other intermediary is not directly from the Company); provided,
however, that if a person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share repurchases
by the Company or the receipt of newly-issued Common Stock directly from the
Company and shall, after such share repurchases or direct issuance by the
Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Stock of the
Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"; provided
further, however, that any transferee from such Person who becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding shall nevertheless be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has
become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable
(and in any event within ten business days after notification by the Company) a
sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer
be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for
any purposes of this Agreement.
2
<PAGE>
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however,
that for purposes of this Agreement, neither the Company, nor any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company, nor any person
or entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan,
shall be included as an affiliate of any Person unless the context otherwise
requires.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own" any securities:
a. which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
b. which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether written or oral (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to
a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or
on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange; (B) the sole or shared right to vote or dispose (including
any such right pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether written or oral); provided, however, that
3
<PAGE>
a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,
any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to,
and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under
the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (C) "beneficial
ownership" (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 (or any successor rule) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act); or
c. 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 written or oral (other
than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling
group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to
the extent contemplated by the proviso to clause (B) of subparagraph
(b) of this definition) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in Illinois are authorized or obligated by law
or executive order to close.
4
<PAGE>
"Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Central
Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Central Time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
"Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, no par value, of the Company. "Common Stock" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock
(or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or the
equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management of such other Person.
"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Serial Preferred Stock A,
without par value, of the Company, designated "Junior Serial Preferred Stock A"
and having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Statement Setting
Forth Resolution Fixing Terms of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A attached to
this Agreement as Exhibit A.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof.
"Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
"Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
5
<PAGE>
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement or other disclosure (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d)
promulgated under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that
an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
"Triggering Event" shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof.
Any determination or interpretation required in connection with any of
the definitions contained in this Section 1 shall be made by the Board of
Directors of the Company in their good faith judgment, which determination shall
be final and binding on the Rights Agent.
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 Right 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 fifteenth
business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an
6
<PAGE>
Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the
Company or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any
Person (other than the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of
any Affiliate of the Company or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner
of Common Stock aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock
(including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to
as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Stock
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed 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 Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute,
the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent
(and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of 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, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of
Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
solely by such Right Certificates.
7
<PAGE>
b. On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights Plan, in substantially the form
of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights Plan"), by first class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with the Summary of Rights Plan, and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
Distribution Date (or the Expiration Date), the transfer of any certificate for
Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
Summary of Rights Plan, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. Upon surrender to the
transfer agent for the Common Stock of any such certificates for transfer or
reissuance, the Company may, but need not, cause the transfer agent to affix a
legend on any new certificates representing such Common Stock to the effect and
in the form set forth in Section 3(c) below.
c. Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
which are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such Common Stock shall
also be deemed to be certificates for Rights. Certificates representing both
Common Stock and Rights in accordance with this Section 3 which are executed and
delivered (whether the Common Stock represented thereby are originally issued,
delivered from the Company's treasury or are presented for transfer) by the
Company (including, without limitation,
8
<PAGE>
certificates representing reacquired Common Stock referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them a legend substantially equivalent to
the following:
THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO
CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN WINTRUST
FINANCIAL CORPORATION (THE "COMPANY") AND ILLINOIS STOCK TRANSFER
COMPANY, DATED AS OF JULY 28, 1998 (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 AN 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, SHALL
BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock shall
be evidenced by the certificates representing the associated Common Stock alone,
and the transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. In the event
that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date
but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock
shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer
outstanding.
9
<PAGE>
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.
a. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
Preferred Stock 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 or quotation system
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at
the price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock set forth therein
(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 Right 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 such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
10
<PAGE>
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral,
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, which has as a primary
purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Right Certificate
issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any other Right Certificate referred to in this
sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible and otherwise reasonably
identifiable as such) the following legend:
THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT 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 RIGHT CERTIFICATE
AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.
The provisions of Section 7(e) shall apply whether or not any Right Certificate
actually contains the foregoing legend.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its President, any of its Vice
Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature and
shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be duly
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right 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 Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right
11
<PAGE>
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
a. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e), 14 and 24
hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at
or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder
to purchase a like number of shares of Preferred Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities or property, as the case may
be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled
such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
12
<PAGE>
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Right Certificate accompanied by such documents as the Rights Agent may deem
appropriate and the Company shall have been provided with such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 4 and 7 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Right 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 Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right 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
Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of
13
<PAGE>
election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together
with payment of the Purchase Price with respect to each surrendered Right for
the total number of shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property,
as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the close of business on July 31, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (the earliest of (i) or (ii) being herein
referred to as the "Expiration Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
b. The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $85,
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and
13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America
in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
c. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse
side of the Right Certificate duly executed, accompanied by such documents as
the Rights Agent may deem appropriate, payment of the Purchase Price for the
shares (or other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder
of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified
check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the
Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer
agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the
transfer agent of the Preferred Stock) certificates for the number of shares of
Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests,
14
<PAGE>
or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Stock issuable
upon exercise of the Rights with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which
case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. 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 property are available for distribution by the Rights
Agent, if and when appropriate.
d. In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of such Right
Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of
Section 14 hereof.
e. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or
15
<PAGE>
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 an Acquiring Person, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming an
Acquiring Person and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether written or oral, regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors otherwise concludes in good faith is part of a
plan, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) 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 any holder of such Rights shall
thereupon have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under
any provision of this Agreement or otherwise, from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that
the provisions of this Section 7(e) hereof are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Rights for the inability 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 the certificate contained in the
form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right
Certificate surrendered for such exercise shall have been completed and signed
by the registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with
such additional evidence of the
16
<PAGE>
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
g. The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) or any Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) held in its treasury,
the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that will be sufficient
to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
h. Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained in this
Agreement or in any Right Certificate, if the Distribution Date or the Stock
Acquisition Date shall occur prior to the Record Date, the provisions of this
Agreement, including (without limitation) Sections 3 and 11(a)(ii), shall be
applicable to the Rights upon their issuance to the same extent such provisions
would have been applicable if the Record Date were the date of this Agreement.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
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 Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled
17
<PAGE>
Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the
Company, cause such cancelled Right Certificates to be destroyed, and in such
case cause a certificate of destruction to be delivered to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities),
subject to payment of the Purchase Price, be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the
Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 7 or pursuant to the
provisions contemplated by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (a) unless and until any
regulatory approvals required for the issuance and/or sale of Preferred Stock or
Common Stock upon such exercise have been obtained, (b) in any jurisdiction if
the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or
(c) if the exercise thereof, or the issuance and/or sale of the Preferred Stock
or Common Stock to be purchased upon such exercise, shall not be permitted under
the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as may hereafter
be further amended, or any applicable law or administrative or judicial
regulation or order.
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 Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
18
<PAGE>
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 Right Certificates to a person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in
a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any
certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of any Rights until any
such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares or securities
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have
become the record holder of such shares or securities on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of
the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of
19
<PAGE>
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
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 of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) i. In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock
payable in Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller
number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger
in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e)
hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which,
if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at
a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were
open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event
20
<PAGE>
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii), 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).
ii. Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event
any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, except
as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then
current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of share of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that
product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the
Company's Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on
the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person
shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be
outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would
eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
iii. In lieu of issuing Common Stock of the Company in
accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, in the sole
discretion of the Board of Directors, elect to (and, in the event that
the Board of Directors has not exercised the exchange right
21
<PAGE>
contained in Section 24 hereof and there are not sufficient issued but
not outstanding and authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall) take all such action as
may be necessary to authorize, issue or pay, upon the exercise of the
Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of the Purchase Price),
property, other securities or any combination thereof having an
aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Stock of the Company
which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii),
which aggregate value shall be determined by a majority of the Board of
Directors. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the
Common Stock shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof and
the value of any equity securities which a majority of the Board of
Directors determines to be a "common stock equivalent" (including the
Preferred Stock, in such ratio as the Board of Directors shall
determine) shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock.
Any such election by the Board of Directors must be made and publicly
announced within 60 days following the date on which the event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred. Following the
occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii), a majority of
the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the exercisability of
the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following the date on which
the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred to the
extent that such directors have not determined whether to exercise the
Company's right of election under this Section 11(a)(iii). 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.
22
<PAGE>
b. In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred
shares at a price per share of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred share (or
having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share
market price of the Preferred Stock (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record
date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or
the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible);
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination
23
<PAGE>
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent. Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of
the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options 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 the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred 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 indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to
in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record
date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock on such record date,
less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be
such current per share market price of the Preferred 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 to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
24
<PAGE>
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) i. For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than under Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share market
price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section
11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to
such date, and for the purpose of any computation under Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share market price" of a Security
on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing
prices per share of such security for 30 consecutive Trading Days
immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event
that the current per share market price of the Security is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30
consecutive Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend
or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current per
share market price" shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the
current market price per share equivalent (ex-dividend) of such
Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or
25
<PAGE>
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security
is not listed or admitted to trading on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last 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 Nasdaq National Market
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date
the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market
maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making
a market in the Security, the fair value of such Security 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 or quotation system on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction
of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange or quotation system, a Business Day.
ii. For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be
determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i).
If the shares of Preferred Stock are not publicly traded, the "current
per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively
deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Stock of
the Company as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one
hundred. If neither the shares
26
<PAGE>
of Common Stock of the Company nor the shares of Preferred Stock are
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price"
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
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 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 one one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock or one
ten-thousandth of any other share or security, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii)
the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.
f. If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Stock contained in this Section 11, and the provisions
of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply
on like terms to any such other shares.
27
<PAGE>
g. All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
h. Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) 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 substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
[one one-hundredths of a share] of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall
28
<PAGE>
made 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 Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten days later than the date of
the public announcement. If Right 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 Right Certificates on such record date Right 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 Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
j. Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial
Right Certificates issued hereunder.
k. Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Stock issuable
29
<PAGE>
upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which
may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Stock at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
l. In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares 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 it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance
wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market
price, issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which
by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock,
dividends on Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock or issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by
the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such
shareholders.
30
<PAGE>
n. In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock) into
a greater or lesser number of Common Stock, then in any such case (i) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately
prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event, and (ii) each share of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each share of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such
event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this
Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or
paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
o. So long as the shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights
may be listed on any national securities exchange or included in a national
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 included in such quotation system upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
p. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, a registration
statement under the Securities
31
<PAGE>
Act with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act) until the date of the expiration of the
Rights. The Company will also take such action, if any, as may be appropriate
under the blue sky laws of the various states. The Company may temporarily
suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the
Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement or in order to
comply with such blue sky laws. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall
issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock or the
Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained and may assume that no adjustment has been made
unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. (a) If after the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly,
(x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other
Person, (y) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and
into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of
the Common Stock shall be changed
32
<PAGE>
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the
Company) or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise
transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50%
or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons other than the Company or one or
more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise
provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
shares of Preferred Stock, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully
paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), free and clear of all liens, rights of
call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall equal the
result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then
exercisable (or, if such Right is not then exercisable for a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, the number of such fractional
shares for which it was exercisable immediately prior to an event described
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer, or otherwise, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such
33
<PAGE>
Principal Party and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of
Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation 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.
b. "Principal Party" shall mean:
i. In the case of any transaction described in (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 surviving entity of such merger or
consolidation (including the Company if applicable); and
ii. in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the
first sentence in 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 described in clauses (b)(i) and
(b)(ii): (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not
been continuously over the preceding 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; (2) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or more than one Person, the Common Stock 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; and (3) in case such Person is owned, directly
or
34
<PAGE>
indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned,
directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2)
shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest in such joint
venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint
venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear the
obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct or
indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.
c. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have sufficient number
of shares of Common Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights
and 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
Securities 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 Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;
ii. deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which
comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form
10 under the Exchange Act; and
35
<PAGE>
iii. take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate
under the blue sky laws of the various states.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that one of the
transactions described in this Section 13(a) shall occur at any time after the
occurrence of a transaction described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights
which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in
the manner described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there may be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price 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, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are
not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a
36
<PAGE>
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 a share
of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). Fractions of a share of Preferred Stock in integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it;
provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are
not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market
value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one
one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
37
<PAGE>
c. Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of a share of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Right 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 share of Common Stock. For purposes
of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock
shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant
to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
d. The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right 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 Right 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 Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights,
38
<PAGE>
it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an
adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to
specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against
actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to,
this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right 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 Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with appropriate forms and
certificates fully executed;
c. the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person
in whose name the Right 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 Right 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 shall 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 any other Person
39
<PAGE>
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.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning The Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder, if other than the Secretary of the Company, and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements (including any taxes other than income taxes) incurred in
the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of his, her or its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to
indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold him,
40
<PAGE>
her or it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability arising, directly or indirectly,
therefrom.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for,
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by him, her or it in
connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or 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, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
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 stock transfer or
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, 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 Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not
41
<PAGE>
delivered; any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned,
and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in the 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 Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
a. The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel satisfactory to
it (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 and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability or responsibility to the Company or to
any holder of any Right Certificate in respect of any action taken or omitted by
it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
42
<PAGE>
b. Whenever in the performance of his, her or its duties under
this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any
fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or
suffering or omitting action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to
be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the
Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary (unless the
Secretary is the Rights Agent) of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent;
and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any
action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
c. The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company only
for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against, any and
all losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses (including attorneys' fees)
arising out of or in connection with, the Rights Agent's negligence, bad faith
or willful misconduct.
d. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
e. The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except the Rights Agent's
countersignature thereof); nor shall the Rights Agent be responsible for any
breach
43
<PAGE>
by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in
any Right Certificate; nor shall the Rights Agent be responsible for any change
in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant
to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including
the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or
24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such
change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section
12 describing a change or adjustment); nor shall the Rights Agent by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
f. The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
g. The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of the Rights Agent's duties
hereunder from any one of the President, any Vice President, the Secretary
(unless the Secretary is the Rights Agent) or the Treasurer of the Company, and
to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or
suffered by the Rights Agent in good faith in accordance with instructions of
any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those
instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from
the Company
44
<PAGE>
may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed
to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on
and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be
effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or
omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall
not be less than five Business Days after the date such application is given,
unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date)
unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an
omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response
to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
h. The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries or become pecuniarily interested
in any transaction in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may be interested,
or contract with or lend money to the Company or its Subsidiaries or otherwise
act as fully and freely as though the Rights Agent were not Rights Agent under
this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in
any other capacity for the Company or its Subsidiaries or for any other legal
entity.
i. The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in the Rights Agent or perform any duty hereunder either
individually or by or through the Rights Agent's attorneys or agents, and the
Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the
Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided
reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
45
<PAGE>
j. If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, 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, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange without first consulting with the Company.
k. The Rights Agent shall not be under any duty or responsibility
to insure compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws in
connection with the issuance, transfer or exchange of Right Certificates.
l. The Rights Agent shall be under no obligation to institute any
action, suit or legal proceeding or to take any other action likely to involve
expense unless the Company or one or more holders of Right Certificates shall
furnish the Rights Agent with security and indemnity to Rights Agent's
satisfaction for any costs and expenses which may be incurred.
m. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for failure to perform any
duties except as specifically set forth herein and no implied covenants or
obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent whose
duties and obligations are ministerial and shall be determined solely by the
express provisions hereof.
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 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
46
<PAGE>
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right 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 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered holder of any Right 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 or bank organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or of any other state of the United States, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $100 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
47
<PAGE>
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right 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 Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption.
a. The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, prior
to the Distribution Date and thereafter at any time prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, 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"). The redemption of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such basis and with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
If redemption of the Rights is to be effective as of a future date, the Rights
shall continue to be exercisable, subject to Section 7 hereof, until the
effective date of the redemption, provided that nothing contained herein shall
preclude the Board of Directors from subsequently causing the Rights to be
redeemed at a date earlier than the previously scheduled effective date of the
redemption. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in
48
<PAGE>
cash, Common Stock (based on the current per share market price of the Common
Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors.
b. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at the effective time of such
redemption established by the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 23), and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not
affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the
Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights or, if later, the
effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to the last sentence of
paragraph (a), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders
of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the transfer agent for the Common 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. The Company may, at
its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to the Rights by (i)
issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights, (ii)
depositing with a bank or trust company having a capital and surplus of at least
$100 million, funds necessary for such redemption, in trust, to be applied to
the redemption of the Rights so called for redemption and (iii) arranging for
the mailing of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights;
then, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights Certificates shall be null
and void
49
<PAGE>
without further action by the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at
any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section
23, in Section 24 hereof, or in connection with the purchase of Common Stock
prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at
its option, at any time after a Triggering Event, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock 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 employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company, or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the 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
50
<PAGE>
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 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 any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at
its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred shares, as
such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for
Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock
(or equivalent preferred share) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately
adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Stock
pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a share of Preferred
Stock delivered in lieu of each share of Common Stock shall have the same voting
rights as one share of Common Stock.
d. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock or Preferred Shares 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 or Preferred Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights.
e. 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
51
<PAGE>
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 share of Common Stock. For the
purposes of this paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
a. In case the Company shall propose at any time after the
Distribution Date (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders
of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to
offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for
or to purchase any additional Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or
any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding Preferred Stock), (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with, 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 or
more 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, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a
52
<PAGE>
Right Certificate, 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, or 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 Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the
earlier.
b. In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right 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:
Wintrust Financial Corporation
727 North Bank Lane
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Attention: David A. Dykstra, Secretary
53
<PAGE>
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right 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:
Illinois Stock Transfer Company
209 West Jackson Blvd. - Suite 903
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Attention: Robert G. Pearson, President
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company. Notices or demands sent by mail shall be deemed given or
made three business days after the date they are sent.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to
time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights.
54
<PAGE>
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. Benefits of This Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, 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 Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Illinois and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
55
<PAGE>
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or 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, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (ii) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (i) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Right Certificates and all other parties, and (ii) not subject the Board of
Directors to any liability to the holders of the Right Certificates.
56
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: WINTRUST FINANCIAL
CORPORATION
By: /s/ David A. Dykstra By: /s/ Edward J. Wehmer
------------------------------- -------------------------------
David A. Dykstra, Secretary Edward J. Wehmer, President
ILLINOIS STOCK TRANSFER
COMPANY
Witness:
By: /s/ Kimberlee A. Koskiewicz By: /s/ Robert G. Pearson
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Kimberlee A. Koskiewicz, Vice President Robert G. Pearson, President
57
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
STATEMENT SETTING FORTH RESOLUTION FIXING TERMS OF
JUNIOR SERIAL PREFERRED STOCK A
OF
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
We, Edward J. Wehmer, President and Chief Executive Officer, and David
A. Dykstra, Corporate Secretary of Wintrust Financial Corporation, a corporation
organized and existing under the Illinois Business Corporation Act (the
"Company"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 5/6.10 thereof, DO
HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Articles of Incorporation, as amended and restated, of the Company, the
Board of Directors on July 28, 1998, adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 100,000 shares of Serial Preferred Stock A designated as Junior Serial
Preferred Stock A:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the Company in accordance with the provisions of its Articles of
Incorporation, as amended and restated, a series of Serial Preferred Stock A,
without par value, of the Company (such preferred stock being herein referred to
as "Preferred Stock," which term shall include any additional shares of
preferred stock of the same class heretofore or hereafter authorized to be
issued by the Company), consisting of 100,000 shares is hereby created, and the
voting powers, preferences and relative rights, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof, are as follows:
Section (1) DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. There shall be a series of
Preferred Stock of the Company which shall be designated as "Junior Serial
Preferred Stock A," without par value (hereinafter called "Junior Serial
Preferred Stock A"), and the number of shares constituting such series shall be
100,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of
the Board of Directors and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the
provisions of the Illinois Business Corporation Act stating that such increase
or reduction has been so authorized; provided, however, that no decrease shall
reduce the number of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A to a number less
than that of the shares then outstanding plus the number of shares of Junior
Serial Preferred Stock A issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options
or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Company.
Section (2) DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(a) The holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall
be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out
of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash
to holders of record on the first business day of March, June, September and
December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Junior Serial
Preferred Stock A, in an amount per share
A-1
<PAGE>
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $42.50 or (b) subject
to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate
per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share
amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other
than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock (hereinafter defined) or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, without par value, of the Company (the
"Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first
issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A.
In the event the Company shall at any time following July 28, 1998, (i) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into
a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders
of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A were entitled immediately prior to
such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying each such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Junior Serial Preferred Stock A as provided in paragraph (A) above at the time
it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(c) No dividend or distribution (other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock) shall be paid or payable to the holders of shares of
Common Stock unless, at the same time as such payment is made with respect to
the Common Stock or prior thereto, all accrued but unpaid dividends to the date
of such dividend or distribution shall have been paid to the holders of shares
of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A.
(d) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A from the Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Junior Serial Preferred
Stock A, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such
shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless
the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Junior Serial
Preferred Stock A entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall
begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A entitled to receive
payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall
be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
A-2
<PAGE>
Section (3) VOTING RIGHTS. Each share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock
A shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a
vote of the shareholders of the Company. Except as otherwise provided herein or
by law, the holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A and the holders
of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of shareholders of the Company.
Section (4) CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Junior Serial Preferred
Stock A outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire
for consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) to the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, except
dividends paid ratably on the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A
and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in
arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, provided that
the Company may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares
of any stock of the Company ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to
the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, except in
accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all
holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.
A-3
<PAGE>
(b) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section, purchase
or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section (5) LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.
(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be made to the holders of
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A unless, prior
thereto, the holders of whole shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall
have received $8,500 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment (the "Junior Serial A Liquidation Preference").
(b) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Junior Serial A Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred
Stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A,
then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such
parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
Section (6) CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Company shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, share exchange, combination or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or converted into other
stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the
shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or converted in an amount per share (subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted or
exchanged. In the event the Company shall at any time (i) declare any dividend
on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the
preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or conversion of shares of
Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by
a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section (7) REDEMPTION. The shares of a Junior Serial Preferred Stock A
shall not be redeemable by the Company. The preceding sentence shall not limit
the ability of the Company to purchase or otherwise deal in such shares of stock
to the extent permitted by law.
Section (8) FRACTIONAL SHARES. Junior Serial Preferred Stock A may be
issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holder's fractional shares, to exercise
A-4
<PAGE>
voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the
benefit of all other rights of holders of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Wintrust Financial Corporation has caused this
Certificate to be signed by Edward J. Wehmer, its President and Chief Executive
Officer, and the same to be attested by David A. Dykstra, its Corporate
Secretary, this day of __________, 1998.
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:______________________________________
Edward J. Wehmer,
President and Chief Executive Officer
Attest:
By:_______________________________
David A. Dykstra, Secretary
A-5
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R-__________ __________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 31, 2008 OR EARLIER IF THE RIGHTS EXPIRE
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES OR ARE REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS
ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS
SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER
OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY
THIS 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 RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY
MAY BECOME VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]1
Right Certificate
WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
This certifies that _______________________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 28, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Wintrust Financial Corporation, an Illinois corporation
(the "Company"), and Illinois Stock Transfer Company (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time) on
July 31, 2008, or notice of redemption or exchange at the office of the Rights
Agent (or its successors as Rights Agent) designated for such purpose, one
one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Junior Serial Preferred
Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company at a purchase
price of $85 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price") upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the appropriate Form
of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of
Rights evidenced by this Right 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 July 28, 1998,
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
- ----------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
<PAGE>
Capitalized terms not defined in this Right Certificate that are defined in the
Rights Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Rights
Agreement.
Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event, if the Rights evidenced by
this Right 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) under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement, 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 any such Triggering
Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right 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 Right Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under certain circumstances specified in such 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 Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If
this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled
to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right 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 such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may
at the election of the Company be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
B-2
<PAGE>
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of __________, __________
ATTEST: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
__________________________________ By:_____________________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Secretary Title: President
Countersigned:
__________________________________
By:_______________________________
Authorized Signature
B-3
<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to
transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _____________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Date:__________, __________
_________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) this Right 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 Right
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person.
Dated:__________, __________ _________________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-4
<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder
desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Right
Certificate.)
To: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number:____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate, a new Right 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:
B-5
<PAGE>
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right 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);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:_______________, 19__ _________________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN
TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
TRANSFERABLE
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS PLAN
On July 28, 1998, the Board of Directors of Wintrust Financial
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of common stock, no par value (the "Common Stock"), of
the Company to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 7, 1998
(the "Record Date"). Except as described below, each Right, when exercisable,
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of
a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a price of $85 per one one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"),
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Illinois
Stock Transfer Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be
distributed. Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of
Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make)
a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group
would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with a
copy of this Summary of Rights Plan and not by separate certificates.
The Rights Agreement also provides that, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock, with or without a
copy of this Summary of Rights Plan, will also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the earliest of (i) July 31, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii)
the redemption of the Rights by the Company as described below, and (iii) the
exchange of all Rights for Common Stock as described below.
C-1
<PAGE>
In the event that any person (other than the Company, or any person
receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company) becomes
the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common
Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The Rights Agreement
contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company directly
to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by the
Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person
would become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock, provided
that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or
50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision
will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will immediately
become null and void.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other
circumstances, in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split,
combination, consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the
Common Stock, or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or
the Common Stock.
At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group, which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price. The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares
of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
C-2
<PAGE>
At any time after the date of the Rights Agreement until the time that
a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of
Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors. Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Issuance of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights
will be subject to any necessary regulatory approvals. Until a Right is
exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of
the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends.
The provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Company,
except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an
Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights.
As of August 7, 1998, there were 8,149,946 shares of Common Stock
outstanding and 2,057,306 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
employee benefit plans. Each outstanding share of Common Stock on August 7,
1998, will receive one Right. One hundred thousand (100,000) shares of Preferred
Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise of the Rights.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial
number of Rights being acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights
beneficially owned by such a person or group may become void. The Rights should
not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the
Board of Directors because, if the Rights would become exercisable as a result
of such merger or business combination, the Board of Directors may, at its
option, at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.
C-3
