SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 27, 1998
Exigent International, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
333-5753 59-3379927
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
1225 Evans Road, Melbourne, Florida 32904-2314
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(407) 952-7550
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events.
On October 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of Exigent International, Inc.
(the "Company") adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan (the "Rights Plan"). The
purpose of the Rights Plan is to deter certain coercive takeover tactics and
enable the Board of Directors to represent effectively the interests of
shareholders in the event of a takeover attempt. The Rights Plan does not deter
negotiated mergers or business combinations that the Board of Directors
determines to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
To implement the Rights Plan the Board of Directors declared a dividend of
one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of common stock
(the "Common Shares") of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
November 17, 1998 (the "Record Date") and beneficially owned by a United States
citizen or, in the case of a non-individual shareholder, an entity which is
incorporated or otherwise organized in the United States (an "Eligible
Shareholder"), or issued to an Eligible Shareholder on or after such date
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). The
dividend will be paid on November 17, 1998 to Eligible Shareholders of record on
that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a
price of $16.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights will be set forth in a
Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Reliance Trust
Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially and until a Distribution Date (as defined below) occurs, the
Rights are attached to all Common Shares and no separate Rights certificates
will be issued. During this initial period,
- the Rights are not exercisable;
- the Rights are transferred with the Common Shares and are not
transferable separately from the Common Shares;
- new Common Shares certificates or book entry shares issued will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference; and
- the transfer of any Common Shares will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with those Common Shares.
The Distribution Date is the earlier to occur of the following two events
(or such later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors, upon
approval by a majority of Continuing Directors as defined below):
- the tenth day after a public announcement that a person or group
of affiliated or associated persons has acquired 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (thereby becoming an "Acquiring
Person" under the Rights Plan); or
- the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined
by the Board of Directors of the Company) after the commencement
or announcement of a tender or exchange offer by a person or
group for 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
Acquisitions by the following persons will not result in the person
becoming an Acquiring Person: The Company, any subsidiary or employee benefit
plan of the Company, Shareholders owning 15% or more of the Common Shares as of
the Record Date (until such time as any such shareholder acquires an additional
15% of the Common Shares) or any other person approved in advance by the Board
of Directors.
Separate certificates evidencing the Rights will be mailed to Eligible
Shareholders of record on the "Distribution Date". After the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be tradable separately from the Common Shares. After the
Distribution Date and after the Company's right to redeem (as described below)
has expired, the Rights will be exercisable in two different ways depending on
the circumstances as set forth below.
If a person or group acquires 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(thereby becoming an Acquiring Person) and the Company's redemption right has
expired, each holder of a Right (except those held by the Acquiring Person and
its affiliates and associates) will have the right to purchase, upon exercise,
Common Shares having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
In other words, the Rights holders other than the Acquiring Person may purchase
Common Shares at a 50% discount. For example, at the exercise price of $16.00
per Right each Right not owned by an Acquiring Person would entitle its holder
to purchase $32.00 worth of Common Shares (or other consideration, as noted
above) for $16.00. Assuming a value of $3.50 per Common Share at such time, the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase nine Common Shares for
$16.00.
Alternatively, if, in a transaction not approved by the Board of Directors,
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination or 50% or more
of its assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an
Acquiring Person, and the Company's redemption right has expired, proper
provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will hereafter have the
right to purchase, upon exercise, that number of shares of common stock of the
acquiring company as have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. In other words, a Rights holder may purchase the acquiring company's
common stock at a 50% discount.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
before the Acquiring Person acquires 60% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned
by the Acquiring Person which will become void), in whole or in part, at an
exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
(or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having
equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to
adjustment).
The Rights are redeemable by the Company in whole but not in part at a
price of $.01 per Right at any time up to and including the tenth day after the
time that a person or a group has become an Acquiring Person subject to
extension of this redemption period by the Board of Directors. Immediately upon
redemption the right to exercise will terminate and the only right of holders
will be to receive the redemption price. The Rights will expire on October 26,
2008 unless the expiration date is extended by amendment as described below or
unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company as described
above.
As long as the Rights are redeemable, the terms of the Rights may be
amended by the Board of Directors in its discretion without the consent of the
Rights holders. After that time, no amendment may adversely affect the interests
of the Rights holders (other than the Acquiring Person).
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and
voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share
that may be purchased upon exercise of each Right should be approximate the
value of one common share.
Until a Right is exercised, a Rights holder, as such, will have no rights
as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to
vote or to receive dividends.
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
(a) Not applicable
(b) Not applicable
(c) Exhibits:
Exhibit Number Exhibit Title
4.1 Form of Rights Agreement, to be executed between the Company and
Reliance Trust Company, including the Form of Certificate of
Designation of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock as
Exhibit A, the Form of Right Certificate as Exhibit B and the
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares as Exhibit C.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Exigent International, Inc.
Registrant
By: /s/ Bernie Smedley
-----------------------
B.R. "Bernie" Smedley
Chief Executive Officer
Dated: November 2, 1998
EXHIBIT 4.1
Form of Rights Agreement
Between
EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
and
RELIANCE TRUST COMPANY
Rights Agent
Dated as of October 27, 1998.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 4
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates 4
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. 5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 5
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. 6
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights 6
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. 7
Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares 8
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. 8
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights. 8
Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment 14
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. 14
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 15
Section 15. Rights of Action. 16
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. 16
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder 16
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 17
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent 17
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. 18
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. 19
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. 19
<PAGE>
Section 23. Redemption. 20
Section 24. Exchange. 20
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. 21
Section 26. Notices 22
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. 22
Section 28. Successors. 23
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. 23
Section 30. Severability. 23
Section 31. Governing Law 23
Section 32. Counterparts. 23
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. 23
Section 34. Administration. 23
Exhibit A Certificate of Designation of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock. A-1
Exhibit B Form of Right Certificate B-1
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares. C-1
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Agreement, dated as of October 27, 1998, between Exigent International, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Reliance Trust Company (the "Rights
Agent").
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,
par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (a "Common Share") outstanding at the
Close of Business on November 17, 1998 (the "Record Date") and beneficially
owned by an Eligible Shareholder (as such term is defined in Section 1 hereof)
and has authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each additional
Common Share that shall become outstanding and beneficially owned by an Eligible
Shareholder between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date,
the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in
Sections 1, 3 and 7 hereof), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-thousandth (1/1000) of a Preferred Share, as hereinafter defined, or such
different amount and/or kind of securities as shall be hereinafter provided.
Accordingly, 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 who or which, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15%,
or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iv) any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit
plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which,
by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number
of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if a Person shall so
become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company
then outstanding by reason of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
an additional 1% of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company, then such
Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"; (2) 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 a sufficient number of Common Shares 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
have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement and (3) no
Person beneficially owning (together with such Person's Affiliates and
Associates) 15% or more of the Common Shares as of the Record Date (an "ORIGINAL
15% SHAREHOLDER") and no Affiliate or Associate of any such Original 15%
Shareholder shall be an Acquiring Person unless and until such Original 15%
Shareholder (together with such Original 15% Shareholder's Associates and
Affiliates) shall become the Beneficial Owner of a percentage of the Common
Shares equal to or in excess of the sum of 15 and the percentage of the Common
Shares beneficially owned by such Original 15% Shareholder and such Original 15%
Shareholder's Affiliates and Associates as of the Record Date. Thus, for
example, an Original 15% Shareholder owning (together with its Affiliates and
Associates) 20% of the Common Shares as of the Record Date, would become an
Acquiring Person when and if that Original 15% Shareholder (together with its
Affiliates and Associates) became the Beneficial Owner of 35% or more of the
Common Shares then outstanding.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such
terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date
of this Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has
(A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities), written or otherwise, or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed to be the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a
tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until
such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right
to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, any security 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
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities), written or otherwise, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to
section (B) of the immediately preceding paragraph (ii)) 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, Sunday, or a day on
which banking institutions in the State of Florida are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.
"Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Melbourne, Florida,
on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a Business Day it
shall mean 5:00 P.M., Melbourne, Florida, on the next succeeding Business Day.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company. "Common Shares" when
used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital
stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person
or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or
Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
"common stock equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii)(B)(3) hereof.
"Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A)(1)
hereof.
"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
"Eligible Shareholder" shall mean (i) in the case of an individual shareholder,
an individual who is a United States citizen and (ii) in the case of a
non-individual shareholder, an entity which is incorporated or otherwise
organized in the United States.
"equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b)
hereof.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall mean October 26, 2008.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited
partnership, limited liability partnership, business trust, limited liability
company, unincorporated association or other entity, and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
"Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.
"Redemption Date" shall mean the date on which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof.
"Right Certificate" shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in substantially
the form of Exhibit B hereto.
"Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of the date of (i) the public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by the Company or an
Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A)(2) hereof.
"Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any Person of which a majority of the
voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
"Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Summary of Rights" shall mean the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints the Rights
Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in
accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be
the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable upon ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The
Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for, the
acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition
Date or (ii) the tenth 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
Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
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 any of the Persons
referred to in the preceding parenthetical) to commence, a tender or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares (such date 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 Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y)
the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of Common Shares. 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
Eligible Shareholder of record 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 evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company
will send a copy of the Summary of Rights by first-class, postage-prepaid mail,
to each Eligible Shareholder of record as of the Close of Business on the Record
Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With
respect to certificates for Common Shares of Eligible Shareholders 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 a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution
Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the
surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares of Eligible
Shareholders outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares evidenced thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares of Eligible Shareholders which become
outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to
in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to
the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise
affixed to them the following legend:
"This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Exigent
International, Inc. and Mid-America Bank of Louisville, as Rights
Agent, dated as of October 27, 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 executive offices of Exigent
International, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
Exigent International, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate
a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a
written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, Rights that are
or were acquired or beneficially owned by Acquiring Persons (as defined
in the Rights Agreement) may become null and void."
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender
for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that
the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but
prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares
shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and the forms of
election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the
reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and may
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the other
provisions of this Agreement, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as
shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right Certificates shall be
executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer,
either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or
any Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent and
shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned, either manually or
by facsimile. 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 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 principal office, books for registration of the 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. Subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of
the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant
to Section 24 hereof) 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 one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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
principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall
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 for any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Right Certificates.
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 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) The registered holder of any Right Certificate (other than a holder
whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or have been
exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may exercise the Rights evidenced
thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the
reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at its principal office,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the
Redemption 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-thousandth of a Preferred Share to
be purchased upon the exercise of a Right shall initially be Sixteen Dollars
($16.00) (the "Purchase Price"), 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 certificate duly executed, accompanied
by payment of the Purchase Price for the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share 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 cash, 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 Shares certificates
for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and
the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) requisition from any depositary agent for the Preferred
Shares depositary receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary
agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional
Preferred 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.
(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 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, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate following the form of election to purchase
set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such
exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF 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 canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights 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 canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. STATUS AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred
Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares.
(b) 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 Shares 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
Shares 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 Shares 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.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available, out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any
Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in
accordance with Section 7 hereof.
Section 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares 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.
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 Preferred Shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS.
The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the
number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable
in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares,
(C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of
Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as
otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), 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, he would have owned upon such exercise
and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to the following paragraph of this subparagraph
(ii) and to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person shall
become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right 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-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu
of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share 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 Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
such Person became an Acquiring Person. 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 that would eliminate
or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such an event, any Rights
that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by such Acquiring
Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) on or
after the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the
Distribution Date shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of
this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or
any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be
issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or
any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring
Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would
be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof shall be canceled.
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation and not
outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights, are not
sufficient to permit the holder of each Right to purchase the number of
Common Shares to which he would be entitled upon the exercise in full
of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of
paragraph (a) of this Section 11, or should the Board of Directors so
elect, the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of
the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (calculated as
provided in the last sentence of this subparagraph (iii)) pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase
Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right,
make adequate provision to substitute for such Common Shares, upon
payment of the applicable Purchase Price, any one or more of the
following having an aggregate value determined by the Board of
Directors to be equal to the Current Value: (1) cash, (2) a reduction
in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares or other equity securities of
the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares,
of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such
shares of preferred stock, "common stock equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, or (5) other assets; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if
the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value
pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
first occurrence of an event triggering the rights to purchase Common
Shares described in Section 11(a)(ii) the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and cash have an aggregate value
equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall
determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional
Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of
the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended
to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek
stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken
pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof and the last paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such
action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In
the event of any such suspension, the Company shall make a public
announcement, and shall deliver to the Rights Agent a statement,
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. At such time as the suspension is no longer in effect, the
Company shall make another public announcement, and deliver to the
Rights Agent a statement, so stating. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be the current per
share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
of the Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the
value of any common stock equivalent shall be deemed to have the same
value as the Common Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a
price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be adjusted 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 Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares 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
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred Shares 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 shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the 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 Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) 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 Shares 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 Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; 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
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, 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; 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, or
(B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security
and prior to the expiration of 30 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 of
such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted
to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and
low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations
System ("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. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange 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, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be
determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i).
If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to
be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by 1000. If neither the
Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares 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) 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 ten-millionth of a
Preferred Share 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 three years from the
date of the transaction which requires such adjustment.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(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 Shares, the
number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall
thereafter be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share 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-thousandths of
a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one ten-millionth of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a
share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any adjustment
in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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-thousandths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one
hundred-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been distributed, shall be at least 10 days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been distributed,
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 to be so 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-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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-thousandths of
a Preferred Share 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-thousandth of the then par value of the Preferred
Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any
corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order
that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable
Preferred Shares 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 Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares 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 (i) combination or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv)
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or (v) issuance of any
rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter
made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to
such stockholders.
(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 Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise other than by payment of dividends in Common
Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case
(i) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after
such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such
event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each
Common Share 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.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTMENT. Whenever an adjustment is made as
provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each
transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares 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.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company,
or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or
part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property,
or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person 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 (A) 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-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such
other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving
corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other
Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation
of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) the issuer of such Common
Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such issuer; and (D) such issuer shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares 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 the
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would
eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. For purposes hereof, the
"earning power" of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good
faith by the Company's Board of Directors on the basis of the operating earnings
of each business operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries during the three
fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the case of any
business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary during three full fiscal
years preceding such date, during the period such business was operated by the
Company or any Subsidiary).
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 shall 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, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; PROVIDED, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to each registered holder 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 Preferred Share as the fraction of
one Preferred Share that such holder would otherwise receive upon the exercise
of the aggregate number of rights exercised by such holder. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (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.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
any right to receive fractional Rights or 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 Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) may, 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 Shares), on his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such 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, 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 the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books maintained by the Rights Agent if surrendered at the
principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer with a completed form of certification; and
(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 Shares 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 Shares certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. 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 Preferred Shares or any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of
the Rights represented thereby nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such 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 and,
from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim or liability in connection therewith.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for Preferred Stock or for other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided 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 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 this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and
obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and no implied duties or
obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent. The
Rights Agent shall perform those duties and obligations 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 (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
President, a Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except as to 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 its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 11
or 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Right Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged end delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President, the Secretary
or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
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 Shares and the 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
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the 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 organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of any state of the United States, in good standing, having an office in the
United States which is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $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 Shares and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW 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, 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 $0.01 per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
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
subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights 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 pursuant to 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 Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. If the
payment of the Redemption Price is not included with such notice, each such
notice shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will
be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem,
acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than
that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common
Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of a
sixty percent (60%) of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected PRO RATA based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents for Common
Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (or an appropriate number of common stock equivalents) for each
Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting
rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the
fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have
the same voting rights as one Common Share.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares,
Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents authorized by the Company's
certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved
or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
Rights, 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 Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu
of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common
Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes
of this paragraph (e), the current per share market value of a whole Common
Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (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 after the Distribution Date propose (i) to
pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred
Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares
(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of
its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other
securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (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 Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a 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 Shares and/or Preferred Shares, 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 Shares 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 Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case any event 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:
Exigent International, Inc. 1225 Evans Road, Melbourne, FL 32904-2314
Attention: Patricia Frank
Copy to:
Edwards & Angell, LLP. 250 Royal Palm Way, Suite 300, Palm Beach, FL 33480
Attention: John Igoe
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:
Mid-America Bank of Louisville, 500 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202
Attention: Vickie Palmer
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.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from time to time, and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, 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 change to or delete any provision hereof or to adopt any other
provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that from and after such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented
in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights (other than an Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates). Any
supplement or amendment authorized by this Section 27 will be evidenced by a
writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or
for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the
benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. 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 Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
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
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed
entirely within such State.
Section 32. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 33. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several Sections
of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. ADMINISTRATION. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer and interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board of Directors or the Company or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement. All such actions, calculations, determinations
and interpretations which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good
faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent,
the holders of the Rights and all other parties and shall not subject the Board
of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Rights Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunder affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:______________________________________
Title:___________________________________
Attest: RELIANCE TRUST COMPANY
By:______________________________________
Title:___________________________________
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
of
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
Exigent International, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the
"Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolutions were adopted by
the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on October 27, 1998:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors in
accordance with the provisions of the Company's Second Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock of
the Company be and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount
thereof and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and
other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof are as indicated on Exhibit A attached
hereto.
RESOLVED, that the proper officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby
is, authorized to execute a Certificate of Designation with respect to the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and to take all appropriate
action to cause such Certificate to become effective, including, but not limited
to, the filing and recording of such Certificate with and/or by the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware.
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of this series shall be designated
as "Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series B Preferred
Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series B Preferred Stock shall
be forty thousand (40,000). Such number of shares may be increased or decreased
by resolution of the Board of Directors; PROVIDED, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series B
Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the
Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly
dividends payable in cash on the last day of 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 Series B Preferred
Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1000 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, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation or a subdivision
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series B
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
B Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after
it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock from
the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such
shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such
shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless
the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series
B Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at
the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series B Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes
on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted
by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in the Second Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, including any other Certificate of Designation
creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the
holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general
voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a
vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise required by law, holders of
Series B Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent
shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with
holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series B Preferred Stock 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 Series B Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, 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
Series B Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are then entitled; or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series
B Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock
in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
(as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to
the Series B Preferred Stock.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series B Preferred Stock purchased
or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be
retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to
the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, including any Certificate of Designation creating
a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or as otherwise required by
law.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation the holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall enter into
any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares
of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities,
cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series B
Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which
each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 8. AMENDMENT. The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation shall not be amended in any manner, including in a merger or
consolidation, which would alter, change, or repeal the powers, preferences or
special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single
class.
Section 9. RANK. The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the
payment of dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution and winding up, junior to
all series of Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designation is executed on behalf of the
Corporation by its President and Chief Executive Officer this 27th day of
October, 1998.
EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:______________________________________
Bernard R. Smedley
President and Chief Executive Officer
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 26, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
RIGHTS THAT ARE OR WERE ACQUIRED OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
ANY ASSOCIATES OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT) OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Right Certificate
EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
This certifies that _______________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of October ___, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Exigent International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
Mid-America Bank of Louisville (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., Melbourne, Florida time, on October
26, 2008, at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable
share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $16.00
per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the certification and
the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the
Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
_________ __, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement, if the Rights are or were at any time on or after the earlier
of (x) the date of such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), such Rights shall become void, and any holder
of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
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. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender
at the principal 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 Preferred Shares 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, at the Company's option, the
Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part
for shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, or
Preferred Shares.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or
Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of
one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this 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: EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:________________________________
Countersigned: Title:_____________________________
_____________________________________
Rights Agent
By:__________________________________
Authorized Signature
<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.
Dated: _____________ ___, _____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To EXIGENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred 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 remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated: _____________ ___, _____
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must conform to
the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the
Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company
and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to
Purchase will not be honored.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
Effective October 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of Exigent International,
Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the "Common Shares") outstanding on November 17, 1998 (the "Record Date")
and beneficially owned by a United States citizen or, in the case of a
non-individual shareholder, an entity which is incorporated or otherwise
organized in the United States (an "Eligible Shareholder"). Each Right entitles
the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a price of $16.00 per one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights will be set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and Reliance Trust Company as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent").
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 beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or
(ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of such outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date or upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Agreement by reference.
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights),
the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares of Eligible
Shareholders, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights
being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. 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 Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will
expire on October 26, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed by the
Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable.
Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend payment of 1000
times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the
holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1000
times the aggregate payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will
have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. In the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged,
each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1000 times the amount received
per Common Share.
These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting
rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share
purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one
Common Share.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the
Rights Agreement, if the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are or were
at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) acquired or
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such
Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no
right to exercise such Rights.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50%
or more of its consolidated 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 the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at
the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise
price of the Right. In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates
(which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right. If the Company does not have sufficient Common
Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares, or if the Board of
Directors so elects, the Company shall deliver upon payment of the exercise
price of a Right an amount of cash or securities equivalent in value to the
Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right; provided that, if the Company
fails to meet such obligation within 30 days following the later of (x) the
first occurrence of an event triggering the right to purchase Common Shares and
(y) the date on which the Company's right to redeem the Rights expires, the
Company must deliver, upon exercise of a Right but without requiring payment of
the exercise price then in effect, Common Shares (to the extent available) and
cash equal in value to the difference between the value of the Common Shares
otherwise issuable upon the exercise of a Right and the exercise price then in
effect. The Board of Directors may extend the 30-day period described above for
up to an additional 60 days to permit the taking of action that may be necessary
to authorize sufficient additional Common Shares to permit the issuance of
Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the
acquisition by any person or group of a majority of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company 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 Common Share 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 such
Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board
of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the
Rights 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.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company
without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after
such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the
Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as
a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote
or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A copy of the
Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary
description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated
herein by reference.
