SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
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Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 16, 2000
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)
Maryland
(State of Incorporation)
1-13199 13-3956775
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Id. Number)
420 Lexington Avenue 10170
New York, New York (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)
(212) 594-2700
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Item 5. Other Events.
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The Board of Directors of SL Green Realty Corp. (the "Company") has
declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of
Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the close of business on
March 31, 2000. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Series
B Preferred Stock") at a Purchase Price of $60 per Unit, subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of March 6, 2000, between the
Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified in
the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership
of 17% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock other than as a
result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain inadvertent actions
by institutional or certain other stockholders (the "Stock Acquisition Date")
or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board shall determine)
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. Until the
Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date
will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificate. Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on March 5, 2010, unless earlier
redeemed, exchanged, extended or terminated by the Company as described below.
At no time will the rights have any voting power.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate
Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior
to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except
pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the
independent directors determine to be fair and not inadequate to and to
otherwise be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms (a "Qualifying
Offer"), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or
other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following
the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are,
or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the event set forth
above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as
set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $60 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following an
event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to
purchase $120 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above)
for $60. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $20 at such
time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 6 shares of
Common Stock for $60.
In the event that (i) the Company is acquired in a merger (other than
a "clean-up" merger which follows a Qualifying Offer) or other business
combination transaction (x) in which the Company is not the surviving entity,
(y) in which the Company is the surviving entity and the Common Stock is
changed or exchanged or the Common Stock remains outstanding but constitutes
less than 50% of the shares outstanding immediately following the merger, or
(ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is transferred, each
holder of a Right (except Rights which have previously been voided as set
forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise
price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the second
preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
outstanding Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than Rights
owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at
an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock (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).
At any time until ten business days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price
of $.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of
the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
$.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of the acquiring company or in the event of the
redemption of the Rights as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights, or to shorten or lengthen
any time period under the Rights Agreement. The foregoing notwithstanding, no
amendment may be made to the Rights Agreement at a time when the Rights are
not redeemable, except to cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any
provision contained in the Rights Agreement which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provision therein.
The Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights is attached
hereto as an exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing
description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
exhibit.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(c) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Exhibit
4 Rights Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2000, between SL Green
Realty Corp. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
which includes as Exhibit B thereto, the Form of Rights
Certificates.
99.1 Press Release dated March 15, 2000.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
By: /s/Benjamin P. Feldman
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Name: Benjamin P. Feldman
Title: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Date: March 16, 2000
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Exhibit 4
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
Rights Agent
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Rights Agreement
Dated as of March 6, 2000
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 6, 2000 (the
"Agreement"), between SL Green Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the
"Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on February 16, 2000 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a
dividend distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share o
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock")
outstanding at the close of business on March 31, 2000 (the "Record Date"),
and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter
be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(i) or Section 11(p)
hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the
Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the shares of the
Company's authorized but unissued stock) and the Distribution Date (as
hereinafter defined) each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-hundredth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
of the Company (the "Preferred Stock") having the preferences, conversion or
other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions,
qualifications, and terms or conditions of redemption set forth in the form of
Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of a
Series of Shares of Preferred Stock attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 17% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the
Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company, or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, (iv) any Person who
becomes the Beneficial Owner of seventeen percent (17%) or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding as a result of a reduction in the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of shares of Common
Stock by the Company other than at a time when the Rights are not redeemable,
unless and until such Person, after becoming aware that such Person has become
the Beneficial Owner of seventeen percent (17%) or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock, acquires beneficial ownership of additional shares of
Common Stock representing one percent (1%) or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, or (v) any such Person who has reported or is required
to report such ownership (but less than 20%) on Schedule 13G under the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of
this Agreement (the "Exchange Act") (or any comparable or successor report) or
on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report)
which Schedule 13D does not state any intention to or reserve the right to
control or influence the management or policies of the Company or engage in
any of the actions specified in Item 4 of such schedule (other than the
disposition of the Common Stock) and, within 10 Business Days of being
requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same, certifies to the
Company that such Person (x) acquired shares of Common Stock in excess of
16.9% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the Rights and who or
which, together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter does not
acquire additional shares of Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of 17% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (y) is a person covered
by the proviso in Section 1(d)(iii) hereof; provided, however, that if the
Person requested to so certify fails to do so within 10 Business Days, then
such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such
10-Business-Day period.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates, directly or indirectly, owns or has the right to acquire
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage
of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
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that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined),
or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the
occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) or pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) or
Section 11(p) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect
to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of
or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not
in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing, to vote such security if such
agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act,
and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such
Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for
the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable
proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph
(d)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided,
however, that nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a Person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired or which such
person has the right to acquire, through such Person's participation in
good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of
forty days after the date of such acquisition, and then only if such
securities continue to be owned by such Person at such expiration of
forty days.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date
is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with
reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of
such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other
equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.
(h) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(j) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(k) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(l) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(m) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
24 hereof.
(n) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(o) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(p) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, trust,
syndicate or other entity and includes, without limitation, an unincorporated
group of persons who, by formal or informal agreement or arrangement (whether
or not in writing), have embarked on a common purpose or act.
(q) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for
such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(r) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(b) hereof.
(s) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a)(ii) hereof.
(t) "Qualifying Offer" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(u) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
WHEREAS clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(v) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the WHEREAS
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(w) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the
parties clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(x) "Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(y) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning
set forth in the WHEREAS clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(z) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(aa) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(bb) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(cc) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under
the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such other than pursuant to a Qualifying Offer.
(dd) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation or other entity of which an amount of voting securities (or other
ownership interest having ordinary voting power) sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors (or other persons performing similar functions) of
such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially
owned or otherwise controlled by such person.
(ee) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ff) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(gg) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(hh) "Transaction" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(c) hereof.
(ii) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event
or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of
the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-rights agents
as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth
Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth Business Day
after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of
business on the Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as the Board of Directors shall determine)
after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning
of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act,
if upon consummation thereof, such Person would become an Acquiring Person, in
either instance other than pursuant to a Qualifying Offer, (the earlier of (i)
and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date," provided, that
if the terms of any then existing series of the Company's preferred stock
requires the Company to give prior notice to the holders of such series of the
Distribution Date, the Distribution Date may be postponed for up to 10 days in
the discretion of the Board of Directors), (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of
the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to
be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As
soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of the
Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more right
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in
the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to
Section 11(i) and Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the
Rights Certificates, the Company shall not be required to issue Rights
Certificates evidencing fractional Rights, but may, in lieu thereof, make the
necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As
of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by
such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as practicable
following the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights") to any holder
Rights who may so request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With
respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record
Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common
Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is
defined in Section 7(a) hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing
shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common
Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from shares of the
Company's authorized but unissued stock) after the Record Date but prior to
the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, and to the extent
provided in Section 22 hereof, in respect of shares of Common Stock issued
after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be
certificates for Rights, and shall, as promptly as practicable following the
Record Date, bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights
Agreement between SL Green Realty Corp. (the "Company") and
Rights Agent thereunder, dated as of March 6, 2000 (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will
no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge, promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or beneficially owned
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by
or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the
transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such
marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required
to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the
Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at
the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one one-hundredth of a
share, as adjusted from time to time hereunder, the "Purchase Price"), but the
amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and
the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a),
Section 11(i) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned
by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such,
or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A)
a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with
whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or
(B) a transfer which the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof,
and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof
upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent
feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or
were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the
Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights
Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of
the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and
delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be
countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with
the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights
Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date
of the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep,
or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates
issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the
Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution
Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any
Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates
representing Rights that may have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24
hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a
like number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged, with the forms of assignment and certificate contained therein duly
executed, at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated
to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on
the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b),
Section 7(e), Section 14 hereof and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver
to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as
the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from the
holder of a Rights Certificate of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation
of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of
indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental
thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate contained therein duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the
principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the
total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earliest of (i)
5:00 P.M., New York City time, on March 5, 2010 (such date, the "Final
Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which all of the Rights are redeemed or
exchanged as provided in Section 23 or Section 24 hereof, respectively, or
(iii) the time at which all of the rights expire pursuant to Section 13(d)
hereof (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the
"Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $60.00,
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11
and Section 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c)
below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof) per one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer
tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon
promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of
Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent
for such shares) certificates for the total number of one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent,
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased
(in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent), and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be
paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to
be delivered to or, upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of
the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check or bank
draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company,
pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof,
the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to
require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise
of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be
issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or a Section
13 Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of
an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such
and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of
Directors has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall
become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights
shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under
any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any
holder of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure
to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder of a Rights Certificate upon the
occurrence of any purported assignment or exercise as set forth in this
Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the
reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii)
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any
of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the
Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the
Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of
its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or
out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of
shares of Preferred Stock that, as provided in this Agreement including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full
of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use reasonable efforts to (i) file, as soon
as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be a registration statement on an
appropriate form under the Act, with respect to the Common Stock or other
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with
a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for
such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure
compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in
connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily
suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date
set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of
the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the
Company shall determine that a registration statement is required in other
circumstances following the Distribution Date, the Company similarly may
temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a
registration statement has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such
jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be
permitted under applicable law, or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and non-assessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be
required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any
transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate
at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may
be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to
have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be
entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares,
or fractions thereof, purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number
of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided
in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after
the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred
Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide or split
the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine or consolidate the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided
in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, split, combination,
consolidation or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares
of Preferred Stock or other capital stock, as the case may be
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the
aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time when the transfer books
for the Preferred Stock (or other capital stock, as the case may be)
of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification.
If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this
Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment
provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless
the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a
transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition
of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on
terms determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors who are not officers of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates
or Associates of an Acquiring Person to be (a) at a price which is
fair to the Company's stockholders and not inadequate (after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms and
taking into account all factors which such members of the Board of
Directors deem relevant, including, without limitation, prices which
could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold
on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b)
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders
(a "Qualifying Offer"),
then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper provision shall
be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in
Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall
equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price
by the then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event (whether or not such Right was then issued or
exercisable), and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each
Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market
Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock
on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment
Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common
Stock which are authorized by the Company's Articles of
Incorporation, including all amendments thereto (the "Charter"), but
which are not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights, is not sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company acting by
resolution of the Board of Directors shall (A) determine the value
of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Right
(the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject
to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for
the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of
the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares,
of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock, which the Board of
Directors has deemed to have essentially the same value or economic
rights as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock
being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination
of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current
Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board
of Directors based upon the advice of a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Board; provided, however,
that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of
redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and
(y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of
the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available)
and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an
aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the Current
Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors
determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set
forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in
order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day
period, as it may be extended, is herein called the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that action is to be taken pursuant to the
first and/or third sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek such shareholder approval for
such authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share shall be the Current
Market Price (as defined in Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the
Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share
or per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to
equal the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on such
date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them
to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45)
calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock
("Equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock
or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per
share of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock)
less than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price
to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which the aggregate subscription or offering price of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities
so to be offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the
denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be
paid by delivery of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for
the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such
a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not
so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular periodic
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on
such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes) of the
portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed
or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred
Stock, and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,
the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall
be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as
such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date,
and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the "Current Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices
per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading
Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the
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event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities
convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the
Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse
stock split or reclassification of such Common Stock, and the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record
date for such subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock
split or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10)
Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case,
the Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into
account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if
the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system or as quoted by the Nasdaq
National Market with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on another national securities exchange or quoted by the
Nasdaq National Market, respectively, or if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange or quoted by the Nasdaq National Market, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid
and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
The Nasdaq Stock Market or such other quotation system then in use,
or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by
any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors. If on any
such date the Common Stock is not publicly held and is not so
listed, admitted to trading or quoted, and no market maker is making
a market in the Common Stock, Current Market Price shall mean the
fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors, which determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for
all purposes. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common
Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction
of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business
Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be
determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common
Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last
sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or
if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or admitted to
trading or quoted in a manner described in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock
shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such
number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the
Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied
by the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock. If
neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or
so listed or admitted to trading or quoted, the Current Market Price
per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
purposes of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the
Current Market Price of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease in the Purchase Price of at least one percent (1%);
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be
made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common
Stock or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof (or the number of Rights) shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred
Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and
(m) hereof, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with
respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other
shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon
exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price,
that number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to
the nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one
one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the
adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one-ten-thousandth of a Right) obtained by dividing
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase
Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the
Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election
to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment,
and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This
record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day
thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at
least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights
pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable,
cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such
record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the
additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to
such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the
option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredths of a
share and the number of one one-hundredth of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts take any corporate action
which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue, fully paid and non-assessable such
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted
Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over
and above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and
other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such
adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a
due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board of Directors shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision
of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of
Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
in one or more transactions involving only the Company and/or any of its
Subsidiaries each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding
or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, or
transfer the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute,
the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received
a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its
Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date,
it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 24 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken
it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine or
consolidate the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then
outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution
Date (or issued or delivered on or after the Distribution Date pursuant to
Section 22 hereof), shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of
Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following any
such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by
a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and
the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13
hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate
and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail or cause the Rights Agent to
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate in
accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected
in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall
consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person or Persons (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person or Persons (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and
the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any
other property or the shares of Common Stock held by stockholders of the
Company immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction which remain
outstanding shall constitute less than 50% of the total number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately following consummation of the
transaction, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction
or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more
than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole and calculated on the basis of the Company's most recent
regularly prepared financial statements) to any Person or Persons (other than
in one or more transactions involving only the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as
provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall, thereafter, have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and
issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock
of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to
any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has
occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the
number of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and (2)
dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii)
such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that
the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal
Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x)
or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is
the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of
the Company are converted, changed or exchanged in such merger or
consolidation, or, if no securities are so issued, the Person that
is the other party to such merger or consolidation, or, if the other
party to the merger does not survive the merger, the person that
does survive the merger (including the Company, if it survives); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
party receiving the greatest portion of the assets, or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such
- -------- -------
Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person; and (2) if the Common Stock of such Person is not and has
not been so registered and such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such Section 13 Event
unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares
of its Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for issuance to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13
and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming
that the requirements of Section 13(a) and Section 13(b) hereof shall promptly
be performed in accordance with their terms, and further providing that, as
soon as practicable after the date of any such Section 13 Event, the Principal
Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) take all such other action as may be necessary to
enable the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights, including but not limited to the
registration or qualification of such securities under all requisite
securities laws of jurisdictions of the various states and the
listing of such securities on such exchanges and trading markets as
may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange
Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers
or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13
Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter
become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section
13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraph (x) or
(y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or
Persons, or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons, who
acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Qualifying Offer (as such term
is defined in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), (ii) the price per share of Common
Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such Qualifying Offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such Qualifying Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(i) and Section
11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional
Rights. In lieu of any such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of
this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The
closing price of the Rights for any Trading 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 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 or The Nasdaq National
Market with respect to securities listed on another national securities
exchange or quoted by The Nasdaq National Market, respectively, or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange or quoted by The Nasdaq National Market, the last quoted price or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by The Nasdaq National Market or such
other quotation 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. 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 shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the option of the
Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current
market value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one
one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (or, if
unavailable, the appropriate alternative price (in each case, as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of
this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock
shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of such Right expressly
waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in such holder's own
behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of shares of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates contained therein duly executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company
and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on
the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by
anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last
sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any
notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its
reasonable best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or
otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate,
as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to
vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance
with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, reimbursement for its reasonable expenses and counsel fees
and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent,
for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of
the Company, or any instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust, stock transfer or other shareholder
services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be
the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution
or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties
hereto, but only if such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. If at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall
not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such
Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of
the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) If at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer,
any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good
faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates, nor shall it be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall
it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section
11, Section 13 or Section 24 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or
amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts
that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt of a certificate
describing any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed
to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation
of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common
Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with
its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be
taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction
in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights
Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent
from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable
or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was
-------- -------
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder (other than internal costs incurred
by the Rights Agent in providing services to the Company in the ordinary
course of its business as Rights Agent) or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds
or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and, if such resignation occurs after the Distribution Date,
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The
Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty
(30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and
Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such removal occurs
after the Distribution Date, to the holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who
shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the
Company), then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.
Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a
court, shall be (a) a legal business entity organized and doing business under
the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good
standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust
powers and is subject to supervision and examination by a Federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a
legal business entity described in clause (a) of this sentence. 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 shall execute and deliver any further
assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for that purpose. Not later than
the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent
of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if such appointment occurs
after the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such
form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to
the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement,
granted or awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i)
no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the
Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the
earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business Day following the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred
prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth Business Day
following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption
Price"). Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder
has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price, as defined in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the
Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be
made.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time after the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange
will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights
will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of
Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro
rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of
Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as such
term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11 hereof) for Common Stock
exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a share
of Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for each share of Common
Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and
other similar transactions after the date hereof.
(d) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Charter but which are not outstanding or reserved
for issuance for purposes other then upon exercise of the Rights is not
sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 24, the Board of Directors shall take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon
exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there shall
be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a
whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (e), the
current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing
price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision or split
of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation
or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, of, 50% or more the of the assets, or earning
power of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other
Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in
one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then,
in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof,
a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or
the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such
case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall
specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph
to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or,
if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent
by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
SL Green Realty Corp.
420 Lexington Avenue
New York City, NY 10170
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing by the Rights Agent with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by
the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, 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.
(a) Prior to the Distribution Date, and subject to the provisions
of Section 27(b) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of
Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, and subject to the
provisions of Section 27(b) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if
the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any
ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which
may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to
shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement
the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement
or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights
Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with
the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no supplement
or amendment shall be made to this Agreement at a time when the Rights are not
redeemable, except as contemplated by clause (i) or (ii) of Section 27(a)
hereof.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common
Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance
with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret
the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed
necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement).
All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including,
for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing)
which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors,
or any of the directors on the Board of Directors to any liability to the
holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid
language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of
this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall
be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth
Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a
specific group of Directors of the Company to act is held to by any court of
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors
of the Company in accordance with applicable law and the Company's Charter and
By-laws.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Maryland and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts
made and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
By /s/ Benjamin P. Feldman By /s/ Stephen L. Green
----------------------------- -------------------------------------
Name: Benjamin P. Feldman Name: Stephen L. Green
Title: Secretary Title: CEO
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By By /s/ Herbert J. Lemmer
------------------------------ ------------------------------------
Name: Name: Herbert J. Lemmer
Title: Title: Vice President
Exhibit A
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
ESTABLISHING AND FIXING THE RIGHTS AND
PREFERENCES OF A SERIES OF SHARES OF PREFERRED STOCK
SL Green Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the "Corporation"),
certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of
Maryland that:
FIRST: Under a power contained in Article VI of the Corporation's
Articles of Incorporation, as heretofore amended (which, as hereafter restated
or amended from time to time, are together with these Articles Supplementary
herein called the "Charter") the Board of Directors (the "Board"), by
resolutions duly adopted on February 16, 2000, classified and designated
1,000,000 shares of the Preferred Stock of the Corporation as Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, with the preferences, conversion and other
rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions,
qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of the shares of such
series of Preferred Stock, which upon any restatement of the Charter shall be
included as part of Article VI of the Charter, as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number
of shares constituting such series shall be 1,000,000. The par value of the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock is $.01 per Share, which is not
a change in the par value of the Preferred Stock as set forth in the Charter.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares
of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Directors out
of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in
cash on the first business day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the
first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest
cent) equal to the greater of (a) $.01 or (b) subject to the provisions for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, (i) 100 times the aggregate per share amount
of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable
in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Corporation (the "Common Stock") 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 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after February 16, 2000
(the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date") (x) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (y) subdivide the outstanding Common
Stock or (z) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each case the amount to which holders of shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A)
above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided,
however, that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, subject
to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock ranking prior to and superior to the shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, a dividend of $.01
per share on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, 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 Junior Participating 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall
be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the
time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the date
fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights.
The holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (i) declare and pay any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying
such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, the holders of shares of Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common
Stock shall vote collectively as one class on all matters submitted to a vote
of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Whenever distributions on any shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be in arrears for six or more quarterly periods (a
"Preferred Distribution Default"), the holders of such shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock (voting separately as a class with all
other equity securities ranking on a parity with the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as to distributions and upon voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation upon
which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable ("Parity
Preferred Stock ")) shall be entitled to vote for the election of a total of
two additional directors of the Corporation (the "Preferred Stock Directors")
who shall each be elected for one-year terms. Such election shall be held at a
special meeting called by the holders of record of at least 20% of the
outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock or the
holders of shares of any other series of Parity Preferred Stock so in arrears
(unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for
the next annual or special meeting of shareholders) or, if the request for a
special meeting is received by the Corporation less than 90 days before the
date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the shareholders, at the
next annual or special meeting of stockholders, and at each subsequent annual
meeting until all distributions accumulated on such shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock for the past distribution periods and the
distribution for the then current distribution period shall have been fully
paid or authorized and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for
payment in full. In such cases, the entire Board of Directors of the
Corporation shall be increased by two directors.
(D) If and when all accumulated distributions and the distribution for
the current distribution period on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall have been paid in full or set aside for payment in full, the
holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
divested of the voting rights set forth in Section 6(c) herein (subject to
revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Distribution Default) and,
if all accumulated distributions and the distribution for the current
distribution period have been paid in full or set aside for payment in full on
all other series of Parity Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have
been conferred and are exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Stock
Director so elected shall terminate. So long as a Preferred Distribution
Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Stock
Director may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Stock Director
remaining in office, or if there is no such remaining director, by vote of
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and any other such other series of Parity
Preferred Stock voting as a single class. Any Preferred Stock Director may be
removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be
removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of
the outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock when
they have the voting rights set forth in Section 6(c) (voting separately as a
class with all other series of Parity Preferred Stock upon which like voting
rights have been conferred and are exercisable).
(E) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights, and their consent shall
not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders
of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporation action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series B Junior Participating 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
Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as
to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid
ratably on the Series B Junior Participating 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;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a
purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by
the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms
as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will
result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock purchased or
otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall become
authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part
of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions
of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on
issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation (a "Liquidation Event"), no distribution shall be made
to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received the sum (the
"Series B Liquidation Preference") of (a) $100 per share, plus (b) an amount
equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or
not declared to the date of such payment. Following the payment of the full
amount of the Series B Junior Participatory Liquidation Preference, no
additional distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
shares of Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common
Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (X)
$100 per share plus (Y) an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, whether or
not declared, to the date of payment of the Series B Liquidation Preference by
(ii) 100 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in subparagraph (C) below to
reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations
with respect to the Common Stock ) (such number in clause (ii), the
"Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series B
Junior Participatory Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in
respect of all outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, respectively, and the payment of liquidation
preferences of all other shares of Stock which rank prior to or on a parity
with Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall
receive their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be
distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such
Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series B Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, which
rank on a parity with the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then
such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such
parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Dividend Declaration Date (i) declare and pay any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment 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.
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 Junior Participating
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 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash
and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, that would be
held or receivable upon the consummation of such consolidation, merger,
combination or other transaction by a holder of a share of Common Stock. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date (i) declare and pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption.
The shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall not be
redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking.
The Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall rank junior to
all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets, whether or not upon the dissolution,
liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, unless the terms of any such
series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment.
The Charter shall not be amended in any manner that would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, as set forth herein, 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 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares.
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions
of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's
fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate
in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
SECOND: The Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock have been
classified and designated by the Board under the authority contained in
the Charter.
THIRD: These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board in
the manner and by the vote required by law.
FOURTH: These Articles Supplementary shall be effective at the time the
State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland accepts
these Articles Supplementary for record.
FIFTH: The undersigned President of the Corporation acknowledges these
Articles Supplementary to be the act of the Corporation and, as to all matters
or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President
acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these
matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is
made under the penalties for perjury.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles
Supplementary to be executed under the seal in its name and on its behalf by
its President and attested to by its Secretary of this 6th day of March, 2000.
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
By:/s/ Stephen L. Green
-------------------------------------
Stephen L. Green
President and Chief Executive Officer
[SEAL]
ATTEST:
/s/ Benjamin P. Feldman
- -------------------------------
Benjamin P. Feldman, Secretary
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 5, 2010, SUBJECT TO EARLIER REDEMPTION OR
EXPIRATION PURSUANT TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF ANY
SUCH PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF
AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
_________________________
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
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 March 6, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between SL Green Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on March
5, 2010 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid,
non-assessable share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $60.00 per one
one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and
related Certificate duly completed and executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be
purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set
forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of March 6, 2000, based on
the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves the
right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so
that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
As more fully set forth in the Rights Agreement, from and after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or
(iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a
transferee of such Acquiring Person, (or of any such Affiliate or Associate
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with such Acquiring Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void without any further
action and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights
from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain
events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the
rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of
the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in
the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the
close of business on (i) the tenth Business Day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date. In addition, under certain
circumstances following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of
preferred stock of the Company having essentially the same value or economic
rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company authorizing any such exchange, and without any further action
or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not subject to such
exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive
the shares issuable upon such exchange.
If the Company so determines, no fractional shares of Preferred Stock
will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. The Company, at its election, may
require that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Preferred Stock would be issued.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a 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 consent to or withhold consent from any
corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of _________ __, ____
ATTEST: SL GREEN REALTY CORP.
______________________________ By___________________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By___________________________
Authorized Signature
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if
such holder desires to transfer the Rights
Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
==============================================================================
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest herein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________________, _____
____________________________
Signature
Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: __________, ________ _____________________________
Signature
Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: SL GREEN REALTY CORP.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of
the Company or of any other Person which may be issuable or such other assets
which may be deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that
certificates for any such shares or securities be issued in the name of and
delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: _______________, _____
___________________________________________
Signature
Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ______________, __________ _____________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this
Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or
any change whatsoever.
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
The Board of Directors of SL Green Realty Corp. (the
"Company") has declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each
outstanding share of Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the
close of business on March 31, 2000 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles
the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one
one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Series B Preferred Stock"), at a
Purchase Price of $60.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description and
terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights
Agreement"), dated as of March 6, 2000, between the Company and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified in
the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership
of 17% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock other than as a
result of repurchases of stock by the Company or certain inadvertent actions
by institutional or certain other stockholders (the "Stock Acquisition Date")
or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board shall determine)
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. Until the
Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date
will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificate. Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date
and will expire at 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on March 5, 2010, unless
earlier redeemed, exchanged, extended or terminated by the Company as
described below. At no time will the rights have any voting power.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate
Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior
to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
except pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which
the independent directors determine to be fair and not inadequate to and to
otherwise be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms (a "Qualifying
Offer"), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or
other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following
the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph, all Rights that are,
or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the event set forth
above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as
set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $120 per Right, each
Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties)
following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its
holder to purchase $120 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as
noted above) for $60. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of
$20 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase
6 shares of Common Stock for $60.
In the event that (i) the Company is acquired in a merger
(other than a "clean-up" merger which follows a Qualifying Offer) or other
business combination transaction (x) in which the Company is not the surviving
entity, (y) in which the Company is the surviving entity and the Common Stock
is changed or exchanged or the Common Stock remains outstanding but
constitutes less than 50% of the shares outstanding immediately following the
merger, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is
transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have previously been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Right. The events set forth in this paragraph
and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering
Events."
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or
more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or
in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (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).
At any time until ten business days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon
the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such,
will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution
of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company,
stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income
in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other
consideration) of the Company or for common stock of the acquiring company or
in the event of the redemption of the Rights as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After
the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not
adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights, or to shorten or lengthen
any time period under the Rights Agreement. The foregoing notwithstanding, no
amendment may be made to the Rights Agreement at a time when the Rights are
not redeemable, except to cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any
provision contained in the Rights Agreement which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provision therein.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement
on Form 8-A/Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the Rights Agreement is
available free of charge from the Rights Agent. This summary description of
the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
420 Lexington Avenue New York City 10170
CONTACT
- -------
David Nettina
President & Chief Operating Officer
212-594-2700
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- ---------------------
SL Green Realty Corp. Adopts
Shareholder Rights Plan
NEW YORK--March 15, 2000--SL Green Realty Corp.[NYSE:SLG] today announced
that it had adopted a shareholder rights plan, and declared a dividend
distribution of one Preferred Share Purchase Right on each outstanding share
of SL Green common stock.
The Company stated that the rights plan was adopted in consideration of the
relative disconnect between current real estate valuations in Manhattan and
the implied valuation of the Company's properties represented by its share
price. The rights plan is designed to assure that all of the Company's
shareholders receive fair and equal treatment in the event of any proposed
takeover and to guard against partial tender offers, squeeze-out mergers, open
market accumulations and other abusive tactics to gain control of the Company
without paying all shareholders a fair price. The rights plan will not prevent
a takeover but should encourage anyone seeking to acquire the Company to
negotiate with the Board prior to attempting a takeover. This action is not in
response to any specific effort to acquire the Company. The Company believes
that the plan will give the Board the appropriate negotiating position to
maximize share value, should such an eventuality present itself.
The Rights will be exercisable only if a person or group acquires 17% or more
of SL Green's common stock or announces a tender offer the consummation of
which would result in ownership by a person or group of 17% or more of the
common stock. Each Right will entitle shareholders to buy one one-hundredth of
a share of a new series of junior participating preferred stock at an exercise
price of $60.00.
If SL Green is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction
after a person has acquired 17% or more of SL Green's outstanding common
stock, each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's
then-current exercise price, a number of the acquiring company's common shares
having a market value of twice such price. In addition, if a person or group
acquires 17% or more of SL Green's outstanding common stock, each Right will
entitle its holder (other than such person or members of such group) to
purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a number of SL Green's
common shares having a market value of twice such price.
Prior to the acquisition by a person or group of beneficial ownership of 17%
or more of the Company's common stock, the Rights are redeemable at the option
of the Board of Directors.
The dividend distribution will be made on March 31, 2000, payable to
shareholders of record on that date. The Rights will expire on March 5, 2010.
The Rights distribution is not taxable to shareholders.
SL Green Realty is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real
estate investment trust ("REIT") which primarily owns, manages, leases,
acquires and repositions commercial properties in Manhattan.
