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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_____________________________________________
FORM 8-K
Current Report
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: December 9, 1998
---------------------------------
(Date of earliest event reported)
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
-------------------------
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
1-4448 36-0781620
- ------------------------ ---------------------------------
(Commission file number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
One Baxter Parkway, Deerfield, Illinois 60015
- --------------------------------------- -----
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (847) 948-2000
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(Page 1 of 3 pages)
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Item 5. Other Events.
On December 9, 1998, Baxter International Inc. (the "Company") and First
Chicago Trust Company of New York, as rights agent, entered into a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") that had been previously approved by the
Board of Directors of the Company to replace the Company's existing stockholder
rights plan, which will expire on March 22, 1999.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, one right ("Right") will be issued for
each outstanding share of the Company's common stock, par value $1.00 per share.
The distribution is payable to shareholders of record on March 12, 1999. Each
Right will entitle a stockholder to buy, under certain circumstances, one unit
of a share of preferred stock for $275. The Rights will be exercisable only if a
person or group acquires 15 percent or more of the Company's common stock or
commences a tender or exchange offer for 15 percent or more of the Company's
common stock. The Rights may be redeemed by the Company at a price of one cent
per Right at any time until ten business days following a public announcement
that 15 percent or more of the Company's common stock has been acquired.
The description and terms of the new Rights are set forth in the Rights
Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith and is incoporated herein by
reference.
Item 7. Exhibits
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Exhibit
- ----------- -------
<S> <C>
10 Rights Agreement, dated as of December 9, 1998, between Baxter
International Inc. and First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
which includes the Form of Certificate of Designation of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit A thereto and the
Form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit B thereto.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
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 thereunto duly authorized.
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
-------------------------------
(Registrant)
By: /s/ Jan Stern Reed
---------------------------
Jan Stern Reed
Secretary
Date: December 15, 1998
<PAGE>
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
AND
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of December 9, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Section Page
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<S> <C>
1. Certain Definitions................................................... 3
2. Appointment of Rights Agent........................................... 11
3. Issuance of Rights Certificates....................................... 12
4. Form of Rights Certificates........................................... 16
5. Countersignature and Registration..................................... 18
6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.............. 20
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights......... 22
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates................... 28
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock......................... 29
10. Preferred Stock Record Date........................................... 33
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights................................................................ 34
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares............ 58
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or
Earning Power......................................................... 59
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares............................... 66
15. Rights of Action...................................................... 70
16. Agreement of Rights Holders........................................... 71
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.................... 73
18. Concerning the Rights Agent........................................... 73
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent............. 75
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
20. Duties of Rights Agent................................................ 76
21. Change of Rights Agent................................................ 81
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates................................... 84
23. Redemption and Termination............................................ 85
24. Exchange.............................................................. 87
25. Notice of Certain Events.............................................. 91
26. Notices............................................................... 93
27. Supplements and Amendments............................................ 94
28. Successors............................................................ 96
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc............. 96
30. Benefits of this Agreement............................................ 97
31. Severability.......................................................... 98
32. Governing Law......................................................... 99
33. Counterparts.......................................................... 99
34. Descriptive Headings.................................................. 99
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
EXHIBITS
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Exhibit A -- Form of Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificates
Exhibit C -- Form of Summary of Rights
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
----------------
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 9, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between Baxter International Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York banking corporation (the
"Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, on March 20, 1989, the Company and The First National Bank of
Chicago entered into that certain Rights Agreement dated as of March 20, 1989
(the "1989 Rights Agreement") and the Board authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one right (a "1989 Right") for each share of Common Stock (as
hereinafter defined), par value $1 per share, outstanding at the Close of
Business on April 6, 1989 (the "1989 Record Date"). Each 1989 Right represents
the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock of the Company;
WHEREAS, on November 17, 1998 the Board of Directors of the Company
determined it desirable and in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders for the Company to extend the benefits afforded by the
<PAGE>
1989 Agreement and to implement such extension by adopting this Agreement;
WHEREAS, on November 17, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company
outstanding at the Close of Business on March 12, 1999 (the "Record Date"), and
has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be
adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of
Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (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 having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of
Certificate of Designation 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:
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Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include (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 15% 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 unless and until
such Person acquires beneficial ownership of additional shares of Common Stock
representing 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
who does not own 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock) on
Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in
3
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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 ten (10) Business
Days of being requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same,
certifies to the Company that such Person acquired shares of Common Stock in
excess of 14.9% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the Rights
and who, together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter does not
acquire additional shares of Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that (i)
if the Person requested to so certify fails to do so within ten (10) Business
Days, then such Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such
ten-Business-Day period or (ii) if the Person acquires additional shares of
Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, then such Person shall
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become an Acquiring Person immediately upon such acquisition.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and
in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(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," in addition to any securities beneficially
owned directly by such Person, any other securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "bene-
5
<PAGE>
ficially 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, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise
of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights
were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i)
hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or
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<PAGE>
not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding
to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A)
arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under 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 subpara-
7
<PAGE>
graph (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 through such Person's participation in good faith in a firm
commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty days after the date
of such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Illinois 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.,
Chicago time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $1 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
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<PAGE>
the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct
the management, of such Person.
(h) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(i) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company, and, to the
extent that there is 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.
(j) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(k) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(l) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation,
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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.
(m) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation or other entity of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation or other
entity is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or
otherwise controlled by such Person.
(n) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
any Section 13 Event.
In addition, for purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have
the meanings indicated in the specified sections of this Agreement: (i)
"Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof; (ii) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (iii) "current market price" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(d) hereof; (iv) "Current Value" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (v) "Distribution Date" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof; (vi) "Equivalent Preferred Stock"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof;
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(vii) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof;
(viii) "Nasdaq" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof;
(ix) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof;
(x) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof;
(xi) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a)
hereof; (xii) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof; (xiii) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xiv) "Spread" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xv) "Substitution Period" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof; (xvi) "Summary of Rights" shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof; and (xvii) "Trading Day"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
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.
11
<PAGE>
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 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 (the earlier of (i) and
(ii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will
be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by
the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of
the Common
12
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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 rights certificates, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"),
evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of
Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof,
at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make
the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of
and after the Distribution
13
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Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available a copy of a Summary of Rights
to Purchase Preferred Stock, in substantially the form attached hereto as
Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), to any holder of Rights who may request, in
writing, such a copy. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, unless and until the Distribution Date shall
occur, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock
and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered
holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or
the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer
of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which
Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date, the Expiration Date or, in certain circum-
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stances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates
for Rights, and shall bear a legend substantially in the following form (or
shall bear the legend required by the 1989 Agreement):
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Baxter
International Inc. (the "Company") and First Chicago Trust Company of New
York (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of December 9, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference
and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Company.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of
mailing, without charge, promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement,
Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an
Acquiring Person or 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
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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 or, in the case of Rights with respect to shares of
Common Stock issued or becoming outstanding after the Record Date, the same date
16
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as the stock certificate evidencing such shares, 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, the "Purchase Price"),
but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by any Person known
to be: (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
17
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understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e)
hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified
in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer 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 manually or
by facsimile signature by the Rights
18
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Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case
any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates
shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the
Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person
who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an
officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep
or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
19
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on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the certificate number 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 a Triggering Event,
Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the
Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitles 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
20
<PAGE>
to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates
to be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or
offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with
respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate or
Certificates 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 or Certificates 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 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto
a Rights Certificate or Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them
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of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in
case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of
all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights
Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will
execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein, including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
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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
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) the
Close of Business on March 23, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time
at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the
time at which the Rights are exchanged pursuant to Section 24 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 $275, 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 per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities,
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cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the
Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the total
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased and
the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be
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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 unexer-
25
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cised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order
of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section
14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof), (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Associate or
Affiliate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person (or such
Associate or Affiliate) becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior
to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate)
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any Associate
or Affiliate thereof) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person
(or any Associate or Affiliate thereof) or to any Person with whom the Acquiring
Person (including any Associate or Affiliate thereof) has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understand-
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<PAGE>
ing regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of
Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no
holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company
shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to
any holder of Rights Certificates or 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 upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii)
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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 cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange or on the Nasdaq National Market, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange
or on the Nasdaq National Market,
29
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as applicable, upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon
as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the
Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the
expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed
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<PAGE>
ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of
this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file
such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition,
if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required
following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall have been permitted under applicable law and a
registration statement shall 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 Trigger-
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<PAGE>
ing Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required
to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than, that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
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<PAGE>
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
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<PAGE>
be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
stockholder of the Company with respect to shares or other securities for which
the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to
vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of
the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered
by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock,
(C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a
34
<PAGE>
smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price
in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the
case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case
may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company
were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been
35
<PAGE>
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment
under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to,
and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, 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
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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 and who are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or
Associates of an Acquiring Person, after receiving advice from one or more
investment banking firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to
stockholders and not inadequate (taking into account all factors which such
members of the Board deem relevant, including, without limitation, prices
which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold
on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, then, promptly
following five (5) days after the date of 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
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<PAGE>
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-
hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and
(y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall
thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for
all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment
Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
which are authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation, but
which are not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than
upon exercise of the Rights, are not sufficient to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in
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accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment
Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2)
the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to
each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units
of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company
has deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of
preferred stock "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the
Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value
has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by
39
<PAGE>
the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company
shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause
(B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(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. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common
Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
40
<PAGE>
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, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the
Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability
of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
seek such stockholder 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
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11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common
Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any Common
Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock
on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of 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
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effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may
be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for
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<PAGE>
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
quarterly 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
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faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the current market
price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the
thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (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
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market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per
share of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the
Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30)
Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the "current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into
account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing
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<PAGE>
bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock
are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") or
such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
market in the Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date no
market maker is making a
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<PAGE>
market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be
used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal
national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed
or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price" per share
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same
manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current
market price
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per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided
above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in
a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
amount equal to one hundred (100) (as such number may be appropriately
adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date
of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per share of
the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
"current market price" of one one-hundredth of a share of
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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 of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of
Common Stock 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
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other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so
receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock
contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the
Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
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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) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after
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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, exe-
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cuted and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the
option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in
the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and
thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-
hundredth of a share and the number of one one-hundredth of a share which were
expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the
opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and
legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
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(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company
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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, cash flow or earning
power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other
than
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the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately
after such consolidation, merger, 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 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
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(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,
in the event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on
the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is
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made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a)
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with
the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the
Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to
each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to
each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance
with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on
any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have
received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash
Flow or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger,
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(y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or
Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
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with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued,
fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current
market price (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
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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
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are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so
issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation;
and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z)
of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
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(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act,
with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause
such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date;
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(ii) take all other actions 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) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13
Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be
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applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section
13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons who
acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined to be
in accordance with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (or a wholly owned
subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common
Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common
Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to
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distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
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exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such
market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company
shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as
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herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(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.
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(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
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, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant
to Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in 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 spe-
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cifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company
and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
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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
reasonable efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
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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 to be 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
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demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed
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<PAGE>
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; provided, however,
that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights
Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and
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<PAGE>
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) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders
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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 Chief Executive Officer, 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
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faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the
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ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of
the Company,
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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,
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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 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
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and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and, if such registration
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 registration occurs after the Distribution Date, to the registered
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 such holder's 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
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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, the State of Illinois or the State of New York (or of any
other state of the United States so long as such legal business entity is
authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of Illinois or
in the State of New York), in good standing, having an office or agency in the
State of Illinois or in the State of New York, which is authorized under such
laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and 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 execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than
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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 redemp-
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tion 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
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock
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Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of
Business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the
first occurrence of an event described in Section 11(a)(ii) 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 of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent and without any further
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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.
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Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 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 of the Company 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
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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 of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of 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,
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<PAGE>
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 there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such actions as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock (or Equivalent Preferred Stock) for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
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(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 quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the hold-
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ers of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect
the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the pur-
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poses 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 a 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
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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:
Baxter International Inc.
One Baxter Parkway
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
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:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
525 Washington Boulevard
Suite 4660
Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
Attention: Corporate Actions - Administration
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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. Prior to the Distribution
Date, 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, 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 in the opinion
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of 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); provided,
this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to
clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may
be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other
time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing
or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 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.
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.
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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 of the Company (or, as set forth
herein, certain specified members thereof) 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 of the Company 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, but not
limited to, 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 omis-
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sions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of
Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of the Company 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
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and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided,
however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any
such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority
to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from
this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement,
the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and
shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day following the date
of such determination by the Board of Directors of the Company. Without limiting
the foregoing, if any provision requiring that a determination be made by less
than the entire Board is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such determination shall then be
made by the entire Board.
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 Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of
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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.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
By /s/ Jan Stern Reed By /s/ Thomas J. Sabatino, Jr.
----------------------- ---------------------------
Name: Jan Stern Reed Name: Thomas J. Sabatino, Jr.
Title: Corporate Secretary and Title: Corporate Vice President and
Assistant General Counsel General Counsel
Attest: FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
By /s/ Christopher T. Coleman By /s/ Joanne Gorostiola
----------------------------- ---------------------------
Name: Christopher T. Coleman Name: Joanne Gorostiola
Title: Account Officer Title: Assistant Vice President
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Exhibit A
---------
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
The undersigned do hereby certify that the following resolution was
duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Baxter International Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), at a meeting duly convened and held on November 17,
1998, at which a quorum was present and acting throughout.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of
Directors of this Company by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a series
of Preferred Stock of the Company be and it hereby is created, and that the
designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special rights and
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are 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 3,500,000.
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 declared by the board of directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the first day of January, April, July and October in each year (each such date
being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend
<PAGE>
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) $5.00 or (b) subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of
all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in
kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock,
par value $1 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Company shall at any time after November 17, 1998 (the "Rights
Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of 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 Company 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 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
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with respect to dividends, a dividend of $5.00 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 Company. In the event the Company shall at any time after
the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
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<PAGE>
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 or by law, 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 Company.
(C) If at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the
election of directors a default in preference dividends on the Preferred Stock
shall exist, the number of directors constituting the board of directors of the
Company shall be increased by two, and the holders of the Preferred Stock of all
series shall have the right at such meeting, voting together as a single class
without regard to series, to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, to
elect two directors of the Company to fill such newly created directorships.
Such right shall continue until there are no dividends in arrears upon the
Preferred Stock. Each director elected by the holders of shares of Preferred
Stock (herein called a "Preferred Director"), shall continue to serve as such
director for the full term for which he shall have been elected, notwithstanding
that prior to the end of such term a default in preference dividends shall cease
to exist. Any Preferred Director may be removed by, and shall not be removed
except by, the vote of the holders of record of the outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class without regard to series, at
a meeting of the stockholders, or of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock,
called for the purpose. So long as a default in any preference dividends on the
Preferred Stock shall exist (A) any vacancy in the office of a Preferred
Director may be filled (except as provided in the following clause (B)) by an
instrument in writing signed by the remaining Preferred
4
<PAGE>
Director and filed with the Company and (B) in the case of the removal of any
Preferred Director, the vacancy may be filled by the vote of the holders of the
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class without
regard to series, at the same meeting at which such removal shall be voted. Each
director appointed as aforesaid by the remaining Preferred Director shall be
deemed, for all purposes hereof, to be a Preferred Director. Whenever the term
of office of the Preferred Directors shall end and a default in preference
dividends shall no longer exist, the number of directors constituting the board
of directors of the Company shall be reduced by two. For the purposes hereof, a
"default in preference dividends" on the Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have
occurred whenever the amount of accrued dividends upon any series of the
Preferred Stock shall be equivalent to six full quarter-yearly dividends or
more, and, having so occurred, such default shall be deemed to exist thereafter
until, but only until, all accrued dividends on all shares of Preferred Stock of
each and every series then outstanding shall have been paid or declared and set
apart for payment to the end of the last preceding quarterly dividend period.
(D) 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 corporate
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
Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dis-
5
<PAGE>
solution 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 Company may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking junior (either as
to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the 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 Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Company unless the Company could, under Paragraph (A) of this Section
6
<PAGE>
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 Company in
any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the
acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become
authorized but unissued 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 Company, no distribution shall be made to the holders of
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment (the "Series B Liquidation Preference"). Following
the payment of the full amount of the Series B 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 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 Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all
outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, respectively, 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
7
<PAGE>
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 Company shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the 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 Company 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 the shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the pre-
8
<PAGE>
ceding 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 Company'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 Company, unless the terms of
any such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Company shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more 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.
9
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC. has caused its corporate
seal to be hereunto affixed and this certificate to be signed by Thomas J.
Sabatino, its Vice President and General Counsel, and the same to be attested to
by Jan Stern Reed, its Secretary, this ___ day of , 199__.
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
By: _________________________
Vice President and
General Counsel
(Corporate Seal)
Attest:
- -------------------------
Secretary
10
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
---------
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 23, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE
RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
- --------------------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
<PAGE>
Rights Certificate
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
This certifies that , or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of December 9, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Baxter International Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York banking corporation (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M.
(Chicago time) on March 23, 2009 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
$275 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation
and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase
and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth
above, are the number and
2
<PAGE>
Purchase Price as of November 17, 1998, based on the Preferred Stock as
constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of
Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with
respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii)
Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of 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
3
<PAGE>
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 Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate
4
<PAGE>
or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be
entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the Close
of Business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such
time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for
5
<PAGE>
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 or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by this 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 manually or by facsimile
signature by the Rights Agent.
6
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _________ __, ____
ATTEST: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.
_________________________ By ________________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF
NEW YORK
By___________________________
Authorized Signature
7
<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_______________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________________, 19__
_________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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
<PAGE>
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such
Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of such Person.
Dated: _______________,19 _____ _____________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
------
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Rights
Certificate.)
To: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
<PAGE>
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: _______________, 19__
___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
-----------
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the
<PAGE>
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of such Person.
Dated: ______________, 19__ _________________________________
Signature
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.
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
---------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On November 17, 1998, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Baxter
International Inc. (the "Company") adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan (the
"Rights Plan") to replace its existing Rights Plan which is scheduled to expire
on March 20, 1999. The purpose of the Rights Plan is to deter certain coercive
or abusive takeover tactics and to encourage third parties interested in
acquiring the Company to negotiate with the Board and otherwise assist the Board
in representing the interests of all stockholders. The Rights Plan does not
deter negotiated mergers or business combinations that the Board determines to
be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
To implement the Rights Plan, the Board declared a dividend
distribution of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
outstanding share of the Company's common stock, $1 par value per share (the
"Common Stock"), to stockholders of record at the Close of Business (as defined
in the Rights Agreement) on March
<PAGE>
12, 1999. 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, without par value (the "Preferred Stock"), at a
Purchase Price of $275 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 December 9, 1998 between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company
of New York, as Rights Agent.
Rights Attach to Common Stock Initially
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
certificates will be distributed. During this initial period,
. the Rights are not exercisable;
. the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will
be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates;
. new Common Stock certificates will contain a notation incorporating
the Rights Agreement by reference; and
. the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with
2
<PAGE>
the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
Distribution of Rights
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date (as defined below),
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 and the Rights will be
tradable separately from the Common Stock. The Distribution Date is the earlier
to occur of the following two events:
. 10 Business Days following a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has
acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of
15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock
Acquisition Date"); or
. 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 beneficially owning 15% or more of
such outstanding shares of Common Stock.
3
<PAGE>
After the Distribution Date, the Rights will be tradable separately
from the Common Stock. After the Distribution Date and after the Company's
right to redeem (as described below) has expired, the Rights will be exercisable
in two different ways depending on the circumstances as set forth below.
Right to Purchase Company Stock
If, at any time following the Distribution Date, a person or group
acquires 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except
pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the
independent directors determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders), thereby becoming an Acquiring
Person, and the Company's redemption right (as described below) has expired,
each holder of a Right (except for the Acquiring Person and its affiliates and
associates whose Rights will be deemed null and void) will 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. In other words, the Rights holders (other than the
Acquiring Person) may purchase Common Stock at a 50% discount.
4
<PAGE>
For example, at an exercise price of $275 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 $550
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $275.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $100 at such time, the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 55 shares of Common
Stock for $275.
Right to Purchase Acquiring Person Stock
If, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company
is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in which the
Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger which follows an
offer described in the second preceding paragraph), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets, earning power or cash flow is sold or transferred, each holder
of a Right (except Rights which 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. In other words, a Rights holder may purchase the acquiring company's
common stock at a 50% discount.
5
<PAGE>
Exchange of Common Shares for Rights
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
before the Acquiring Person acquires 50% or more of the outstanding Common
Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than the Rights owned by the
Acquiring Person which will 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).
Redemption
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors) at any time until
ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date. 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
$.01 redemption price.
6
<PAGE>
Expiration of Rights
The Rights will expire on March 23, 2009 unless the expiration date is
extended by amendment as described below or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company as described above.
Amendments
Prior to the Distribution Date, the Board may amend any of the
provisions of the Rights Agreement without the approval of stockholders. 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, (excluding the interests of any
Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights
Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
Miscellaneous
The purchase price payable and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment under certain circumstances.
7
<PAGE>
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 result in the
recognition of taxable income by stockholders or 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 as set forth above.
A copy of the Rights Agreement will be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
8
