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CLECO CORPORATION
AND
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY,
RIGHTS AGENT
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 28, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS .........................................1
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT .................................7
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES ................................8
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES .................................9
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION ..........................10
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT-UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF
RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST
OR STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES ..............................10
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE .........................11
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES ........14
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK ..............14
Section 10. $25 PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE ............................16
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND
OF SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS ..............................16
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER
OF SHARES ..................................................24
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS
OR EARNING POWER ...........................................24
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES ....................27
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION ...........................................27
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS ................................28
Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER .........28
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT ................................29
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF
RIGHTS AGENT ...............................................29
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT .....................................30
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Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT .....................................32
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES ........................32
Section 23. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION .................................33
Section 24. EXCHANGE ...................................................34
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS ...................................35
Section 26. NOTICES ....................................................36
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS .................................36
Section 28. SUCCESSORS .................................................37
Section 29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, ETC. ............................................37
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT .................................38
Section 31. SEVERABILITY ...............................................38
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW ..............................................38
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS ...............................................38
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS .......................................38
Exhibit A - Form of Articles of Amendment establishing Series A Participating
Preferred Stock
Exhibit B - Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Rights Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2000 (the "Agreement"),
between Cleco Corporation, a Louisiana corporation (the "Company"), and
Equiserve Trust Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H:
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WHEREAS, on July 28, 2000 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"),
the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend of one
Right for each share of common stock, par value $2 per share, of the Company
(the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business on August 14, 2000
(the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p)
hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued (whether originally
issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) between the Record Date and the
earlier of the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) and the Expiration
Date (as hereinafter defined), and, in certain circumstances provided for in
Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date, each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one Fractional Share (as hereinafter defined)
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include any Exempt Person; provided, however, that a Person shall not be or
become an Acquiring Person if such Person, together with its Affiliates and
Associates, shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding solely as a result of a reduction in the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of Common Stock by the
Company, unless and until such time as such Person or any Affiliate or Associate
of such Person shall purchase or otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of
additional shares of Common Stock constituting 1% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other Person (or Persons) who is (or
collectively are) the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock constituting 1%
or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall become an Affiliate
or Associate of such Person, unless, in either such case, such Person, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is not then the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; and
provided, FURTHER, that if there is at least one Continuing Director then in
office and the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office, determines in good faith that a Person that
would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that it
beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such
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Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was aware of the extent
of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and without any
intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and if such Person
as promptly as practicable divested or divests itself of Beneficial Ownership of
a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no
longer be an "Acquiring Person," then such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
"Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
"Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2
of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the
date of this Agreement.
"Associate" shall mean, with reference to any Person, (1) any
corporation, firm, partnership, association, unincorporated organization or
other entity (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) of which
such Person is an officer or general partner (or officer or general partner of a
general partner) or is, directly or indirectly, the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of any class of equity securities, (2) any trust or other estate in which
such Person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which such Person
serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity and (3) any relative or
spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same home as
such Person.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, is the "beneficial owner" of (as
determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) or
otherwise has the right to vote or dispose of, including pursuant to
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under
this subparagraph (i) 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 or consent
given in response to a public (I.E., not including a solicitation
exempted by Rule 14a-2(b)(2) of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) 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 then reportable by such Person on Schedule
13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);
(ii) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right or obligation to
acquire (whether such right or obligation is exercisable or effective
immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of an
event) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, other rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
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however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, 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) or (p) hereof in
connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
or
(iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
(A) 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 or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph
(i) of this definition) or disposing of any voting securities of the
Company or (B) any group (as that term is used in Rule 13d-5(b) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on
the date of this Agreement) of which such Person is a member;
provided, however, that nothing in this definition 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 (including,
without limitation, securities acquired pursuant to stabilizing transactions to
facilitate a public offering in accordance with Regulation M promulgated under
the Exchange Act, or to cover overallotments created in connection with a public
offering) until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
For purposes of this Agreement, "voting" a security shall include voting,
granting a proxy, acting by consent, making a request or demand relating to
corporate action (including, without limitation, calling a shareholder meeting)
or otherwise giving an authorization (within the meaning of Section 14(a) of the
Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement) in respect of such
security.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New Jersey are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
"close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day, it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
"Closing Price" of a security for any day shall mean the last sales
price, regular way, on such day or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on such day,
in either case as reported in the principal transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, or, if such security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which such
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security is listed or admitted to trading, or, if such security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but sales price
information is reported for such security, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
self-regulatory organization or registered securities information processor (as
such terms are used under the Exchange Act) that then reports information
concerning such security, or, if sales price information is not so reported, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market on
such day, as reported by NASDAQ or such other entity, or, if on such day such
security is not quoted by any such entity, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such
security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on such day no
market maker is making a market in such security, the fair value of such
security on such day as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
"Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $2 per share, of
the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to equity
interests issued by any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital
stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or
other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.
"Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Company" shall mean the Person named as the "Company" in the preamble
of this Agreement until a successor Person shall have become such or until a
Principal Party shall assume, and thereafter be liable for, all obligations and
duties of the Company hereunder, pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Agreement, and thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor Person or
Principal Party.
"Continuing Director" shall mean any member of the Board of Directors
of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board of Directors of the
Company, who is not, and has never been, an officer or employee of the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company and who is not an Acquiring Person, or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a nominee or representative of
an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if (i) such Person
was a member of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the time a Person
becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) such Person's nomination for election or
election to the Board of Directors of the Company is recommended or approved by
a majority of the then Continuing Directors, either by a specific vote or by
approval of the proxy statement issued by the Company on behalf of the Board of
Directors in which such person is named as a proposed nominee for director.
"Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d) hereof.
"Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Distribution Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day (or, if such Stock Acquisition Date results from the
consummation of a Permitted Offer, such later date as may be determined by the
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Company's Board of Directors as set forth below before the Distribution Date
occurs) after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth 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 may be determined by the Company's Board of Directors as set forth
below before the Distribution Date occurs) after the date that a tender offer or
exchange offer by any Person (other than any Exempt Person) is first commenced
for purposes of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act as then in effect, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would
be an Acquiring Person, other than a tender or exchange offer that is determined
before the Distribution Date occurs to be a Permitted Offer. If there is at
least one Continuing Director then in office, the Board of Directors of the
Company, with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors then in
office, may, to the extent set forth in the preceding sentence, defer the date
set forth in clause (i) or (ii) of the preceding sentence to a specified later
date or to an unspecified later date to be determined by a subsequent action or
event (but in no event to a date later than the close of business on the tenth
day after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event).
"Equivalent $25 Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24
hereof.
"Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company,
and any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such
plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company.
"Expiration Date" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Final Expiration
Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof, (iii) the time at which the Rights expire pursuant to Section 13(d)
hereof and (iv) the time at which all Rights then outstanding and exercisable
are exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of business on July 30,
2010.
"Flip-In Event" shall mean an event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
"Flip-In Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Flip-Over Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y) or
(z) of Section 13(a) hereof, but excluding any transaction described in Section
13(d) hereof that causes the Rights to expire.
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"Fractional Share" with respect to the $25 Preferred Stock shall mean
one one-hundredth of a share of $25 Preferred Stock.
"NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotations System.
"Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the definition
of "Beneficial Owner."
"Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined, prior
to the time the Person making the offer or any Affiliate or Associate thereof is
an Acquiring Person, by at least a majority of the Continuing Directors who are
not, and are not representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of, the
person making the offer, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms, to be (a) at a price and on terms that are fair to shareholders
(taking into account all factors that such members of the Board deem relevant
including, without limitation, prices that 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
shareholders. In considering whether the condition set forth in clause (b) of
the preceding sentence is satisfied, the Board of Directors may take into
account the factors set forth in LSA-R.S. 12:92, subd. G and any other factors
it deems relevant.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization or
other entity.
"$25 Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $25 per share, of the Company having the rights,
powers and preferences set forth in the form of Articles of Amendment attached
hereto as Exhibit A and, to the extent that there is not a sufficient number of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of $25 Preferred Stock, par value $25
per share, of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms
substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Participating Preferred
Stock.
"Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b)
hereof.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
"Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals clause
at the beginning of this Agreement.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a)
hereof.
"Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals clause at
the beginning of this Agreement.
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"Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as the "Rights Agent" in
the preamble of this Agreement until a successor Rights Agent shall have become
such pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and thereafter "Rights Agent"
shall mean such successor Rights Agent. If at any time there is more than one
Person appointed by the Company as Rights Agent pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Agreement, "Rights Agent" shall mean and include each such
Person.
"Rights Certificates" shall mean the certificates evidencing the
Rights.
"Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition and Section 23, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
"Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
or other Person of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at
least a majority of the directors or other persons performing similar functions
is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
"Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Summary of Rights" shall mean the Summary of Rights sent pursuant to
Section 3(b) hereof.
"Trading Day" with respect to a security shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which such security is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business, or, if such
security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange but is quoted by NASDAQ, a day on which NASDAQ reports trades, or, if
such security is not so quoted, a Business Day.
"Triggering Event" shall mean any Flip-In Event or any Flip-Over
Event.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent (i) to act as agent for the Company and (ii) to take certain
actions in respect of 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) (although it is expressly agreed that the Rights Agent shall not act as
agent for such holders) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and
the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to
time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable upon
ten days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have
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no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for the acts or omissions
of, any such Co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock 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 (other than any Person referred to in the
first sentence of Section 7(e)), at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more 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 Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit C, by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder
of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address
of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates
for Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date
or the earlier surrender for transfer thereof or the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates
shall be evidenced by such certificates for Common Stock together with the
Summary of Rights, 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, the transfer of any of the
certificates for Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
that are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22
hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates issued representing such
shares of Common Stock that shall so become outstanding or shall be transferred
or exchanged after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights,
and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Cleco
Corporation (the "Company") and Equiserve Trust Company (the "Rights
Agent") dated as of July 28, 2000 as it may from time to time be
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supplemented or amended (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 may be
redeemed, may be exchanged, may expire or may 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 BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF,
WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone, and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be
the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof), when, as and if issued,
shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have
such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or quotation system
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their
face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Fractional
Shares of $25 Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set
forth therein (such exercise price per Fractional Share (or, as set forth in
this Agreement, for other securities), 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 a Person described in the
first sentence of Section 7(e), and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
adjustment of any such Rights, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend, modified as applicable to apply to such Person:
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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 [will] [have] become null and void in
the circumstances and with the effect specified in Section 7(e) of such
Agreement.
The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Agreement shall be operative whether or
not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate. The
Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes aware of
the existence of any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either
manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal or a facsimile thereof, which shall be attested by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.
The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the 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), Section
13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, at any time after the close of business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
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Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder
(or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) thereof or of the Affiliates or Associates thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject
to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment by the holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer,
split-up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section
13(d), Section 14 and Section 24, 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.
(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 completed and executed, to the
Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with
respect to the total number of Fractional Shares of $25 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 Expiration Date.
(b) The Purchase Price for each Fractional Share of $25 Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $125, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
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(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse
side thereof duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right
so exercised, of the Purchase Price per Fractional Share of $25 Preferred Stock
(or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly
(i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of $25 Preferred Stock
(or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of Fractional Shares of $25 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, in its sole discretion,
shall have elected to deposit the shares of $25 Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of
Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the shares of $25 Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such
amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash
or by certified check, cashier's or official bank check or bank draft payable to
the order of the Company or the Rights Agent. 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) or Section 13(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 exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of $25 Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate
of an Acquiring Person other than any such Person that became such pursuant to a
Permitted Offer and a majority of the Continuing Directors in good faith
determines was not involved in and did not cause or facilitate, directly or
indirectly, such Triggering Event, (ii) a direct or indirect transferee of such
Rights from such Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after such Triggering Event or (iii) a direct or indirect
transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with such Triggering Event and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
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consideration) from such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or Associate) to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or
Associate) or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate
or Associate) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors
of the Company determines (or a majority of the Continuing Directors determines)
is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without
any further action, no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise, and such Rights shall not be transferable. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have
(i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
(g) In the event that, at any time Rights are exercised prior to any
adjustment pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and by reason of the
restriction on issuance set forth in the last paragraph of Article 6, Section 4
of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, the
Company is unable to issue sufficient $25 Preferred Stock to permit the exercise
in full of the exercised rights in accordance with the foregoing paragraphs of
this Section 7, the Company shall determine the value of the $25 Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Preferred Stock Value") and shall,
to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, with respect to each
exercised Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the $25 Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise thereof (or such portion which cannot be issued
because of such restriction), upon the exercise of such Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares or units of shares, of preferred stock of any other class or
series), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any
combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Preferred
Stock Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have
made adequate provision for such a substitution within 30 days following the
time any such Right is exercised when such a restriction on the issuance of $25
Preferred Stock exists, then, to the extent $25 Preferred Stock may not be
issued by virtue of such restriction, 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 $25 Preferred Stock (to the extent they are permitted
to be issued) and then, if necessary, cash and/or Common Stock, which shares,
cash and/or Common Stock have an aggregate value equal to the excess of the
Preferred Stock Value over the Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that (a) such
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restriction or issuance will, within 90 days, no longer by its terms operate to
limit the issuance of $25 Preferred Stock so as to permit the exercise of the
Rights in full, or (b) that the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
of the Company could be amended to eliminate the effect of such restriction on
the exercise of the Rights, the 30-day period set forth above may be extended to
the extent necessary, but not more than 90 days after the first exercise of a
Right as to which such restriction has an effect, in order to provide time for
such restriction to cease to have such effect by its terms or so that the
Company may seek shareholder approval for an amendment to eliminate the effect
of such restriction, as the case may be (such period, as it may be extended, the
"Section 7(g) Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company or the Board
of Directors determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first
and/or second sentences of this Section 7(g), the Company (x) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply as nearly as may be
practicable on a uniform and equitable basis to all outstanding Rights, and (y)
may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Section
7(g) Substitution Period in order to provide time for such restriction to cease
to operate, to seek any shareholder approval of any amendment to eliminate the
effect of such restriction 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.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved
and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares, or out of its
authorized and issued shares held in its treasury, the number of shares of $25
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 any shares of $25 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 are listed on any national
securities exchange or quoted on any trading system, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
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exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange, or quoted on such system, upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise. Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company will use
its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights on one or
more national securities exchanges or to cause the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by NASDAQ or such other
transaction reporting system then in use.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) prepare and file, as
soon as practicable following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event or, if
applicable, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first
occurrence of a Flip-In Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined pursuant to this
Agreement (including in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof), a
registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act with
respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii) cause
such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act)
until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. 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 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. In addition, if the Company shall determine that the Securities Act
requires an effective registration statement under the Securities Act following
the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until such time as such a registration statement has been declared
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or any required
registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of
the certificates for such 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 that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of Fractional Shares of $25 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 that
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 Fractional
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Shares of $25 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 Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until
such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(f) The Company covenants that on the date of this Agreement, or
within 30 days thereafter, the Company will cause a copy of this Rights
Agreement and all Exhibits hereto to be filed with the Louisiana Secretary of
State, in accordance with Section 51(C) of the Louisiana Business Corporation
Law.
Section 10. $25 PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for a number of Fractional Shares of $25 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 shares (fractional or otherwise) of $25 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 $25
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have
become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the $25
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be
entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or other
securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each Right and the number of
Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time
after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (A) declare a dividend on
the outstanding shares of $25 Preferred Stock payable in shares of $25
Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding shares of $25 Preferred
Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of $25 Preferred Stock into a
smaller number of shares or (D) otherwise reclassify the outstanding
shares of $25 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
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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 $25 Preferred Stock or capital
stock or other securities, 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 $25 Preferred Stock or capital stock or other securities, as
the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the $25 Preferred Stock transfer
books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise
and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs that 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) Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Agreement,
in the event any Person shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing
such Person to become an Acquiring Person is (1) a Flip-Over Event or
(2) an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Permitted
Offer (provided that this clause (2) shall cease to apply if such
Acquiring Person thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any
additional shares of Common Stock other than pursuant to such Permitted
Offer or a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) or 13(d) hereof),
then, (x) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event multiplied
by the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first occurrence and
(y) each holder of a Right (except as provided below in Section
11(a)(iii) and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right
to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of the
shares of $25 Preferred Stock otherwise purchasable thereunder, such
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by 50% of the Current
Market Price per share of Common Stock on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares"); provided
that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall be
further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events
occurring after the date of such first occurrence.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of
Common Stock that are authorized by the Company's Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance
for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not sufficient
to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall,
to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, (A) determine
the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (computed using the Current Market Price used to
determine the number of Adjustment Shares) (the "Current Value") over
(2) the Purchase Price (such excess is herein referred to as the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision
to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of the
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Rights and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or
units of shares, of preferred stock (including, without limitation, the
$25 Preferred Stock) that the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such
shares of preferred stock are herein referred to as "Common Stock
Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or
(6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not
have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B)
above within 30 days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of
a Flip-In 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 "Flip-In 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 30-day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than 90 days after the Flip-In Trigger Date, in
order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be
extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company or
the Board of Directors 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 any
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate
form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
Common Stock shall be the Current Market Price per share of the Common
Stock on the Flip-In 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 $25 Preferred Stock entitling them
to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days
after such record date) $25 Preferred Stock (or shares having substantially the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of $25 Preferred Stock
("Equivalent $25 Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into $25 Preferred
Stock or Equivalent $25 Preferred Stock at a price per share of $25 Preferred
Stock or per share of Equivalent $25 Preferred Stock (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into $25 Preferred Stock or
Equivalent $25 Preferred Stock) less than the Current Market Price per share of
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$25 Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of shares of $25 Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of shares of $25 Preferred Stock that the aggregate
offering price of the total number of shares of $25 Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent $25 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 $25 Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of $25 Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent $25
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
$25 Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that 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 $25 Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, 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 $25 Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than $25 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 per share of $25 Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on 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 $25 Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price per share of $25
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 that 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 of a Person on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the daily Closing Prices per share of such Common Stock for the
30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current Market
Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily Closing Prices per share of such Common Stock for the 10
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consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock other than a regular quarterly cash dividend
or the dividend of the Rights, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and
in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take
into account ex-dividend trading. 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 (or Fractional Share) of $25 Preferred Stock shall be
determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause
(i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current
Market Price per share (or Fractional Share) of $25 Preferred Stock cannot be
determined in the manner provided above or if the $25 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 $25 Preferred Stock shall
be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of
this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the Common
Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the $25 Preferred Stock is publicly held
or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the $25 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 a Fractional
Share of $25 Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one
share of $25 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 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments that 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 to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Fractional Share of $25 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 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) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive in respect of such Right any shares of capital stock other
than $25 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
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equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the $25 Preferred
Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k)
and (m) hereof, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with
respect to the $25 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 Fractional Shares of $25
Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a Fractional Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock 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 Fractional Shares of $25 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 Fractional Shares of $25
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
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option
of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
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(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per Fractional Share and the
number of Fractional Shares that 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 par value, if any, or the stated capital of
the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock or of the number of
shares of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon exercise of a Right,
the Company shall take any corporate action that 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 Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred
Stock or such number of shares of Common Stock or other securities at such
adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock and other capital stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of Fractional Shares of $25 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 shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the $25 Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any
shares of $25 Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii)
issuance wholly for cash of shares of $25 Preferred Stock or securities that by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of $25 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
$25 Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
that there is an Acquiring Person, (i) consolidate with any other Person, (ii)
merge with or into or be acquired pursuant to a share exchange by any other
Person, or (iii) sell, lease or transfer (or permit one or more Subsidiaries to
sell, lease or transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons, if (x) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, lease or transfer there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities of the Company or any other
Person outstanding or agreements, arrangements or understandings in effect that
would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
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afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, lease or transfer, the
shareholders or other equity owners 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 or Associates, or (z) the identity, form or nature of
organization of the Principal Party (including, without limitation, the
selection of the Person that will be the Principal Party as a result of the
Company's entering into one or more consolidations, mergers, share exchanges,
sales, leases, transfers or transactions with more than one party) would
preclude or limit the exercise of Rights or otherwise diminish substantially or
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if the purpose of
such action is to, or if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably
foreseeable that such action will, diminish substantially or eliminate the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Notwithstanding Section 3(c) hereof or any other provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, 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, (iii)
combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares
or (iv) otherwise reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or
delivered thereafter with Rights, 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 "Adjustment Fraction"), the numerator of which shall be
the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of
such event. In lieu of such adjustment in the number of Rights associated with
one share of Common Stock, the Company may elect to adjust the number of
Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of one
Right and the Purchase Price. If the Company makes such election, the number of
Rights associated with one share of Common Stock shall remain unchanged, and the
number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of
one Right and the Purchase Price shall be proportionately adjusted so that (i)
the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise
of a Right following such adjustment shall equal the product of the number of
Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Right
immediately prior to such adjustment multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction and
(ii) the Purchase Price following such adjustment shall equal the product of the
Purchase Price immediately prior to such adjustment multiplied by the Adjustment
Fraction.
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Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 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
$25 Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Rights Certificate
(or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each registered 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.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, from and after the time an Acquiring Person has
become such, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any other Person, and the Company shall not be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any
Person 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, or the Company shall be party to a share exchange, and, in connection
with such consolidation or merger or share exchange, all or part of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell, lease or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, lease or otherwise transfer), in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company or any combination thereof in one
or more transactions each of which complies (and all of which together comply)
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) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price immediately
prior to the first occurrence of a Triggering Event multiplied by the number of
Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such first occurrence; (ii) on and after the Distribution
Date, 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 Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of shares of $25
Preferred Stock or Common Stock of the Company, such number of validly
authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable 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 dividing the Purchase Price
by 50% of the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Flip-Over Event; provided
that the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock of such
Principal Party issuable upon exercise of each Right shall be further adjusted
as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events occurring after the date of
such first occurrence of a Triggering Event or after the date of such Flip-Over
Event, as applicable; (iii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-Over Event, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iv) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
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intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such
Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event; (v) 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 (vi) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the occurrence of any Flip-Over 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), (A) the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
Company are converted in such merger or consolidation or share
exchange, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the
Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market value, or (B)
if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that survives such
consolidation or is the other party to the merger and survives such
merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the
Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market value or (y) if
the Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the
merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company
if it survives); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each
Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the
same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred, or if the
Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
cannot be determined, the Person the Common Stock of which has the
greatest aggregate market value;
provided, however, that in any such case, if the Common Stock of such Person is
not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and if (1) such Person
is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which
is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person; (2) such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Stocks of all of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons
that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set
forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having
an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both
or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain
shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as
their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such
interests.
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(c) The Company shall not consummate any Flip-Over Event unless each
Principal Party (or Person that may become a Principal Party as a result of such
Flip-Over Event) shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its
Common Stock that 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 each 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 such Flip-Over Event, the
Principal Party at its own expense will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and
will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A)
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B)
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the
"blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
appropriate;
(iii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party is or shall become listed on a national securities
exchange, to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on such securities
exchange and, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall not be
listed on a national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by
NASDAQ or such other transaction reporting system then in use; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that
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 Flip-Over Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Rights that
have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the
manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Permitted
Offer (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 Common Stock whose shares
were purchased pursuant to such Permitted 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 Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
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Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates or scrip evidencing fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Closing Price
of one Right for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such
fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
$25 Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided in Section 7(c) hereof,
fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of $25 Preferred
Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or scrip
evidencing fractional shares of $25 Preferred Stock (other than, except as
provided in Section 7(c) hereof, fractions that are integral multiples of a
Fractional Share of $25 Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of shares of
$25 Preferred Stock in integral multiples of a Fractional Share of $25 Preferred
Stock may, at the election of the Company in its sole discretion, be evidenced
by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company
and a depositary selected by it, provided that such agreement shall provide that
the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges
and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the shares of
$25 Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional shares of $25 Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of a
Fractional Share of $25 Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered
holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of one one-hundredth of
the Closing Price of a share of $25 Preferred Stock 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 or scrip evidencing 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
Closing Price of one share of Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately prior
to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as 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, where applicable, the Company; and any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
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Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock),
may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such
Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement. After a Triggering Event,
holders of Rights shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs and
expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by them in any action to enforce
the provisions of 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 not be evidenced
by Rights Certificates and will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates will be
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 form of assignment set forth on the reverse side thereof and the
certificate contained therein duly completed and fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of Fractional
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Shares of $25 Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that 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 shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other reasonable disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim 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, after proper inquiry or examination, to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, guaranteed, 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 or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent
shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
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predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "Current Market Price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. In no event shall the Rights Agent
be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent
has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the
form of action.
(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
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shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after receipt of actual knowledge 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 $25 Preferred
Stock or Common Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of $25 Preferred
Stock or Common Stock or other securities 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 President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, 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, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act,
omission, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, that 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.
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(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 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and the $25 Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the registered holders, if any, of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent (with or without cause) upon 30 days' notice in writing,
mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the $25 Preferred Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates, if any, 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this Section 21, in no event shall the resignation or removal of a
Rights Agent be effective until a successor Rights Agent shall have been
appointed and have accepted such appointment. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal
or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by
the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the registered holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then the Rights Agent or the registered holder
of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State
of New Jersey (or of any other state of the United States so long as such
corporation is authorized to conduct a stock transfer or corporate trust
business in the State of New Jersey), in good standing, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation 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 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 $25 Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders, if any, 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
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as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the Expiration Date, 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 on or prior
to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities issued by the Company on or prior to the Distribution Date, 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 first date of public announcement of the occurrence of a Flip-In
Event (or, if such date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close
of business on the tenth day following the Record Date) and (ii) the Expiration
Date, cause the Company to redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted, if necessary, to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date
(such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price");
provided, however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes
redemption of the Rights after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
the Rights may be redeemed only if (A) there is at least one Continuing Director
then in office and (B) the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors then in office, determines that such
redemption is, in their judgment, in the best interests of the Company, its
shareholders and any other constituencies or communities that the Board
determines to consider in accordance with applicable law. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable after the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
Current Market Price 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 effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (the
effectiveness of which action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or
more events or on the existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some
future time), evidence of which shall be filed with the Rights Agent and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the
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effectiveness of 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 registered 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 Company for the Common Stock. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) If there is at least one Continuing Director then in office, the
Board of Directors of the Company, with the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors then in office, may, at its option, at any time and from
time to time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares
of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or any combination thereof, at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or such number of Common Stock
Equivalents or units representing fractions thereof as would be deemed to have
the same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right, appropriately adjusted,
if necessary, to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors may not effect such exchange at any time after (i) any
Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (ii) the occurrence of a Flip-Over
Event.
(b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to and in
accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 24 (the effectiveness of which
action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or more events or on the
existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some future time) 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 and/or Common Stock
Equivalents 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 registered holders of
such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice
of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common
Stock and/or Common Stock Equivalents for Rights will be effected and, in the
event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights that will be exchanged. Any
partial exchange shall be effected as nearly pro rata as possible based on the
number of Rights (other than Rights that have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
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(c) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock that are
authorized by the Company's amended and restated articles of incorporation but
not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise
of the Rights is not sufficient to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated
in accordance with this Section 24, the Company may, at its option, take all
such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing fractional shares
of Common Stock upon exchange of the Rights. In lieu of such fractional shares
of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights 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 value of a whole
share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 24, the value of a whole
share of Common Stock shall be the Closing Price per share of Common Stock for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this
Section 24, and the value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have
the same value as the Common Stock on such date.
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 $25 Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders
of $25 Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of
earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders
of $25 Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional shares of $25 Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its $25 Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding shares of $25 Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), or to effect any sale, lease or other transfer of all or substantially
all the Company's assets to any other Person or Persons (other than a wholly
owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section
11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, or (vi) to be acquired pursuant to a share exchange, then, in each
such case, the Company shall give to each holder of record of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date
on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, lease, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of $25 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 20 days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the shares of $25 Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 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 $25 Preferred Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier. The failure to give notice required by this
Section 25 or any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of
the action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.
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(b) In case any Flip-In Event or Flip-Over Event shall occur, then (i)
the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution Date,
the registered holders of Common Stock), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to $25
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Cleco Corporation
2030 Donahue Ferry Road
Pineville, Louisiana 71360
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Equiserve Trust Company
EquiServe First Chicago Trust Division
Post Office Box 2500
Jersey City, NJ 07303-2500
Street Address:
525 Washington Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07310
Attention: __________________
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. Except as provided in the last
sentence of this Section 27, at any time when the Rights are then redeemable,
the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion and the Rights Agent shall,
if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights or holders of
Common Stock. At any time when the Rights are not redeemable, except as provided
in the last sentence of this Section 27, the Company may and the Rights Agent
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shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein that 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 that the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided that no
such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of
the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person); and FURTHER provided that this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended pursuant to this sentence to lengthen (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed or (B) any other time period
unless the lengthening of such other time period is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the
holders of Rights (other than any Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and
Associates). 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; provided, however, that the Rights Agent may, but
shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplement or amendment that
affects the Rights Agent's own rights, duties or immunities under this
Agreement. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
(1) at any time after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this
Agreement may be supplemented or amended only if (A) there is at least one
Continuing Director then in office and (B) the Board of Directors, with the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors then in office, determines
that such supplement or amendment is, in their judgment, in the best interests
of the Company, its shareholders and any other constituencies or communities
that the Board determines to consider in accordance with applicable law, and (2)
no supplement or amendment shall be made that decreases the Redemption Price.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. The Board of
Directors of the Company (or, as set forth herein, certain specified members
thereof and, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of a
majority of the Continuing Directors) shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, 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,
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all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board
of Directors of the Company (with, where specifically provided for herein, the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x)
be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders
of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of
Directors (or the Continuing Directors) to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company (with the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing
Directors) determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid
language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of
this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be
reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth 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 of Directors of the Company
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
of Directors of the Company.
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 Louisiana and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
CLECO CORPORATION
By /s/ Thomas J. Howlin
--------------------------------------------
Name: Thomas J. Howlin
Title: Senior Vice President of Financial
Services Profit Center and
Chief Financial Officer
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY
By /s/ Michael S. Duncan
--------------------------------------------
Name: Michael S. Duncan
Title: Director, Corporate Actions`
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF CLECO CORPORATION
(formerly Cleco Holding Corporation)
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT : STATE OF LOUISIANA
TO :
AMENDED AND RESTATED :
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION : PARISH OF RAPIDES
OF :
CLECO CORPORATION : CITY OF PINEVILLE
BE IT KNOWN, That on this ___ day of _________, 2000,
BEFORE ME,_______________, a Notary Public, duly commissioned and
qualified in and for the Parish of Rapides, State of Louisiana, and in the
presence of the witnesses hereinafter named and undersigned:
PERSONALLY CAME AND APPEARED:
________________ and Michael P. Prudhomme, appearing herein and acting
for Cleco Corporation (of which Corporation they are, respectively, ________ and
Secretary), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of
Louisiana, domiciled in the Parish of Rapides, State of Louisiana, organized by
Articles of Incorporation effective October 29, 1998, which Articles, as
amended, were restated pursuant to Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation effective July 1, 1999, who declared that pursuant to Section
24B(6) and 33A of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law, Article 6, Section 4
of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, and
resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Corporation adopted at a meeting of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation held on July 28, 2000, they now appear
for the purpose of executing this act of amendment and putting into authentic
form the amendment so adopted by the Board of Directors of said Corporation.
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AND THE SAID APPEARERS further declare that by vote of the Board of
Directors of said Corporation, it was resolved that Article 6 of the Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation of Cleco Corporation be further amended by
renumbering existing Section 9 thereof as Section 10 and replacing the former
Section 9 with the following:
SECTION 9. Of the aforesaid shares of Preferred Stock, par value $25
per share (the "$25 Preferred Stock"), [500,000] shares shall constitute a
separate series of preferred shares designated "Series A Participating Preferred
Stock." The preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock are as follows:
SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. There shall be a series of $25 Preferred
Stock that shall be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Stock," and
the number of shares constituting such series shall be 500,000. Such number of
shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors;
provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series
A Participating Preferred Stock to less than the number of shares then issued
and outstanding plus the number of shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding
rights, options or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities issued
by the Corporation.
2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of $25 Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to
the holders of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation ranking
junior to the Series A 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 1st day of
March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred
to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction
of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $2.00 or (b) the
Adjustment Number (as defined below) times the aggregate per share amount of all
cash dividends, and the Adjustment Number 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 $2 per share, of the Corporation (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 A Participating Preferred Stock.
The "Adjustment Number" shall initially be 100. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after July 28, 2000 (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
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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.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A 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, a dividend of $2.00 per share on the
Series A 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 A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A
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
A 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 A 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 A Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon,
which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock shall have the voting rights specified therefor (and other
series of Preferred Stock) specified in these Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation, and shall otherwise have no special voting rights.
4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A 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 A Participating
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Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall
not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on,
or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A 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 A Participating
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
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; or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of
stock ranking on a parity with the Series A 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
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or to all such holders and the
holders of any such shares ranking on a parity therewith, upon such terms
as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and
equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Participating Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of $25 Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of $25
Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, 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 A Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per
share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions
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thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the "Series A
Participating Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock Liquidation
Preference, no additional distributions shall be made to the holders of shares
of Series A 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 A
Participating Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference by (ii) the Adjustment
Number. Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of
all outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and
holders of shares of Common Stock shall, subject to the prior rights of all
other series of $25 Preferred Stock, if any, ranking prior thereto, receive
their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed
in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Series A
Participating 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 A Participating Preferred
Stock Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series
of $25 Preferred Stock, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A
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) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or
with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other
corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section
6, but the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all the
Corporation's assets shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination, share exchange or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other
stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each
share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment
Number 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.
8. REDEMPTION. (A) The Corporation, at its option, may redeem shares
of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock in whole at any time and in part
from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the Adjustment Number times
the current per share market price (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the
Common Stock on the date of the mailing of the notice of redemption, together
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with unpaid accumulated dividends to the date of such redemption. The "current
per share market price" on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
closing price per share of such Common Stock for the ten consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement of (A)
a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
Common Stock and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the
record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, shall not
have occurred prior to the commencement of such ten Trading Day period, then,
and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be properly
adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each
day shall be the last sales 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 transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which
the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading, or, if the Common Stock is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but sales
price information is reported for such security, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ")
or such other self-regulatory organization or registered securities information
processor (as such terms are used under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended) that then reports information concerning the Common Stock, or, if sales
price information is not so reported, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market on such day, as reported by NASDAQ or such
other entity, or, if on any such date the Common Stock is not quoted by any such
entity, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker
is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of the Common Stock on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the
principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business, or, if the Common
Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange
but is quoted by NASDAQ, a day on which NASDAQ reports trades, or, if the Common
Stock is not so quoted, a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on
which banking institutions in the State of New Jersey are not authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(B) In the event that fewer than all the outstanding shares of the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number of shares
to be redeemed shall be determined by the Board of Directors and the shares to
be redeemed shall be determined by lot or pro rata as may be determined by the
Board of Directors or by any other method that may be determined by the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion to be equitable.
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(C) Notice of any such redemption shall be given by mailing to the
holders of the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock to be redeemed a
notice of such redemption, first class postage prepaid, not later than the
fifteenth day and not earlier than the sixtieth day before the date fixed for
redemption, at their last address as the same shall appear upon the books of the
Corporation. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the
number of shares to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such
holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such
holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates
for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and
(v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the
close of business on such redemption date. Any notice that is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given,
whether or not the shareholder received such notice, and failure duly to give
such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice, to any holder of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall not affect the validity of the proceedings
for the redemption of any other shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
that are to be redeemed. On or after the date fixed for redemption as stated in
such notice, each holder of the shares called for redemption shall surrender the
certificate evidencing such shares to the Corporation at the place designated in
such notice and shall thereupon be entitled to receive payment of the redemption
price. If fewer than all the shares represented by any such surrendered
certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the
unredeemed shares.
(D) The shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall not be
subject to the operation of any purchase, retirement or sinking fund.
9. RANKING. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall rank on a
parity with all other series of the Corporation's $25 Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, and shall rank senior to
the Common Stock as to such matters.
10. AMENDMENT. At any time that any shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without
the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
11. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share that 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 A Participating Preferred Stock.
APPEARERS having requested me, Notary, to note said amendment in
authentic form, I do by these presents receive said amendment in the form of
this public act to the end that said amendment may be promulgated and recorded
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and thus be read into the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of
Cleco Corporation, as hereinabove set forth.
THUS DONE AND PASSED, in my office at _______, State of Louisiana, on
the day, month and year first above written, in the presence of the undersigned
competent witnesses, who hereunto sign their names with the said appearers and
me, Notary, after a due reading of the whole.
CLECO CORPORATION
By:______________________________________
By:______________________________________
WITNESSES:
________________________________
________________________________
_________________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
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EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 30, 2010 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT
$0.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR
TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO
LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
CLECO CORPORATION
This certifies that _____________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2000 as it may from time to time be
supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between Cleco Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Equiserve Trust Company, a national
banking association (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on July 30, 2010 at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable
share (a "Fractional Share") of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $25 per share (the "$25 Preferred Stock"), of the Company, at a purchase
price of $125 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 set forth on the reverse hereof duly
executed. The Purchase Price may be paid in cash or by certified check,
cashier's or official bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the
Company or the Rights Agent. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares that may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per Fractional Share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July 28, 2000, based on the $25
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 $25 Preferred Stock will be issued.
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From and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such
term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring Person
or an Associate or Affiliate of an 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, concurrently with or after such
transfer, became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, such Rights shall, with certain exceptions, become null and
void in the circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, and no holder
hereof shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights from and
after the occurrence of such Triggering Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
and kind of shares of $25 Preferred Stock or other securities or assets that may
be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of
certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the 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 Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock as
the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, payable, at the election of the
Company, in cash or shares of Common Stock or such other consideration as the
Board of Directors may determine, at any time prior to the earlier of the close
of business on (a) the tenth day following the first public announcement of the
occurrence of a Flip-In Event (as such time period may be extended or shortened
pursuant to the Rights Agreement) and (b) the Expiration Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part
for shares of Common Stock and/or other equity securities of the Company deemed
to have the same value as shares of Common Stock, at any time prior to a
person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock outstanding or the occurrence of a Flip-Over Event. Under certain
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circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem the
Rights shall require the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors
(as defined in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of $25 Preferred Stock are required to be issued
upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than, except as
set forth above, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of
$25 Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
$25 Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company that may at any
time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of August 14, 2000
ATTEST: CLECO CORPORATION
________________________ By _____________________________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY
By ________________________________
Authorized Signature
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<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires
to transfer any Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_________ Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, together with all right,
title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
__________________ Attorney, to transfer the said Rights on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _________________, 20__
________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
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<PAGE>
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or
was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or indirect
transferee of an Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, 20__ ________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: CLECO CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of $25 Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares (or other securities) be
issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________, 20__
__________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
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<PAGE>
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 an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or indirect transferee of an
Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________, 20__ ________________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).
NOTICE
The signatures 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.
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<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF, WILL BECOME NULL AND
VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
On July 28, 2000, the Board of Directors of Cleco Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one right ("Right") for each outstanding share
of the Company's Common Stock, par value $2 per share ("Common Stock"), to
shareholders of record at the close of business on August 14, 2000. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of
one one-hundredth of a share (a "Fractional Share") of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock,par value $25 per share (the "$25 Preferred Stock"), at a
purchase price of $125 per Fractional Share, subject to adjustment (the
"Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a
Rights Agreement dated as of July 28, 2000 as it may from time to time be
supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
Equiserve Trust Company, as Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates
representing outstanding shares of Common Stock, and no separate certificates
for the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be distributed. The Rights will
separate from the Common Stock and a "Distribution Date" will occur, with
certain exceptions, upon the earlier of (i) ten 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 date of
the announcement being the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten business days
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result
in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person. In certain circumstances, the
Distribution Date may be deferred by the Board of Directors. Certain inadvertent
acquisitions will not result in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person if the
person promptly divests itself of sufficient Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date, (a) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates (together with a copy of this Summary of Rights or bearing the
notation referred to below) and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (b) new Common Stock certificates issued after August
14, 2000 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference
and (c) the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Stock (with or
without a copy of this Summary of Rights) will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on July 30, 2010, unless earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company as described below.
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<PAGE>
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date and, from and after the Distribution Date,
the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. All shares of
Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
Shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date in connection with
certain employee benefit plans or upon conversion of certain securities will be
issued with Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, no
other shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date will be issued
with Rights.
In the event (a "Flip-In Event") that a person becomes an Acquiring
Person (except pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding shares
of Common Stock at a price and on terms that a majority of the Continuing
Directors (as hereinafter defined) determines to be fair to and otherwise in the
best interests of the Company and its shareholders (a "Permitted Offer")), each
holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of
such Right, a number of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances,
cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a Current Market Price
(as defined in the Rights Agreement) equal to two times the exercise price of
the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any
Triggering Event, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by or transferred to an
Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) will be null and void in the
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of any Flip-In Event until such time as the
Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $125 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 $250
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above), based upon its
then Current Market Price, for $125. Assuming that the Common Stock had a
Current Market Price of $40 per share at such time, the holder of each valid
Right would be entitled to purchase 6.25 shares of Common Stock for $125.
In the event (a "Flip-Over Event") that, at any time from and after
the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, (i) the Company is acquired in a
merger or other business combination transaction (other than certain mergers
that follow a Permitted Offer), or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights that
are voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company having a
Current Market Price equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Flip-In
Events and Flip-Over Events are collectively referred to as "Triggering Events."
The number of outstanding Rights associated with a share of Common
Stock, or the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of a Right and the Purchase Price, are subject to adjustment in the
event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification
of, the Common Stock occurring prior to the Distribution Date. The Purchase
Price payable, and the number of Fractional Shares of $25 Preferred Stock or
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<PAGE>
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of certain
transactions affecting the $25 Preferred Stock.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional shares of $25 Preferred Stock that are not integral
multiples of a Fractional Share are required to be issued upon exercise of
Rights and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash may be made based on the
market price of the $25 Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the
date of exercise. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, 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
$25 Preferred Stock will be issued.
At any time until ten days following the first date of public
announcement of the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right, payable, at the
option of the Company, in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other
consideration as the Board of Directors may determine. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem shall
require the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors. Immediately
upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, with, where required, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, who is not, and has never been, an officer or employee
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company and who is not an Acquiring
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a nominee or
representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, if
(i) such Person was a member of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to
the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) such Person's nomination
for election or election to the Board of Directors of the Company is recommended
or approved by a majority of the then Continuing Directors, either by a specific
vote or by approval of the proxy statement issued by the Company on behalf of
the Board of Directors in which such person is named as a proposed nominee for
director.
At any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event and prior to a
person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding or the occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, the Company (with
the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors) may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person or an affiliate or an
associate of an Acquiring Person, which will have become void), in whole or in
part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, and/or other equity
securities deemed to have the same value as one share of Common Stock, per
Right, subject to adjustment.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights should not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
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<PAGE>
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for the
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above or are exchanged as
provided in the preceding paragraph.
Other than the redemption price, any of the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company (in certain
circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) as long as the
Rights are redeemable. Thereafter, the provisions of the Rights Agreement other
than the redemption price may be amended by the Board of Directors (in certain
circumstances, with the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in order to
cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes that do not
materially 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 lengthen the
time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are
not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K. 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.
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