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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
UTAH 87-0227400
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(State of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer
Identification
No.)
1380 Kennecott Building
Salt Lake City, Utah 84133
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
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(Title of Class)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Title of each class Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered each class is to be registered
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Stock Purchase Rights NASDAQ National Market
Exhibit Index is on Page 9
Page 1 of 9 Pages
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Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be
Registered.
On September 27, 1996, the Board of Directors of Zions
Bancorporation, a Utah corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend payable
October 25, 1996 of one right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common
stock, without par value ("Common Stock"), of the Company held of record at the
close of business on October 11, 1996 (the "Record Time"), or issued thereafter
and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and thereafter
pursuant to options and convertible securities outstanding at the Separation
Time. The Rights will be issued pursuant to a Shareholder Protection Rights
Agreement, dated as of September 27, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), between the
Company and Zions First National Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Each Right entitles its registered holder to purchase from the Company, after
the Separation Time, one one-hundredth of a share of Participating Preferred
Stock, without par value ("Participating Preferred Stock"), for $360.00 (the
"Exercise Price"), subject to adjustment.
The Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates
until the close of business on the earlier of (either, the "Separation Time")
(i) the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation
Time that would otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) commences a tender or exchange offer which, if
consummated, would result in such Person's becoming an Acquiring Person, as
defined below, and (ii) the tenth business day after the first date (the
"Flip-in Date") of public announcement by the Company or any Person that such
Person has become an Acquiring Person, other than as a result of a Flip-over
Transaction or Event (as defined below); provided, that if the foregoing results
in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time, the Separation Time shall
be the Record Time; and provided further that if a tender or exchange offer
referred to in clause (i) is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior
to the Separation Time without the purchase of any shares of stock pursuant
thereto, such offer shall be deemed never to have been made. An Acquiring Person
is any Person having Beneficial Ownership (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which term shall not
include (i) the Company, any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company or any
employee stock ownership or other employee benefit plan of the Company or a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any person who is the Beneficial
Owner of 10% or more
Page 2 of 9 Pages
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of the outstanding Common Stock as of the date of the Rights Agreement or who
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Stock
solely as a result of an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company, until such
time as such Person acquires additional Common Stock, other than through a
dividend or stock split, (iii) any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person
without any plan or intent to seek or affect control of the Company if such
Person, upon notice by the Company, promptly divests sufficient securities such
that such 10% or greater Beneficial Ownership ceases or (iv) any Person who
Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock consisting solely of (A) shares
acquired pursuant to the grant or exercise of an option granted by the Company
in connection with an agreement to merge with, or acquire, the Company at a time
at which there is no Acquiring Person, (B) shares owned by such Person and its
Affiliates (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and Associates (as defined in
the Rights Agreement) at the time of such grant and (C) shares, amounting to
less than 1% of the outstanding Common Stock, acquired by Affiliates and
Associates of such Person after the time of such grant. The Rights Agreement
provides that, until the Separation Time, the Rights will be transferred with
and only with the Common Stock. Common Stock certificates issued after the
Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall evidence one Right for each
share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall contain a legend
incorporating by reference the terms of the Rights Agreement (as such may be
amended from time to time). Notwithstanding the absence of the aforementioned
legend, certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock outstanding at the Record
Time shall also evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock evidenced
thereby. Promptly following the Separation Time, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to holders of
record of Common Stock at the Separation Time.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Business Day (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) following the Separation Time. The Rights will
expire on the earliest of (i) the Exchange Time (as defined below), (ii) the
close of business on October 11, 2006, (iii) the date on which the Rights are
redeemed as described below and (iv) upon the merger of the Company into another
corporation pursuant to an agreement entered into when there is no Acquiring
Person (in any such case, the "Expiration Time").
The Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding, or in
certain circumstances the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights,
are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of
a Common Stock dividend on, or a subdivision or a
Page 3 of 9 Pages
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combination into a smaller number of shares of, Common Stock, or the issuance or
distribution of any securities or assets in respect of, in lieu of or in
exchange for Common Stock.
In the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Date
occurs, the Company shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and
provide, to the extent permitted by applicable law, that each Right (other than
Rights Beneficially Owned by the Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate
thereof, which Rights shall become void) shall constitute the right to purchase
from the Company, upon the exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of the
Rights Agreement, that number of shares of Common Stock of the Company having an
aggregate Market Price (as defined in the Rights Agreement), on the date of the
public announcement of an Acquiring Person's becoming such (the "Stock
Acquisition Date") that gave rise to the Flip-in Date, equal to twice the
Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the then current Exercise Price.
In addition, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after a Flip-in Date and prior to the time that an Acquiring Person becomes
the Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
elect to exchange all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (other
than Rights Beneficially Owned by the Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof, which Rights become void) for shares of Common Stock at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date of the Separation Time (the "Exchange Ratio"). Immediately upon such
action by the Board of Directors (the "Exchange Time"), the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter represent only the
right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio.
Whenever the Company shall become obligated under the
preceding paragraph to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in
exchange for Rights, the Company, at its option, may substitute therefor shares
of Participating Preferred Stock, at a ratio of one one-hundredth of a share of
Participating Preferred Stock for each share of Common Stock so issuable.
In the event that prior to the Expiration Time the Company
enters into, consummates or permits to occur a transaction or series of
transactions after the time an Acquiring Person has become such in which,
directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall consolidate or merge or
Page 4 of 9 Pages
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participate in a binding share exchange with any other Person if, at the time of
the consolidation, merger or share exchange or at the time the Company enters
into an agreement with respect to such consolidation, merger or share exchange,
the Acquiring Person controls the Board of Directors of the Company and either
(A) any term of or arrangement concerning the treatment of shares of capital
stock in such merger, consolidation or share exchange relating to the Acquiring
Person is not identical to the terms and arrangements relating to other holders
of Common Stock or (B) the Person with whom the transaction or series of
transactions occurs is the Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of the
Acquiring Person or (ii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) assets (A)
aggregating more than 50% of the assets (measured by either book value or fair
market value) or (B) generating more than 50% of the operating income or cash
flow, of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person
(other than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned subsidiaries) or to
two or more such Persons which are Affiliates or Associates or otherwise acting
in concert, if, at the time of such sale or transfer of assets or at the time
the Company (or any such subsidiary) enters into an agreement with respect to
such sale or transfer, the Acquiring Person controls the Board of Directors of
the Company (a "Flip-over Transaction or Event"), the Company shall take such
action as shall be necessary to ensure, and shall not enter into, consummate or
permit to occur such Flip-over Transaction or Event until it shall have entered
into a supplemental agreement with the Person engaging in such Flip-over
Transaction or Event or the parent corporation thereof (the "Flip-over Entity"),
for the benefit of the holders of the Rights, providing, that upon consummation
or occurrence of the Flip-over Transaction or Event (i) each Right shall
thereafter constitute the right to purchase from the Flip-over Entity, upon
exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement, that
number of shares of common stock of the Flip-over Entity having an aggregate
Market Price on the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-over
Transaction or Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash
equal to the then current Exercise Price and (ii) the Flip-over Entity shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-over
Transaction or Event and such supplemental agreement, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to the Rights Agreement. For purposes of the
foregoing description, the term "Acquiring Person" shall include any Acquiring
Person and its Affiliates and Associates counted together as a single Person.
Page 5 of 9 Pages
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The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, redeem all (but not
less than all) the then outstanding Rights at a price of $0.01 per Right) (the
"Redemption Price"), as provided in the Rights Agreement. Immediately upon the
action of the Board of Directors of the Company electing to redeem the Rights,
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter represent only the right to
receive the Redemption Price in cash or securities, as determined by the Board,
for each Right so held.
The holders of Rights will, solely by reason of their
ownership of Rights, have no rights as shareholders of the Company, including,
without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights will not prevent a takeover of the Company.
However, the Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that
acquires 10% or more of the Common Stock unless the Rights are first redeemed by
the Board of Directors of the Company. Nevertheless, the Rights should not
interfere with a transaction that is in the best interests of the Company and
its shareholders because the Rights can be redeemed on or prior to the close of
business on the Flip-in Date, before the consummation of such transaction.
As of September 30, 1996 there were 14,767,215 shares of
Common Stock issued (of which all 14,767,215 shares were outstanding and no
shares were held in treasury) and 1,052,883 shares reserved for issuance
pursuant to certain stock option, dividend reinvestment and employee stock
ownership plans. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock, the
Company will issue one Right with each new share of Common Stock so that all
such shares will have Rights attached. The Company's Board of Directors has
reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Rights 160,000 shares of
Participating Preferred Stock.
The Rights Agreement (which includes as Exhibit A the forms of
Rights Certificate and Election to Exercise and as Exhibit B the form of
Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Company) is
attached hereto as an exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The
foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to
the Rights Agreement and such exhibits thereto.
Page 6 of 9 Pages
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Item 2. Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
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(1) Rights Agreement.
(2) Forms of Rights Certificate and of Election
to Exercise, included in Exhibit A to the
Rights Agreement.
(3) Form of Articles of Amendment to the
Articles of Incorporation of the Company,
included in Exhibit B to the Rights
Agreement.
Page 7 of 9 Pages
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
By /s/ Dale M. Gibbons
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Name: Dale M. Gibbons
Title: Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial
Officer
Date: October 10, 1996
Page 8 of 9 Pages
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EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Sequentially
Numbered
Exhibit No. Description Page
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<S> <C>
(1) Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement,
dated as of September 27, 1996 (the
"Rights Agreement"), between Zions
Bancorporation and Zions First National
Bank as Rights Agent.
(2) Forms of Rights Certificate and of
Election to Exercise, included in
Exhibit A to the Rights Agreement.
(3) Form of Articles of Amendment to the
Articles of Incorporation of the
Company, included in Exhibit B to the
Rights Agreement.
</TABLE>
Page 9 of 9 Pages
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===============================================================================
SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of
September 27, 1996
between
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
and
ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK,
as Rights Agent
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STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Table of Contents
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Page
----
<S> <C>
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain Definitions......................................................... 2
ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
2.1 Summary of Rights........................................................... 13
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates......................................... 13
2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights.................................... 14
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of
Rights...................................................................... 18
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective......................................... 20
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and
Dating of Rights Certificates............................................... 21
2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and
Exchange.................................................................... 22
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights
Certificates................................................................ 24
2.9 Persons Deemed Owners....................................................... 25
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates................................... 26
2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders................................................. 26
ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN
THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in..................................................................... 28
3.2 Flip-over................................................................... 32
ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General..................................................................... 34
4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent................................................................ 35
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S> <C>
4.3 Duties of Rights Agent...................................................... 36
4.4 Change of Rights Agent...................................................... 40
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Redemption.................................................................. 42
5.2 Expiration.................................................................. 43
5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates......................................... 43
5.4 Supplements and Amendments.................................................. 44
5.5 Fractional Shares........................................................... 45
5.6 Rights of Action............................................................ 45
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder................................... 46
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions.................................................. 47
5.9 Notices..................................................................... 47
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability................................................ 48
5.11 Costs of Enforcement........................................................ 49
5.12 Successors.................................................................. 49
5.13 Benefits of this Agreement.................................................. 49
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc.............................................................. 50
5.15 Descriptive Headings........................................................ 50
5.16 Governing Law............................................................... 50
5.17 Counterparts................................................................ 51
5.18 Severability................................................................ 51
</TABLE>
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Rights Certificate
(Together with Form of Election to Exercise)
Exhibit B Form of Articles of Amendment to the Articles
of Incorporation
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SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
SHAREHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (as amended from time
to time, this "Agreement"), dated as of September 27, 1996, between Zions
Bancorporation, a Utah corporation (the "Company"), and Zions First National
Bank, a national banking association, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent", which
term shall include any successor Rights Agent hereunder).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (a)
authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right
("Right") in respect of each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) held
of record as of the close of business on October 11, 1996 (the "Record Time"),
each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), and (b) as provided in Section 2.4,
authorized the issuance of one Right in respect of each share of Common Stock
issued after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter
defined) and, to the extent provided in Section 5.3, each share of Common Stock
issued after the Separation Time;
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each
Right entitles the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase
securities or assets of the
<PAGE> 5
Company (or, in certain cases, securities of certain other entities) pursuant to
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to
act on behalf of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing so to act, in
connection with the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights
Certificates (as hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters
referred to herein;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
respective agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who is a Beneficial
Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock; provided,
however, that the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person (i) who
is the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
on the date of this Agreement or who shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock solely as a result of an
acquisition by the Company of shares of Common Stock, until
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such time hereafter or thereafter as any of such Persons shall become the
Beneficial Owner (other than by means of a stock dividend or stock split) of any
additional shares of Common Stock, (ii) who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 10%
or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock but who acquired Beneficial
Ownership of shares of Common Stock without any plan or intention to seek or
affect control of the Company, if such Person promptly enters into an
irrevocable commitment to divest, and thereafter promptly divests (without
exercising or retaining any power, including voting, with respect to such
shares), sufficient shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible into,
exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock) so that such Person ceases to
be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
or (iii) who Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock consisting solely of one
or more of (A) shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned pursuant to the grant
or exercise of an option granted to such Person (an "Option Holder") by the
Company in connection with an agreement to merge with, or acquire, the Company
entered into prior to a Flip-in Date, (B) shares of Common Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock),
Beneficially Owned by such Option Holder or its Affiliates or Associates at the
time of grant of such option or (C) shares of Common Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable into or
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exercisable for Common Stock) acquired by Affiliates or Associates of such
Option Holder after the time of such grant which, in the aggregate, amount to
less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. In addition, the
Company, any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company and any employee stock
ownership or other employee benefit plan of the Company or a wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company shall not be an Acquiring Person.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, as such Rule is in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", and to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, and to "Beneficially Own", any securities as to which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is or may be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of pursuant to Rule 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the
Exchange Act, as such Rules are in effect on the date of this Agreement, as well
as any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has the right to become Beneficial Owner (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of
conditions) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise;
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provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or
to have "Beneficial Ownership" of, or to "Beneficially Own", any security (i)
solely because such security has been tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until
such tendered security is accepted for payment or exchange or (ii) solely
because such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has or
shares the power to vote or direct the voting of such security pursuant to a
revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
to more than ten holders of shares of a class of stock of the Company registered
under Section 12 of the Exchange Act and pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, except if such
power (or the arrangements relating thereto) is then reportable under Item 6 of
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any similar provision of a comparable or
successor report). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no officer or director of the
Company shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities of any other Person
by virtue of any actions such officer or director takes in such capacity. For
purposes of this Agreement, in determining the percentage of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Person is the Beneficial Owner,
all shares as to which such Person is deemed the Beneficial Owner shall be
deemed outstanding.
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"Business Combination" shall mean any
consolidation, merger or share exchange.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in Salt Lake City, Utah are
generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
"Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.
Salt Lake City time on such date or, if such date is not a Business Day, 5:00
p.m. Salt Lake City time on the next succeeding Business Day.
"Common Stock" shall mean the shares of Common Stock, without
par value, of the Company.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
"Exchange Time" shall mean the time at which the right to
exercise the Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 3.1(c) hereof.
"Exercise Price" shall mean, as of any date, the price at
which a holder may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole
Right. Until adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the
Exercise Price shall equal $360.00.
"Expiration Time" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Exchange
Time, (ii) the Redemption Time, (iii) the close of business on the tenth
anniversary of the Record Time and (iv) immediately prior to the effective time
of a
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Business Combination of the Company (x) into another corporation or (y) with
another corporation in which the Company is the surviving corporation but Common
Stock is converted into cash and/or securities of another corporation, in either
case pursuant to an agreement entered into with the Company prior to a Flip-in
Date.
"Flip-in Date" shall mean the tenth Business Day after any
Stock Acquisition Date or such earlier or later date as the Board of Directors
of the Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the
Flip-in Date that would otherwise have occurred.
"Flip-over Entity," for purposes of Section 3.2, shall mean
(i) in the case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event described in clause (i) of
the definition thereof, the Person issuing any securities into which shares of
Common Stock are being converted or exchanged or, if no such securities are
being issued, the other party to such Flip-over Transaction or Event, and (ii)
in the case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event referred to in clause (ii) of
the definition thereof, the Person receiving the greatest portion of (A) the
assets or (B) operating income or cash flow being transferred in such Flip-over
Transaction or Event, provided in all cases if such Person is a subsidiary of a
corporation, the parent corporation shall be the Flip-Over Entity.
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"Flip-over Stock" shall mean the capital stock (or similar
equity interest) with the greatest voting power in respect of the election of
directors (or other persons similarly responsible for direction of the business
and affairs) of the Flip-Over Entity.
"Flip-over Transaction or Event" shall mean a transaction or
series of transactions after a Flip-in Date in which, directly or indirectly,
(i) the Company shall consolidate or merge or participate in a share exchange
with any other Person if, at the time of the consolidation, merger or share
exchange or at the time the Company enters into any agreement with respect to
any such consolidation, merger or share exchange, the Acquiring Person Controls
the Board of Directors of the Company and either (A) any term of or arrangement
concerning the treatment of shares of capital stock in such consolidation,
merger or share exchange relating to the Acquiring Person is not identical to
the terms and arrangements relating to other holders of the Common Stock or (B)
the Person with whom the transaction or series of transactions occurs is the
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of the Acquiring Person or (ii)
the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries
shall sell or otherwise transfer) assets (A) aggregating more than 50% of the
assets (measured by either book value or fair market value) or (B) generating
more than 50% of the operating income or cash flow, of the
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Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person (other than the
Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries) or to two or more such
Persons which are Affiliates or Associates or otherwise acting in concert, if,
at the time of the entry by the Company (or any such Subsidiary) into an
agreement with respect to such sale or transfer of assets, the Acquiring Person
Controls the Board of Directors of the Company. An Acquiring Person shall be
deemed to Control the Company's Board of Directors when, following a Flip-in
Date, the persons who were directors of the Company before the Stock Acquisition
Date shall cease to constitute a majority of the Company's Board of Directors.
"Market Price" per share of any securities on any date shall
mean the average of the daily closing prices per share of such securities
(determined as described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days
through and including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date; provided,
however, that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in
Section 2.4 hereof shall have caused the closing prices used to determine the
Market Price on any Trading Days during such period of 20 Trading Days not to be
fully comparable with the closing price on such date, each such closing price so
used shall be appropriately adjusted in order to make it fully comparable with
the closing price on such date. The closing price per share of any securities on
any date shall be the last reported sale
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<PAGE> 13
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place or is quoted on such
date, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for each
share of such securities, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the securities are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the securities are
listed or admitted to trading or, if the securities are not listed or admitted
to trading on any national securities exchange, as reported by the Nasdaq
National Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange or quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
securities selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however,
that if on any such date the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on
a national securities exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market, the
closing price per share of such securities on such date shall mean the fair
value per share of securities on such date as determined in good faith by the
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Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a nationally
recognized investment banking firm, and set forth in a certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership,
association, group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act,
as such Rule is in effect on the date of this Agreement), corporation or other
entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean the series of Participating
Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company created by Articles of
Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company in
substantially the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto appropriately completed.
"Redemption Price" shall mean an amount equal to
one cent ($0.01).
"Redemption Time" shall mean the time at which the right to
exercise the Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof.
"Right" has the meaning set forth in the Recitals
to this Agreement.
"Rights Certificate" shall mean a certificate in substantially
the form of Exhibit A hereto evidencing Rights.
"Separation Time" shall mean the close of business on the
earlier of (i) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as the Board of
Directors of the Company may from time
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to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation Time that would
otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person commences a tender
or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in such Person's becoming
an Acquiring Person and (ii) the Flip-in Date; provided, that if the foregoing
results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time, the Separation
Time shall be the Record Time and provided further, that if any tender or
exchange offer referred to in clause (i) of this paragraph is cancelled,
terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time without the
purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such offer shall be
deemed, for purposes of this paragraph, never to have been made.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company (by any means) that a Person has become an Acquiring
Person.
"Subsidiary" of any specified Person shall mean any
corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the
equity securities or a majority of the equity interest is Beneficially Owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
"Trading Day," when used with respect to any securities, shall
mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for the transaction of
business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, a day on which the principal national
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securities exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business or, if such securities are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
2.1 Summary of Rights. As soon as practicable after the Record
Time, the Company will mail a letter summarizing the terms of the Rights to each
holder of record of Common Stock as of the Record Time, at such holder's address
as shown by the records of the Company.
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates. Certificates for the
Common Stock issued after the Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall
evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred
to below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as
of September 27, 1996 (as such may be amended from time to time, the
"Rights Agreement"), between Zions Bancorporation (the "Company") and
Zions First National Bank, as Rights Agent, the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file
at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
redeemed, may become exercisable for securities or assets of the
Company or securities of another entity, may be exchanged for shares of
Common Stock or other
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securities or assets of the Company, may expire, may become void (if
they are "Beneficially Owned" by an "Acquiring Person" or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof, as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement, or by any transferee of any of the foregoing) or may be
evidenced by separate certificates and may no longer be evidenced by
this certificate. The Company will mail or arrange for the mailing of a
copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this certificate without
charge after the receipt of a written request therefor.
Certificates representing shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding
at the Record Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock
evidenced thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend.
2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights. (a) Subject to
Sections 3.1, 5.1 and 5.10 and subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each
Right will entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time and prior to
the Expiration Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock.
(b) Until the Separation Time, (i) no Right may be exercised
and (ii) each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated
share of Common Stock (together, in the case of certificates issued prior to the
Record Time, with the letter mailed to the record holder thereof pursuant to
Section 2.1) and will be transferable only together with, and will be
transferred by a transfer (whether with or without such letter) of, such
associated share.
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(c) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, after the
Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights (i) may be
exercised and (ii) may be transferred independent of shares of Common Stock.
Promptly following the Separation Time, the Rights Agent will mail to each
holder of record of Common Stock as of the Separation Time (other than any
Person whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)), at such
holder's address as shown by the records of the Company (the Company hereby
agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent for this
purpose), (x) a Rights Certificate appropriately completed, representing the
number of Rights held by such holder at the Separation Time and having 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 law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with
any rule or regulation of any national securities exchange or quotation system
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded, or to conform to
usage, and (y) a disclosure statement describing the Rights.
(d) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof,
Rights may be exercised on any Business Day after the Separation Time and
prior to the Expiration Time by
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submitting to the Rights Agent the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights
with an Election to Exercise (an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the
form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed, accompanied by payment
in cash, or by certified or official bank check or money order payable to the
order of the Company, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax
or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for shares or depositary receipts (or both) in a name other than
that of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
(e) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, with an Election to
Exercise accompanied by payment as set forth in Section 2.3(d), and subject to
the terms and conditions hereof, the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly (i)(A)
requisition from a transfer agent stock certificates evidencing such number of
shares or other securities to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizing its transfer agents to comply with all such requisitions) and (B) if
the Company elects pursuant to Section 5.5 not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares, requisition from the depositary selected by the
Company depositary receipts representing the fractional shares to be purchased
or requisition from the Company the amount of cash
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<PAGE> 20
to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 5.5 and (ii)
after receipt of such certificates, depositary receipts and/or cash, deliver the
same to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate,
registered (in the case of certificates or depositary receipts) in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder.
(f) In case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than
all the Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the
Rights Agent to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
(g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly
authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable;
(ii) take all such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in
connection with the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; and (iii)
pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and
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charges which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of
the Rights Certificates or of any shares issued upon the exercise of Rights,
provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or
charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer
or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates
for shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being
transferred or exercised.
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights. (a) In
the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the
Separation Time (i) declare or pay a dividend on Common Stock payable in Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, (x)
the Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of
shares of Common Stock (the "Expansion Factor") that a holder of one share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision or combination
would hold thereafter as a result thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such
adjustment will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and
the adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be distributed among the shares
of Common Stock with respect to which the original
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<PAGE> 22
Rights were associated (if they remain outstanding) and the shares issued in
respect of such dividend, subdivision or combination, so that each such share of
Common Stock will have exactly one Right associated with it. Each adjustment
made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made as of the payment or effective
date for the applicable dividend, subdivision or combination.
In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record
Time and prior to the Separation Time issue any shares of Common Stock otherwise
than in a transaction referred to in the preceding paragraph, each such share of
Common Stock so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with
it, which Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such share.
To the extent provided in Section 5.3, Rights shall be issued by the Company in
respect of shares of Common Stock that are issued or sold by the Company after
the Separation Time.
(b) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
Record Time and prior to the Separation Time issue or distribute any securities
or assets in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock (other than
pursuant to a regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid solely in Common
Stock) whether by dividend, in a reclassification or recapitalization (including
any such transaction involving a merger, consolidation or share exchange), or
otherwise, the Company shall make such
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adjustments, if any, in the Exercise Price, number of Rights and/or securities
or other property purchasable upon exercise of Rights as the Board of Directors
of the Company, in its sole discretion, may deem to be appropriate under the
circumstances in order to adequately protect the interests of the holders of
Rights generally, and the Company and the Rights Agent shall amend this
Agreement as necessary to provide for such adjustments.
(c) Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to
this Section 2.4 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment
to the Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.4, the Company shall
(i) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment and (ii) promptly file
with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy
of such certificate.
(d) Rights certificates shall represent the securities
purchasable under the terms of this Agreement, including any adjustment or
change in the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, even though
such certificates may continue to express the securities purchasable at the time
of issuance of the initial Rights Certificates.
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective. Each
person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued
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<PAGE> 24
upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the
holder of record of the shares represented thereby on the date upon which the
Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any applicable taxes and other
governmental charges payable by the exercising holder hereunder) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the stock transfer
books of the Company are open.
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights
Certificates. (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary and sealed with the corporate seal or a facsimile thereof.
The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual
or, if the Rights Certificate is manually signed on behalf of the Rights Agent,
by facsimile.
Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures
of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall
bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have
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<PAGE> 25
ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such
Rights Certificates.
Promptly after the Separation Time, the Company will notify
the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates
executed by the Company to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and, subject
to Section 3.1(b), the Rights Agent shall manually countersign and deliver such
Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.3(c)
hereof. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent.
(b) Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of
countersignature thereof.
2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. (a)
After the Separation Time, the Company will cause to be kept a register (the
"Rights Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Company will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights.
The Rights Agent is hereby appointed "Rights Registrar" for the purpose of
maintaining the Rights Register for the Company and registering Rights and
transfers of Rights after the Separation Time as herein provided. In the event
that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent
will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times after
the Separation Time.
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After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time,
upon surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights
Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 2.7(c) and (d), the
Company will execute, and the Rights Agent will countersign and deliver, in the
name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required
pursuant to the holder's instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates
evidencing the same aggregate number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so
surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.1(b), all Rights
issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates
shall be the valid obligations of the Company, and such Rights shall be entitled
to the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such
registration of transfer or exchange.
(c) Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of
transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Rights Agent,
as the case may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder's
attorney duly authorized in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new
Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Company may require the payment
of a
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<PAGE> 27
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in relation thereto.
(d) The Company shall not be required to register the transfer
or exchange of any Rights after such Rights have become void under Section
3.1(b), been exchanged under Section 3.1(c) or been redeemed or terminated under
Section 5.1.
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) If any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior
to the Expiration Time, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1, the
Company shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in
exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights
as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Rights
Agent prior to the Expiration Time (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the
destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (ii) such security or
indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any of their
agents harmless, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1 and in the
absence of notice to the Company or the Rights Agent that such Rights
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall
execute and upon its request the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in
lieu of any such destroyed, lost
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or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same
number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights
Certificate under this Section 2.8, the Company may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the
Rights Agent) connected therewith.
(d) Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this
Section 2.8 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall
evidence an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether
or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time
enforceable by anyone, and, subject to Section 3.1(b) shall be entitled to all
the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all
other Rights duly issued hereunder.
2.9 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common
Stock certificate) for registration of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent
and any agent of the Company or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person
in whose name such Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, such
Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the
Rights
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evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, including the payment of the
Redemption Price, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected
by any notice to the contrary. As used in this Agreement, unless the context
otherwise requires, the term "holder" of any Rights shall mean the registered
holder of such Rights (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated shares
of Common Stock).
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered upon exercise or for registration of transfer or
exchange shall, if surrendered to any person other than the Rights Agent, be
delivered to the Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly cancelled by
the Rights Agent. The Company may at any time deliver to the Rights Agent for
cancellation any Rights Certificates previously countersigned and delivered
hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all
Rights Certificates so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Rights
Agent. No Rights Certificates shall be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange
for any Rights Certificates cancelled as provided in this Section 2.10, except
as expressly permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall destroy all
cancelled Rights Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the
Company.
2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder
of Rights by accepting the same consents and agrees with the
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Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of Rights that:
(a) prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be
transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the
associated share of Common Stock;
(b) after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will
be transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein;
(c) prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or,
prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) for
registration of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any agent of the
Company or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary;
(d) Rights beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under
the circumstances set forth in Section 3.1(b), become void; and
(e) this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to
time pursuant to Section 2.4(b) or 5.4 hereof.
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ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN
THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in. (a) In the event that prior to the Expiration
Time a Flip-in Date shall occur, except as provided in this Section 3.1, each
Right shall constitute the right to purchase from the Company, upon exercise
thereof in accordance with the terms hereof (but subject to Section 5.10), that
number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Market Price on the Stock
Acquisition Date equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal
to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to
protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally in the event that on or
after such Stock Acquisition Date an event of a type analogous to any of the
events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to
the Common Stock).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Rights that are or were
Beneficially Owned on or after the Stock Acquisition Date by an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any transferee, direct or indirect,
of any of the foregoing shall become void and any holder of such Rights
(including transferees) shall thereafter have no right to exercise or transfer
such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. If any Rights Certificate is
presented for assignment or exercise and the Person present-
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<PAGE> 32
ing the same will not complete the certification set forth at the end of the
form of assignment or notice of election to exercise and provide such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner and its Affiliates and
Associates (or former Beneficial Owners and their Affiliates and Associates) as
the Company shall reasonably request, then the Company shall be entitled
conclusively to deem the Beneficial Owner thereof to be an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate thereof or a transferee of any of the foregoing and
accordingly will deem the Rights evidenced thereby to be void and not
transferable or exercisable.
(c) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after a Flip-in Date and to the extent permitted by law, elect to
exchange all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
3.1(b)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of
holders of Rights generally in the event that after the Separation Time an event
of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b)
shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such exchange ratio, as
adjusted from time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
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Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company electing to exchange the Rights, without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right
(other than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) will
thereafter represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common
Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors electing to exchange the Rights, the Company shall give notice thereof
(specifying the steps to be taken to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange
for Rights) to the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights (other than Rights
that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) outstanding immediately prior
thereto by mailing such notice in accordance with Section 5.9.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued
upon the exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1(c) or Section 3.1(d)
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
shares 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 any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by
the holder was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed,
such Person shall
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be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the stock
transfer books of the Company are open.
(d) Whenever the Company shall become obligated under Section
3.1(a) or (c) to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in exchange
for Rights, the Company, at its option, may substitute therefor shares of
Preferred Stock, at a ratio of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock
for each share of Common Stock so issuable.
(e) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury
shares or authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of
the Company to permit the exercise or exchange in full of the Rights in
accordance with Section 3.1(a) or (c), and the Company elects not to, or is
otherwise unable to, make the exchange referred to in Section 3.1(c), the
Company shall either (i) call a meeting of shareholders seeking approval to
cause sufficient additional shares to be authorized (provided that if such
approval is not obtained the Company will take the action specified in clause
(ii) of this sentence) or (ii) take such action as shall be necessary to ensure
and provide, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any agreements or
instruments in effect on the Stock Acquisition Date to which it is a party, that
each Right shall thereafter constitute the right to receive, (x) at the
Company's option, either
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(A) in return for the Exercise Price, debt or equity securities or other assets
(or a combination thereof) having a fair value equal to twice the Exercise
Price, or
(B) without payment of consideration (except as otherwise required by
applicable law), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination
thereof) having a fair value equal to the Exercise Price, or (y) if the Board of
Directors of the Company elects to exchange the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(c), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination
thereof) having a fair value equal to the product of the Market Price of a share
of Common Stock on the Flip-in Date times the Exchange Ratio in effect on the
Flip-in Date, where in any case set forth in (x) or (y) above the fair value of
such debt or equity securities or other assets shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a
nationally recognized investment banking firm.
3.2 Flip-over. (a) Prior to the Expiration Time, the Company
shall not enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to
occur any Flip-over Transaction or Event unless and until it shall have entered
into a supplemental agreement with the Flip-over Entity, for the benefit of the
holders of the Rights, providing that, upon consummation or occurrence of the
Flip-over Transaction or Event (i) each Right shall thereafter constitute the
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right to purchase from the Flip-over Entity, upon exercise thereof in accordance
with the terms hereof, that number of shares of Flip-over Stock of the Flip-over
Entity having an aggregate Market Price on the date of consummation or
occurrence of such Flip-over Transaction or Event equal to twice the Exercise
Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be
appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests of the holders of
Rights generally in the event that after such date of consummation or occurrence
an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or
(b) shall have occurred with respect to the Flip-over Stock) and (ii) the
Flip-over Entity shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of
such Flip-over Transaction or Event and such supplemental agreement, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement. The provisions
of this Section 3.2 shall apply to successive Flip-over Transactions or Events.
(b) Prior to the Expiration Time, unless the Rights will be
redeemed pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof in connection therewith, the Company
shall not enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to
occur any Flip-over Transaction or Event if at the time thereof there are any
rights, warrants or securities outstanding or any other arrangements, agreements
or instruments that would eliminate or otherwise diminish in any material
respect the
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benefits intended to be afforded by this Rights Agreement to the holders of
Rights upon consummation of such transaction.
ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General. (a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent
to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company agrees
to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by
it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its
reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted to be done 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.
(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
certificate
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<PAGE> 38
for securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights, Rights Certificate,
certificate for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper person or persons.
4.2 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 is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder
services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time
such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any
of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certifi-
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<PAGE> 39
cates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates
have not been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such
Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the
name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates will 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 is
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.
4.3 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 will be full
and complete authori-
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<PAGE> 40
zation 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 deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to
be the Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President and by the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will 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 will be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
certificates for securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or the Rights
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be
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<PAGE> 41
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and will
be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any certificate for
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the
exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to
Section 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 2.4, 3.1 or 3.2 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 after
receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.4 describing any such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or any Rights or as to whether
any securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights will, when
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<PAGE> 42
issued, be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and 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
any person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the
President or any Vice President or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or
the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
persons for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such person.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Stock, 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
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<PAGE> 43
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 will not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
4.4 Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may resign and be
discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 90 days' notice (or such
lesser notice as is acceptable to the Company) in writing mailed to the Company
and to each transfer agent of Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified
mail, and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. If the
Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of
acting, the Company will appoint a successor to the Rights
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<PAGE> 44
Agent. If the Company fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days
after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation
or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of
any Rights (which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Rights may
apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights
Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a
court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States or of any state of the United States, in good standing, which is
authorized under such laws to exercise the powers of the Rights Agent
contemplated by this Agreement 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. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent will 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
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<PAGE> 45
Company will file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in
writing to the holders of the Rights. Failure to give any notice provided for in
this Section 4.4, 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.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date,
elect to redeem all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price and the Company, at its option, may pay the Redemption Price
either in cash or shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company
deemed by the Board of Directors, in the exercise of its sole discretion, to be
at least equivalent in value to the Redemption Price.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company electing to redeem the Rights (or, if the resolution of the Board of
Directors electing to redeem the Rights states that the redemption will not be
effective until the occurrence of a specified future time or event, upon the
occurrence of such future time or event),
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<PAGE> 46
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter represent only the right to
receive the Redemption Price in cash or securities, as determined by the Board
of Directors. Promptly after the Rights are redeemed, the Company shall give
notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then
outstanding Rights by mailing such notice in accordance with Section 5.9.
5.2 Expiration. The Rights and this Agreement shall expire at
the Expiration Time and no Person shall have any rights pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right after the Expiration Time, except, if the Rights are
exchanged or redeemed, as provided in Section 3.1 or 5.1 hereof.
5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Not-withstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the number or kind or class of shares of stock purchasable upon
exercise of Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock by
the Company following the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time
pursuant to the terms of securities convertible or redeemable into shares of
Common Stock or to options, in each case issued or granted prior
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<PAGE> 47
to, and outstanding at, the Separation Time, the Company shall issue to the
holders of such shares of Common Stock, Rights Certificates representing the
appropriate number of Rights in connection with the issuance or sale of such
shares of Common Stock; provided, however, in each case, (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 to the Person to whom such
Rights Certificates would be issued, (ii) no such Rights Certificates shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall have otherwise
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof, and (iii) the Company shall have no
obligation to distribute Rights Certificates to any Acquiring Person or
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any transferee of any of the
foregoing.
5.4 Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Rights
Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of Rights (i) prior to the close of business on the
Flip-in Date, in any respect and (ii) after the close of business on the Flip-in
Date, to make any changes that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
which shall not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights generally or in order to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be
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<PAGE> 48
inconsistent with any other provisions herein or otherwise defective. The Rights
Agent will duly execute and deliver any supplement or amendment hereto requested
by the Company which satisfies the terms of the preceding sentence.
5.5 Fractional Shares. If the Company elects not to issue
certificates representing fractional shares upon exercise or redemption of
Rights, the Company shall, in lieu thereof, in the sole discretion of the Board
of Directors, either (a) evidence such fractional shares by depositary receipts
issued pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it, providing that each holder of a depositary receipt shall have
all of the rights, privileges and preferences to which such holder would be
entitled as a beneficial owner of such fractional share, or (b) pay to the
registered holder of such Rights the appropriate fraction of the Market Price
per share in cash.
5.6 Rights of Action. Subject to the terms of this Agreement
(including Sections 3.1(b) and 5.14), rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, other than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are
vested in the respective holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights,
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights,
may, on such holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit and the
benefit of other holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain
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<PAGE> 49
any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act
in respect of, such holder's right to exercise such holder's Rights in the
manner provided in such holder's 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 will be
entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief
against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person
subject to this Agreement.
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as
such, of any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed
for any purpose the holder of shares or any other securities which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of
any Rights, 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 5.8 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until such
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<PAGE> 50
Rights shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions. In case the Company shall
propose after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time (i) to effect
or permit a Flip-over Transaction or Event or (ii) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right, in accordance with Section 5.9 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the date on which such
Flip-over Transaction or Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to
take place, and such notice shall be so given at least 20 Business Days prior to
the date of the taking of such proposed action.
5.9 Notices. Notices or demands authorized or required by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Zions Bancorporation
1380 Kennecott Building
Salt Lake City, Utah 84133
Attention: Secretary
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or by the holder of
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<PAGE> 51
any Rights to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Zions First National Bank
One South Main Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice.
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability. To the extent that the
Company determines in good faith that some action will or need be taken pursuant
to Section 3.1 or to comply with federal or state securities laws, the Company
may suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a reasonable period in order to
take such action or comply with such laws. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue as promptly as practicable a public announcement
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<PAGE> 52
stating that the exercisability or exchangeability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended. Notice thereof pursuant to Section 5.9 shall not be
required.
Failure to give a notice pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement shall not affect the validity of any action taken hereunder.
5.11 Costs of Enforcement. The Company agrees that if the
Company or any other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon
exercise of Rights fails to fulfill any of its obligations pursuant to this
Agreement, then the Company or such Person will reimburse the holder of any
Rights for the costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder
in actions to enforce such holder's rights pursuant to any Rights or this
Agreement.
5.12 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.
5.13 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 holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement and this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights.
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<PAGE> 53
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or 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. All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board of Directors of the Company to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
5.15 Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings appear herein
for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction
of any of the provisions hereof.
5.16 Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT ISSUED
HEREUNDER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
UTAH AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE
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<PAGE> 54
LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS TO BE MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY
WITHIN SUCH STATE.
5.17 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.
5.18 Severability. If any term or provision hereof or the
application thereof to any circumstance shall, in any jurisdiction and to any
extent, be invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be
ineffective as to such jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or
unenforceability without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining
terms and provisions hereof or the application
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<PAGE> 55
of such term or provision to circumstances other than those as to which it is
held invalid or unenforceable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
By: /s/ Dale M. Gibbons
--------------------------------------
Name: Dale M. Gibbons
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK
By: /s/ James E. Becker
--------------------------------------
Name: James E. Becker
Title: Vice President
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<PAGE> 56
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. W- _______ Rights
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION OR MANDATORY EXCHANGE, AT THE
OPTION OF THE COMPANY, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR AFFILIATES OR
ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
OR TRANSFEREES OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING WILL BE VOID.
Rights Certificate
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
This certifies that ____________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated
as of September 27, 1996 (as amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"),
between Zions Bancorporation, a Utah corporation (the "Company"), and Zions
First National Bank, a national banking association, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent", which term shall include any successor Rights Agent under the
Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Separation
Time (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the close of
business on October 11, 2006, one one-hundredth of a fully paid share of
Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the "Preferred Stock"), of the
Company (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at the
<PAGE> 57
Exercise Price referred to below, upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Exercise duly executed at the principal
office of the Rights Agent in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Exercise Price shall
initially be $360.00 per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in certain
events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement,
the Rights evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to
purchase securities of an entity other than the Company or securities of the
Company other than Preferred Stock or assets of the Company, all as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
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.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the
Company and are available without cost upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the
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<PAGE> 58
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor evidencing an aggregate number
of Rights equal to the aggregate number of Rights evidenced by the Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered. If this Rights Certificate shall
be exercised in part, the registered 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, each Right
evidenced by this Certificate may be (a) redeemed by the Company under certain
circumstances, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (b)
exchanged by the Company under certain circumstances, at its option, for one
share of Common Stock or one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock per
Right (or, in certain cases, other securities or assets of the Company), subject
in each case to adjustment in certain events 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
any securities which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor
shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to
confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of
the Company or any right to
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<PAGE> 59
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 Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised or exchanged as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Date: ____________
ATTEST: ZIONS BANCORPORATION
___________________________ By______________________
Secretary
Countersigned:
ZIONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK
By____________________________
Authorized Signature
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<PAGE> 60
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer this Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto _________________________________________
(Please print name
___________________________________________________________________________
and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and
interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and
appoint _______________ Attorney, to transfer the within
Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: _______________, ____
Signature Guaranteed: _________________________
Signature
(Signature must
correspond to name as
written upon the face of
this Rights Certificate
in every particular,
without alteration or
enlargement or any change
whatsoever)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor
institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit
unions with membership in an approved guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to
SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
<PAGE> 61
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(To be completed if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of Rights and
shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been, Beneficially
Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not
completed in connection with a purported assignment, the Company will deem the
Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to
be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will
deem the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not
transferable or exercisable.
-2-
<PAGE> 62
[To be attached to each Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Rights Certificate.)
TO: ZIONS BANCORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
whole Rights represented by the attached Rights
- -----------------------
Certificate to purchase the shares of Participating Preferred Stock issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares
be issued in the name of:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
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:
-----------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number:
-----------------------------------
Dated: ,
--------------- ----
Signature Guaranteed: ----------------------------
Signature
(Signature must corres-
pond to name as written
upon the face of the
attached Rights Certifi-
cate in every particular,
without alteration or
enlargement or any change
whatsoever)
<PAGE> 63
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor
institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit
unions with membership in an approved guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to
SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(To be completed if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all
holders of Rights and shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by the
attached Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned,
have never been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not
completed in connection with a purported exercise, the Company will deem the
Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by the attached Rights Certificate to
be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will
deem the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not
transferable or exercisable.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF ZIONS BANCORPORATION
To the Secretary of State:
Pursuant to the provisions of the Utah Business Corporation
Act, Section 16-10a-1006, the undersigned corporation hereby amends its Articles
of Incorporation, and for that purpose, submits the following statement:
(1) The name of the corporation is: Zions
Bancorporation.
(2) The text of each amendment adopted is:
Article VII is hereby amended to add the following:
c. There is established a series of Preferred Stock, no par
value, of the Corporation, and the designation and certain terms, powers,
preferences and other rights of the shares of such series, and certain
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereon, are as follows:
(i) The distinctive serial designation of this series
shall be "Series A Participating Preferred Stock" (hereinafter called
"this Series"). Each share of this Series shall be identical in all
respects with the other shares of this Series except as to the dates
from and after which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.
(ii) The number of shares in this Series shall initially
be 160,000, which number may from time to time be increased or
decreased (but not below the number then outstanding) by the Board of
Directors. Shares of this Series purchased by the Corporation shall be
cancelled and shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock undesignated as to series. Shares of this Series may be
issued in fractional shares, which fractional shares shall entitle the
holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional share, to all rights
of a holder of a whole share of this Series.
(iii) The holders of full or fractional shares of this
Series shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board
of Directors, but only out of funds legally available therefor,
dividends, (A) on each date that dividends or other distributions
(other
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than dividends or distributions payable in Common Stock of the
Corporation) are payable on or in respect of Common Stock comprising
part of the Reference Package (as defined below), in an amount per
whole share of this Series equal to the aggregate amount of dividends
or other distributions (other than dividends or distributions payable
in Common Stock of the Corporation) that would be payable on such date
to a holder of the Reference Package and (B) on the last day of March,
June, September and December in each year, in an amount per whole share
of this Series equal to the excess (if any) of $______* over the
aggregate dividends paid per whole share of this Series during the
three month period ending on such last day. Each such dividend shall be
paid to the holders of record of shares of this Series on the date, not
exceeding seventy days preceding such dividend or distribution payment
date, fixed for the purpose by the Board of Directors in advance of
payment of each particular dividend or distribution. Dividends on each
full and each fractional share of this Series shall be cumulative from
the date such full or fractional share is originally issued; provided
that any such full or fractional share originally issued after a
dividend record date and on or prior to the dividend payment date to
which such record date relates shall not be entitled to receive the
dividend payable on such dividend payment date or any amount in respect
of the period from such original issuance to such dividend payment
date.
The term "Reference Package" shall initially mean 100
shares of Common Stock, no par value ("Common Stock"), of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
close of business on ________, ____** (A) declare or pay a dividend on
any Common Stock payable in Common Stock, (B) subdivide any Common
Stock or (C) combine any Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then and in each such case the Reference Package after such
_____________________
* Insert one-fourth the Exercise Price.
** For articles of amendment relating to shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 2.3 of the Rights Agreement, insert the Separation Time. For
articles of amendment relating to shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 3.1(d) of the Rights Agreement, insert the Flip-in Date.
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<PAGE> 66
event shall be the Common Stock that a holder of the Reference Package
immediately prior to such event would hold thereafter as a result
thereof.
Holders of shares of this Series shall not be
entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, property or stock,
in excess of full cumulative dividends, as herein provided on this
Series.
So long as any shares of this Series are outstanding,
no dividend (other than a dividend in Common Stock or in any other
stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon
liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or
other distribution declared or made upon the Common Stock or upon any
other stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends or upon
liquidation, nor shall any Common Stock nor any other stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with this Series as to
dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise
acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made
available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of any
such stock) by the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange
for stock of the Corporation ranking junior to this Series as to
dividends and upon liquidation), unless, in each case, the full
cumulative dividends (including the dividend to be due upon payment of
such dividend, distribution, redemption, purchase or other acquisition)
on all outstanding shares of this Series shall have been, or shall
contemporaneously be, paid.
(iv) In the event of any merger, consolidation,
reclassification or other transaction in which the shares of Common
Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash
and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of this
Series shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an
amount per whole share equal to the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the
case may be, that a holder of the Reference Package would be entitled
to receive as a result of such transaction.
(v) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or
involuntary, the holders of full and fractional shares of this Series
shall be entitled, before any distribution or payment is made on any
date to the holders of the Common Stock or any other stock of the
Corporation ranking junior to
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<PAGE> 67
this Series upon liquidation, to be paid in full an amount per whole
share of this Series equal to the greater of (A) $__________* or (B)
the aggregate amount distributed or to be distributed prior to such
date in connection with such liquidation, dissolution or winding up to
a holder of the Reference Package (such greater amount being
hereinafter referred to as the "Liquidation Preference"), together with
accrued dividends to such distribution or payment date, whether or not
earned or declared. If such payment shall have been made in full to all
holders of shares of this Series, the holders of shares of this Series
as such shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of
the Corporation.
In the event the assets of the Corporation available
for distribution to the holders of shares of this Series upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether
voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all
amounts to which such holders are entitled pursuant to the first
paragraph of this Section (v), no such distribution shall be made on
account of any shares of any other class or series of Preferred Stock
ranking on a parity with the shares of this Series upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up unless proportionate
distributive amounts shall be paid on account of the shares of this
Series, ratably in proportion to the full distributable amounts for
which holders of all such parity shares are respectively entitled upon
such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation, the holders of shares of this Series then outstanding
shall be entitled to be paid out of assets of the Corporation available
for distribution to its shareholders all amounts to which such holders
are entitled pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section (v) before
any payment shall be made to the holders of Common Stock or any other
stock of the Corporation ranking junior upon liquidation to this
Series.
For the purposes of this Section (v), the
consolidation or merger of, or binding share exchange by, the
Corporation with any other corporation shall
______________
* Insert an amount equal to 100 times the Exercise Price in effect as of
the Separation Time.
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<PAGE> 68
not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Corporation.
(vi) The shares of this Series shall not be
redeemable.
(vii) In addition to any other vote or consent of
shareholders required by law or by the Restated Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation, each whole share of this
Series shall, on any matter, vote as a class with any other capital
stock comprising part of the Reference Package and voting on such
matter and shall have the number of votes thereon that a holder of the
Reference Package would have.
(3) The amendment was duly adopted on September 27, 1996 by
the board of directors without shareholder approval, as such approval is not
required.
[(4) If the amendment is not to be effective when these articles
are filed by the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code the date it will
be effective is ________________.]
ZIONS BANCORPORATION
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Signature Date Name of Corporation
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Signer's Capacity Signature
-------------------------------
Name (typed or printed)
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