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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
ENERGEN CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Alabama 63-0757759
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(State of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
2101 Sixth Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to
General Instruction A.(c), check the following box. [X]
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to
General Instruction A.(d), check the following box. [ ]
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form
relates: NA (if applicable).
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title Of Each Class Name of Each Exchange On Which
To Be So Registered Each Class Is To Be Registered
------------------- ------------------------------
Preferred Stock Purchase New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
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Rights
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Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
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(Title of Class)
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Item 1. Description of Securities to be Registered.
On June 24, 1998, the Board of Directors of Energen
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution, effective at the
close of business on July 27, 1998, of one Right for each outstanding share of
Company Common Stock, which will be distributed to shareholders of record at
the close of business on July 27, 1998. Each Right will, when exercisable,
entitle the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of
one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a
purchase price of $70 per Unit, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price").
The terms of the Preferred Stock are such that one Unit is essentially
equivalent to one share of Common Stock. Preferred Stock, rather than Common
Stock, is used in order to avoid having to reserve a large amount of Common
Stock for the Rights. Upon certain events described below, the Rights entitle
the holder to receive Common Stock of the Company or securities of an acquiring
company. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and First Chicago Trust
Company of New York, as Rights Agent.
Until the Distribution Date (defined below),
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates
and will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock
certificates and no separate Rights Certificates will be
distributed,
(ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after July 27, 1998 will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference, and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution
Date and will expire at the close of business on July 27, 2008, unless earlier
redeemed by the Company as described below (the "Expiration Date").
Unless previously redeemed, the Rights will separate from the
Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earliest of
(i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person (an
"Acquiring Person") or any associate or affiliate of an
Acquiring Person has acquired, or obtained the right to
acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or
(ii) promptly after the Board of Directors of the Company shall
declare any Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a
determination by at least a majority of the Company's
independent directors, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such persons as
such directors shall deem appropriate, that such person,
alone or together with its affiliates and associates, has
become the Beneficial
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Owner of an amount of Common Stock which is substantial
(which amount shall in no event be less than 10 % of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding) and that (a) such
person's ownership is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock owned by such person or to take
other action to provide such person with short-term financial
gain where the best long-term interests of the Company and
its shareholders would not be served by taking such action at
that time or (b) such person's ownership may cause a material
adverse impact (including by jeopardizing the Company's
licenses or authorizations from, or relationships with, state
regulators, or impairment of the Company's relationships with
customers or its ability to maintain its competitive
position) on the business or prospects of the Company to the
detriment of the Company's shareholders.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date will be issued with Rights.
Subject to the proviso that Rights are not exercisable
following the occurrence of any of these events until such time as the Rights
are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below, in the event that
(i) the Board of Directors determines that a 10% or more
shareholder is an Adverse Person, or
(ii) a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant to an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the
independent directors determine to be fair to and otherwise
in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders a
"Fair Offer"),
each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property, or other
securities of the Company or a reduction in the Purchase Price) having a value
equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in
the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or an
Adverse Person (or certain transferees of either) will be null and void.
The Stock Acquisition Date is the date of public announcement
that an Acquiring Person, or any associate or affiliate, has acquired or
obtained the right to acquire beneficial ownership of 15 % or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock. In the event that at any time following the
Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction in which the Company is not the
surviving corporation or in which the Company's Common Stock
is changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of
any
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other person, cash, or any other property (other than a
merger which follows, and is at the same price as, a fair
offer), or
(ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole is sold or
transferred,
each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set
forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price of the Right.
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but
not in part, at any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date
(unless the ten-day period is extended pursuant to the amendment provisions
discussed below), at a price of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock,
or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). The
Company may not redeem the Rights if the Board of Directors has previously
declared a person to be an Adverse Person. After the redemption period has
expired, the Company's right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring
Person reduces its beneficial ownership to less than 15% of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock in a transaction or series of transactions not involving
the Company. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.01 per Right redemption price.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (excluding Rights held by an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person that have become null and 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors cannot
effect such exchange at any time after any person, together with all affiliates
and associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
will be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio described
above. The Company will not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company will pay to the
registered holders of the Right certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal
economic terms of the Rights (Purchase Price, expiration date, redemption
price, exchange ratio), any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution
Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may
be amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which
do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person or any Adverse Person), or to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
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however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption or
exchange shall be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. The Purchase Price payable, and the
number of Units of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable,
upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to
prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision,
combination, or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of
the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for
Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price
of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than
those referred to above).
As of July 9, 1998, there were 29,215,962 shares of Common
Stock issued and outstanding and no shares were held in the treasury. As of July
9, 1998, there were 5,452,234 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
employee benefit plans and the Company's dividend reinvestment plan. Each
outstanding share of Common Stock on July 27, 1998 will receive one Right. As
long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock, the Company will issue one
Right for each share of Common Stock issued between the Record Date and the
Distribution Date. A total of 750,000 shares of Preferred Stock will be reserved
for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.
The Rights have certain antitakeover effects. The Rights will
cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the
Company without conditioning the offer on a substantial number of Rights being
acquired. However, the Rights should not interfere with any merger or other
business combination approved by the Board of Directors.
The form of Rights Agreement between the Company and the
Rights Agent specifying the terms of the Rights, which includes as Exhibit B
the form of Right Certificate, is attached hereto as Exhibit 1, and is
incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Rights does
not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
such Exhibits.
Item 2. Exhibits.
1. Form of Rights Agreement dated as of July 27, 1998, between
the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, which includes as
Exhibit B thereto the Form of Rights Certificate.
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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, thereto duly
authorized.
ENERGEN CORPORATION
By /s/ Wm. M. Warren, Jr.
---------------------------------------------
Name: Wm. M. Warren, Jr.
Title: Chairman of the Board, President,
and Chief Executive Officer
Date: July 10, 1998
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EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Description Page
- ----------- ----------- ----
<S> <C> <C>
1. Form of Rights Agreement, dated as of July 27, 1998 __
between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company
of New York, which includes as Exhibit B thereto the
Form of Rights Certificate.
</TABLE>
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EXHIBIT 1
================================================================================
ENERGEN CORPORATION
AND
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 27, 1998
================================================================================
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Section 1. Certain Definitions..............................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent......................................................5
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates..................................................6
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates......................................................7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration................................................8
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated,Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates..........................9
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights....................9
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.............................11
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock...................................12
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date....................................................13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights.......................................................................13
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.....................22
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power............22
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................................25
Section 15. Rights of Action...............................................................26
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders....................................................26
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.............................27
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent....................................................27
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent......................28
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.........................................................28
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.........................................................30
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates............................................31
Section 23. Exchange.......................................................................31
Section 24. Redemption and Termination.....................................................32
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.......................................................33
Section 26. Notices........................................................................34
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.....................................................34
Section 28. Successors.....................................................................35
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc......................35
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.....................................................35
Section 31. Severability...................................................................35
Section 32. Governing Law..................................................................35
Section 33. Counterparts...................................................................36
Section 34. Descriptive Headings...........................................................36
Exhibit A: Articles of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation..............A-1
Exhibit B: Form of Rights Certificate......................................................B-1
Exhibit C: Form of Summary of Rights.......................................................C-1
</TABLE>
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 27, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between Energen Corporation, an Alabama corporation (the "Company"), and First
Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, on June 24, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business
on July 27, 1998 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one
Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of
Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued
between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date, each Right initially representing
the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and
preferences set forth in the form of Articles of Amendment to the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or
which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or
(iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan; provided, however, that if the Board
of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would
otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently (including,
without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that it beneficially
owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be
an "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was aware of the extent of its
Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Rights Agreement) and
without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and
such Person, as promptly as practicable divested or divests himself or itself of
Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that
such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, then such Person shall not
be deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company
which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding, provided,
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however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding by reason of such share acquisitions
by the Company and thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" unless, upon the consummation of the acquisition of such additional
shares of Common Stock, such Person does not own 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding. The phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such
Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and any subsequent federal statute succeeding to the provisions
thereof.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) "Adverse Person" shall mean any person declared to be
an Adverse Person by the Board upon determination that the criteria set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such person.
(e) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect
on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(f) "Agreement" shall mean this Rights Agreement as
originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended
pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
(g) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to
acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after
the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights
from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were
acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a)
or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section
11(a)(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to
any Original Rights;
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(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant
to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as a
result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement, or understanding: (A) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof)
with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (g)) or disposing of any voting
securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this
paragraph (g) shall cause a person engaged in business as an
underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition.
(h) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(i) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or day which is a legal holiday in the city in which the
principal executive offices of the Company are located.
(j) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M. Birmingham, Alabama time, on such date; provided, however, that if such
date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Birmingham, Alabama time, on
the next succeeding Business Day.
(k) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock of the
Company, par value of $0.01 per share, or such other amount as may hereinafter
be designated, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person
other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) of such
Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(l) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(m) "Company" shall mean the person named as the
"Company" in the first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor corporation
shall have become such, or until a Principal
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Party shall assume, and thereafter be liable for, all obligations and duties of
the Company hereunder, pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement,
and thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor corporation or Principal
Party.
(n) The term "current market price" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(o) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(p) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof.
(q) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(r) "Exchange Act" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1(e) hereof.
(s) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(t) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the Close of
Business on July 27, 2008.
(u) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1(g)(i) hereof.
(v) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership or other entity.
(w) "Preferred Stock" shall mean the Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series 1998
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(x) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 13(b) hereof.
(y) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a) hereof.
(z) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
WHEREAS clause at the beginning of the Agreement.
(aa) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 24(a) hereof.
(bb) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the
WHEREAS clause at the beginning of the Agreement.
(cc) "Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as the
"Rights Agent" in the first paragraph of this Agreement until a successor Rights
Agent shall have become such pursuant to the
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applicable provisions hereof, and thereafter "Rights Agent" shall mean such
successor Rights Agent. If at any time there is more than one Person appointed
by the Company as Rights Agent pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Agreement, "Rights Agent" shall mean and include each such Person.
(dd) "Rights Certificates" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(ee) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the
meaning set forth in the WHEREAS clause at the beginning of the Agreement.
(ff) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(gg) "Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(hh) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ii) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(jj) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange
Act) by the Company or any Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become
such.
(kk) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any
Person, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to
elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially
owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such
Person.
(ll) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(mm) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(b) hereof.
(nn) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(oo) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii)
Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
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Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earliest to occur of (i) the Close of
Business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day
after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of
Business on the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is
first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding or (iii) the Close of Business on the tenth day
after the Board determines, pursuant to the criteria set forth in Section
11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person is an Adverse Person (the earliest to occur
of the events described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph (a)
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferrable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights
certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common
Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date the transfer of any
certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have
been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of
Common Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's
Treasury) after the Record Date but prior
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<PAGE> 10
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates
for Rights, and all certificates issued after the date of this Agreement
representing shares of Common Stock shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between
Energen Corporation (the "Company") and First Chicago Trust
Company of New York (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of July 27,
1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under
certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement,
Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or
becomes an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf
of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null
and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend,
until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall
be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-hundredth of a share being called herein the "Purchase Price"), but
the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right
and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
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(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section
3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or any Associate or Affiliate of any
Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
or an Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person becoming such and receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from
the Acquiring Person or the Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof,
and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof,
upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in
the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf
of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates nevertheless may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent
will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as
the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the
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<PAGE> 12
Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the
Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section
7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to each of them of the loss, theft, destruction
or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to each of them,
and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new
Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder
of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii), Section 23(a) and
Section 24(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution
Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the
Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with
respect to
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<PAGE> 13
the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable or such lesser number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as the registered holder of such Rights Certificate
desires to purchase, at or prior to the earliest to occur of (i) the Final
Expiration Date, or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided
in Section 24 hereof or (iii) the expiration of the Rights pursuant to Section
13(d) (the earliest to occur of the events described in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii) of this paragraph (a) herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case
may be) pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $70, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or
other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as
set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A)
requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make
available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request; (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof; (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder; and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash or by certified
check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company. In
the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including
Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant
to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so
that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the
order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of
Section 14 hereof.
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<PAGE> 14
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any
Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person or an
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, which the
Board, in its sole discretion, determines is or was involved in or caused or
facilitated, directly or indirectly (including through any change in the Board),
such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee
after such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of any such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becoming such and receives such rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no
holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company
shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to
any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to
make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or
any of their respective Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement
to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause
to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence
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<PAGE> 15
of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock
and/or other securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its
treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as
provided in this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file,
as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Act, with respect
to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the
Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or
to insure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various
states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after
the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment
of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid
and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will
pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and
charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the
Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be
required to pay any transfer tax
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<PAGE> 16
which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights
Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing
such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise preemptive rights, if any, and shall not be
entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as
provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time
after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including
any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger
in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and in Section 7(e)
hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for
such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred
Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date,
shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of
the aggregate adjusted Purchase Price then in effect necessary to
exercise a right in full, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
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<PAGE> 17
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time
when the Preferred Stock (or other capital stock, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such
exercise and by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment
under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition
to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event:
(A) any person shall become an
Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such person to
become an Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in
Section 13(a) hereof or is an acquisition of shares of Common
Stock pursuant to a tender offer, or an exchange offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company at a price
and on terms determined by at least a majority of the members
of the Board of Directors of the Company who are not officers
of the Company and who are not Representatives, Nominees,
Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person, after receiving advice from one or more investment
banking firms, to be (a) at a price which is fair to
shareholders (taking into account all factors which such
members of the Board of Directors deem relevant, including,
without limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved
if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis
designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the
best interests of the Company and its shareholders, or
(B) the Board shall declare any Person
to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination by the Board
that such Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, has, at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of an amount of
Common Stock which the Board determines to be substantial
(which amount shall in no event be less than 10% of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding) and a determination by a
majority of the Board who are not officers of the Company,
after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including
consultation with such Persons as such directors shall deem
appropriate, that (a) such Beneficial Ownership by such Person
is intended to cause, is reasonably likely to cause, or will
cause the Company to repurchase the Common Stock beneficially
owned by such Person or to take action or enter into a
transaction or series of transactions intended to provide such
Person with short-term financial gain under circumstances
where the Board determines that the best long-term interests
of the Company and its stockholders would not be served by
taking such action or entering into such transaction or series
of
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transactions at that time or (b) such Beneficial Ownership is
causing or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse
impact (including, but not limited to, by jeopardizing the
Company's or its Subsidiary's authorizations from, or
relationships with, state regulators, or impairment of the
Company's relationships with customers or its ability to
maintain its financial or competitive position) on the
business or prospects of the Company to the detriment of the
Company's stockholders,
then, promptly following the occurrence of any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, proper provision
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below
and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such
first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase
Price" for each right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of
the current market price per share of Common Stock on the date of such
first occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the
"Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of
Common Stock which are authorized by the Company's Restated Articles of
Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights is not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), or in the event that the Board
of Directors of the Company determines to issue Common Stock
Equivalents (as defined below) or otherwise to make alternative
provision upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall: (A) determine
the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price
(such excess, being referred to as the "Spread"), and (B) with respect
to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or
units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board has deemed to have
the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred
stock being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of
the foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value,
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon
the advice of an investment banking firm selected by the Board;
provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty
(30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event and (y)
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<PAGE> 19
the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section
24(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the
"Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated
to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the
extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board shall
determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional
shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise
in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may
be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days
after the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company
may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional
shares (such period, as it may be extended, being referred to herein as
the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines
that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second
sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly
to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to
seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of
the Common Stock shall be the current market price per share of the
Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date and the value of
any "Common Stock Equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as
the Common Stock on such date.
(iv) If the rules of the national securities
exchange, registered as such pursuant to Section 6 of the Exchange Act,
or of the national securities association, registered as such pursuant
to Section 15A of the Exchange Act, on which the Common Stock is
principally traded would prohibit such exchange or association from
listing or continuing to list, or from authorizing for or continuing
quotation and/or transaction reporting through an inter-dealer
quotation system, the Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company if the Rights were to be exercised for shares of Common Stock
in accordance with subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a) because such
issuance would nullify, restrict or disparately reduce the per share
voting rights of holders of Common Stock, the Company shall: (A)
determine the Spread, and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase
Price, (3) equity securities of the Company, including, without
limitation, Common Stock Equivalents, other than securities which would
have the effect of nullifying, restricting or disparately reducing the
per share voting rights of holders of Common Stock, (4) debt securities
of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where
such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the
advice of an investment banking firm
16
<PAGE> 20
selected by the Board; provided, however, if the Company shall not have
made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above
within thirty (30) days following the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date,
then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, cash having an aggregate value equal to the Spread. To the
extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken
pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 11(a)(iv), the Company
(x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights, but not longer than ninety (90) days
after the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date, in order to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first
sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as
well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iv), the value of
the Common Stock shall be the Current Market Price per share of the
Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date and the value of
any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as
the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock)
less than the current market price per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or
the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or
warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
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<PAGE> 21
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market
price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price per share of Preferred
Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such Common Stock for thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days
immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per
share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten
(10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per
share of the Common Stock is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common
Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other
than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of
the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period,
as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, or combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market
price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to
trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or,
if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in
the over-the-counter
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<PAGE> 22
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in
use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted
by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market marker making a market in
the Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date no market
maker is making a market in the Common Stock the fair value of such
shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall be
used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal
national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business
or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common
Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market
price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock
shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for the
Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last
sentence thereof). If the current market price per share of Preferred
Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner
described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be
an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted
for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations
with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this
Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market price" per share
of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
"current market price" of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred
Stock shall be equal to the "current market price" of one share of
Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten thousandth of a share of
Common Stock or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
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<PAGE> 23
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter
exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other
than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable
upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time
hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election
as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of each adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest
one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths
of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
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<PAGE> 24
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore
and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one
one-hundredth of a share and the number of one one-hundredth of a share which
were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated par value, if any,
of the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may,
in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require
that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date
for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of
such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record
date the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board
shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not,
at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or
transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or
earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons
(other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies
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<PAGE> 25
with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or
Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the
time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will
diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction of the numerator
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
(q) The failure by the Directors to declare a Person to
be an Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of 10%
or more of the outstanding Common Stock shall not imply that such Person is not
an Adverse Person or limit the Directors' right at any time in the future to
declare such Person to be an Adverse Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to
the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of
Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.
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<PAGE> 26
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may
be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so
that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof,
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the
then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely
tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party, free of all liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-hundredths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current
market price per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date
of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event,
all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii)
the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party,
it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall
apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence
of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person
that is the issuer of any securities into
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<PAGE> 27
which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such
merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is
the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph
(a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and
will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A)
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B)
remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights
historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act;
(iii) use its best efforts to obtain any necessary
regulatory approvals in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal
Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights; and
(iv) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of
the Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list
or admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York
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Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of
the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause the
Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be
reported by such other system then in use.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock which complies with that portion of Section 11(a)(ii)(A) relating
to a determination by a majority of the members of the Board who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or associates of an Acquiring Person and
who are not officers of the Company that such tender offer or exchange offer is
fair to the stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and
its stockholders, all as set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) hereof (or a wholly
owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per share of
Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid
pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such
transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
(e) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly
apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In
the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been
exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section
13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.
In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders
of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a
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professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board.
If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights the
fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples
of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of
a share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common
Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights, would not have an adequate remedy at
law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement.
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Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates
are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6(a) and Section
7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof
and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership
or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last
sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice
to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligations; provided, however, the Company must use its
best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
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Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time
to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees
and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur
no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent
shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who
may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, or the Secretary the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for
its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason
of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in
the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice
of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
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(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provisions of this Agreement shall require the
Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise
of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting
with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered
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holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of Alabama or any other state, which is authorized under such laws
to exercise stock transfers, corporate trust powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $10,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a)
of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or
property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the
redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to
shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue
Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection
with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be
advised by its counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all
or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include
Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof)
for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any
time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the
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terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 23, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange
of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the
current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number
of fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share
as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions
of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 23.
Section 24. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to
the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to
the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day following the Record
Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the
then outstanding rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount
may be appropriately adjusted to
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<PAGE> 36
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not redeem any
Rights following its determination that any Person is an Adverse Person. If,
following the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the
expiration of the right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering
Event, (i) a Person who is an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or
otherwise disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or
series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering
Event such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 7.5% or less of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (ii) there are no other Persons,
immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause (i), who
are Acquiring Persons, and (iii) the Board shall so approve, then the right of
redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject to the provisions of
this Section 24. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption
hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price
in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Market Price of the Common
Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the
redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the
Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.
Promptly after the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights,
the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the
holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such
holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of
the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to
the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders
of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings
or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of the
Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any
additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the
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Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a
Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or
the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to
the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as
soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to
the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Energen Corporation
2101 6th Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
525 Washington Blvd.
Suite 4660
Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
Attention: Tenders and Exchanges Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
34
<PAGE> 38
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date
and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date and
subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order
(i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
(iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this
Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause
(iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be
redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other
time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing
or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon
the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms
of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the
Exchange Ratio, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable. Furthermore, the Company may not amend this Agreement following the
determination that any Person is an Adverse Person. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the
interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board 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 (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights, to
declare that a Person is an Adverse Person or to amend the 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 or any member thereof to any
liability to the holders of the Rights.
35
<PAGE> 39
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines
in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this
Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the
right of redemption set forth in Section 24 hereof shall be reinstated and shall
not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date of
such determination by the Board.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Alabama and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
36
<PAGE> 40
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
ENERGEN CORPORATION
By /s/ WM. M. WARREN, JR.
------------------------------------------
Name Wm. M. Warren, Jr.
----------------------------------------
Title Chairman of the Board, President, and
---------------------------------------
Chief Executive Officer
--------------------------------------------
ATTEST:
By /s/ J. DAVID WOODRUFF, JR.
--------------------------------
Name J. David Woodruff, Jr.
------------------------------
Title Assistant Secretary
----------------------------
[CORPORATE SEAL]
37
<PAGE> 41
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
THE RIGHTS AGENT
By /s/ JOANNE GOROSTIOLA
------------------------------------------
Name Joanne Gorostiola
----------------------------------------
Title Assistant Vice President
---------------------------------------
ATTEST:
By /s/ MARY GARCIA
-------------------------------
Name Mary Garcia
-----------------------------
Title Customer Service Officer
----------------------------
[CORPORATE SEAL]
38
<PAGE> 42
EXHIBIT A: ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
A-1
<PAGE> 43
Exhibit A
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
TO
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
ENERGEN CORPORATION
TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF PROBATE
IN AND FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA:
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 10-2B-6.02 of Chapter 2B of
Title 10 of the Code of Alabama of 1975, the undersigned corporation executes
the following Articles of Amendment to its Restated Certificate of
Incorporation:
(1) The name of the corporation is Energen Corporation.
(2) The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said
corporation shall be amended to read as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as the "Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock" and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 750,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to
the shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock with
respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as, and
if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for
the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of
March, June, September, and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a
share or fraction of a share of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the
greater of (a) $5.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share declared on the
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common
Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the
first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series 1998 Junior
Participating
1
<PAGE> 44
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
close of business on July 27, 1998 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i)
declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each
such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
paragraph (A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or
distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares
of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution
shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $5.00 per share of the Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock
from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue
of such shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares
shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the
date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series 1998
Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from
such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the
time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution
declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to
the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series 1998
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting
rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth,
2
<PAGE> 45
each share of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote
of the shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall
at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock
into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of
votes per share to which holders of shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency
shall mark the beginning of a period (herein called a "default period")
which shall extend until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends
for all previous quarterly dividend periods and for the current quarterly
dividend period on all shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set
apart for payment. During each default period, all holders of Preferred
Stock (including holders of the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to six (6) quarterly
dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series, shall, in
addition to all other voting rights which the holders of shares of the
Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock may have, have the right
to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting rights of the
holders of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be
exercised initially at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph
(iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of shareholders, and
thereafter at annual meetings of shareholders, provided that neither such
voting rights nor the right of the holders of any other series of
Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in certain cases, the authorized
number of Directors shall be exercised unless the holders of not less than
ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding shall
be present in person or by proxy at such meeting. The absence of a quorum
of the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the
holders of Preferred Stock of such voting rights. At any meeting at which
the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting rights initially
during an existing default period, they shall have the right, voting as a
class, to elect Directors to fill such vacancies, if any, in the Board of
Directors as may then exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such right is
exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number
which may be so elected at
3
<PAGE> 46
any special meeting does not amount to the required number, the holders of
the Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the
number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election by them
of the required number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall
have exercised their right to elect Directors in any default period and
during the continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not
be increased or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock
as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any equity securities
ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall, during an
existing default period, have previously exercised their right to elect
Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any shareholder or
shareholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of
the total number of shares of Preferred Stock, outstanding, irrespective
of series, may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of
Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon be called by the President,
a Vice-President, or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such
meeting and of any annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote pursuant to this paragraph (C) (iii) shall be given to
each holder of record of Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice
to him at his last address as the same appears on the books of the
Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than 20
days and not later than 60 days after such order or request or in default
of the calling of such meeting within 60 days after such order or request,
such meeting may be called on similar notice by any shareholder or
shareholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of
the total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this paragraph (C) (iii), no such special meeting shall
be called during the period within 60 days immediately preceding the date
fixed for the next annual meeting of the shareholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock,
and other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the
holders of Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two
(2) Directors voting as a class, after the exercise of which right (x) the
Directors so elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in
office until their successors shall have been elected by such holders or
until the expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the
Board of Directors may (except as provided in paragraph (C) (ii) of this
Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining Directors
theretofore elected by the holders of the class of stock which elected the
Director whose office shall have become vacant. References in this
paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a particular class of
stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to fill vacancies
as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period,
(x) the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the
holders of Preferred Stock as a class shall
4
<PAGE> 47
terminate, and (z) the number of Directors shall be such number as may be
provided for in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws
irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph
(C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the certificate of
incorporation or bylaws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected
by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be
filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are
entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred
Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared,
on shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding
shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Corporation) to the
Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the
Corporation) with the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except dividends paid ratably on the Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable
or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of
all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the
Corporation) with the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase, or
otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares
of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon dissolution, liquidation, or winding up) to the Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares
of stock ranking
5
<PAGE> 48
on a parity with the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of
such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration
of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective
series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph
(A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such
time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled
promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their
cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and
may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created
by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein or in the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution, or Winding Up. Upon any
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of
Common Stock or any other stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up) to the Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless prior thereto, the holders of shares
of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received
the higher of $100.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to
the date of such payment, or an aggregate amount per share, subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount to be distributed per share to the holders of Common
Stock; nor (ii) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up) with the Series
1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except distributions made
ratably on the Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all
other such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the
aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under the provision in clause (i) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
6
<PAGE> 49
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination, or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or
changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property,
then in any such case the shares of Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed
in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash, and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or
(iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding
sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series 1998
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's
Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of
assets, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. Series 1998 Junior Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle
the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise
voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have
the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series 1998 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(3) The foregoing amendment to the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of said corporation on
June 24, 1998 in the manner prescribed by the Alabama Business Corporation Act.
7
<PAGE> 50
The undersigned officer of the corporation named herein, in
accordance with the Alabama Business Corporation Act, executes these Articles of
Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation as of the ____ day of
_____, 1998.
ENERGEN CORPORATION
By
--------------------------------------
Wm. M. Warren, Jr.
Its Chairman of the Board, President,
and Chief Executive Officer
8
<PAGE> 51
STATE OF ALABAMA )
)
COUNTY OF JEFFERSON )
Before me, the undersigned authority in and for said County in said
State, personally appeared Wm. M. Warren, Jr., who is known to me and who, being
first duly sworn, does depose and say that he is the Chairman of the Board,
President, and Chief Executive Officer of Energen Corporation; that he signed
the foregoing Articles of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation
of said corporation as Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive
Officer of said corporation and with full authority; and that the statements
made in the foregoing Articles of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation are true and correct.
----------------------------------------
Wm. M. Warren, Jr.
Subscribed and sworn to before me on this ___ day of ______________,
1998, in witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and attach the seal of my
office.
----------------------------------------
Notary Public
[NOTARIAL SEAL] My Commission Expires:
------------------
This instrument prepared by:
Joseph E. Smith, Esq.
Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP
2001 Park Place, Suite 1400
Birmingham, Alabama 35203-2736
9
<PAGE> 52
EXHIBIT B: FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
B-1
<PAGE> 53
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON JULY 27, 2008 OR EARLIER IF
REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF
THE COMPANY, AT $70 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
AN ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED
IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]*
Rights Certificate
Energen Corporation
- --------------------
* The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
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This certifies that _________________________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 27, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Energen Corporation, an Alabama corporation (the
"Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York State
limited purpose trust company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company
at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (Birmingham, Alabama time) on July 27, 2008 at
the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, non-assessable
share of Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred
Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $70 per one one-hundredth of a
share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The number of rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the
number of share which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
July 27, 1998, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person, an Adverse
Person, or an Associate or Affiliate of any such Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), which the Company's Board of Directors, in its
sole discretion, determines is or was involved in or caused or facilitated,
directly or indirectly (including through any change in the Board), such Section
11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Adverse Person,
Associate, or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after such Acquiring Person,
Adverse Person, Associate, or Affiliate becomes such, or (iii) under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of any such
Acquiring Person, Adverse Person, Associate, or Affiliate who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall
have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such
Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of share of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
all as specified 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, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the Company and are also available
upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling
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the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may (unless the Board of Directors shall have made
a determination that a Person is an Adverse Person) be redeemed by the Company
at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the
earlier of the close of business on (i) the twentieth day following the Stock
Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights
Agreement) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date (as defined in the Rights
Agreement). After the expiration of the redemption period, the Company's right
of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial
ownership to 15% or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a
transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company, and such
reinstatement is approved by the Company's Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (excluding Rights held by an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person that have become null and 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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors cannot effect such
exchange at any time after any person, together with all affiliates and
associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
will be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio described
above. The Company will not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company will pay to the
registered holders of the Right certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock.
No fractional share of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or for any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
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provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _________________________, _____.
ENERGEN CORPORATION
By
-------------------------------------
Its
-------------------------------------
By
-------------------------------------
Its
-------------------------------------
- -----------------------------
Secretary
COUNTERSIGNED:
- -----------------------------
- -----------------------------
By
---------------------------
Authorized Signature
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
-------------------, -------.
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) This Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned,
and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person,
an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an
Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated:
-------------------, -------. ----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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Dated:
-------------------, -------.
----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person, an Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned,
it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person, an Adverse Person, or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person.
Dated:
-------------------, -------. ----------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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EXHIBIT C: FORM OF SUMMARY OF RIGHTS
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Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On June 24, 1998, the Board of Directors of Energen Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of Common Stock of the Company, effective at the close of business on July
27, 1998, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 27, 1998.
Each Right will, when exercisable, entitle the registered holder to purchase
from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a "Unit") of
Series 1998 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the
"Preferred Stock") at a purchase price of $70 per Unit, subject to adjustment
(the "Purchase Price"). The terms of the Preferred Stock are such that one Unit
is essentially equivalent to one share of Common Stock. Preferred Stock, rather
than Common Stock, is used to implement the plan in order to avoid having to
reserve a large amount of Common Stock for the Rights. Upon certain events
described below, the Rights entitle the holder to receive Common Stock of the
Company or securities of an acquiring company. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent.
Until the Distribution Date (defined below),
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates
and will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock certificates
and no separate Rights Certificates will be distributed,
(ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after July 27, 1998 will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on July 27, 2008, unless earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below (the "Expiration Date").
Unless previously redeemed, the Rights will separate from the Common
Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earliest of
(i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person (an
"Acquiring Person") or any associate or affiliate of an Acquiring Person
has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of
15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
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(ii) promptly after the Board of Directors of the Company shall
declare any Person to be an Adverse Person, upon a determination by at
least a majority of the Company's independent directors, after reasonable
inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such persons as
such directors shall deem appropriate, that such person, alone or together
with its affiliates and associates, has become the Beneficial Owner of an
amount of Common Stock which is substantial (which amount shall in no
event be less than 10% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding) and
that (a) such person's ownership is intended to cause the Company to
repurchase the Common Stock owned by such person or to take other action
to provide such person with short-term financial gain where the best
long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders would not be
served by taking such action at that time or (b) such person's ownership
may cause a material adverse impact (including by jeopardizing the
Company's licenses or authorizations from, or relationships with, state
regulators, or impairment of the Company's relationships with customers or
its ability to maintain its competitive position) on the business or
prospects of the Company to the detriment of the Company's shareholders.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date will be issued with Rights.
Subject to the proviso that Rights are not exercisable following the
occurrence of any of these events until such time as the Rights are no longer
redeemable by the Company as set forth below, in the event that
(i) the Board of Directors determines that a 10% or more
shareholder is an Adverse Person, or
(ii) a person becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant to an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which the independent
directors determine to be fair to and otherwise in the best interests of
the Company and its shareholders -- a "Fair Offer"),
The Stock Acquisition Date is the date of public announcement that
an Acquiring Person, or any associate or affiliate, has acquired or obtained the
right to acquire beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock. In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction in which the Company is not the surviving
corporation or in which the Company's Common Stock is changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities
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of any other person, cash or any other property (other than a merger which
follows, and is at the same price as, a Fair Offer), or
(ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole is sold or transferred,
each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set
forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price of the Right.
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date (unless
the ten-day period is extended pursuant to the amendment provisions discussed
below), at a price of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock, or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). The Company may not
redeem the Rights if the Board of Directors has previously declared a person to
be an Adverse Person. After the redemption period has expired, the Company's
right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces its
beneficial ownership to less than 15% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
in a transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the
Rights, the rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights
will be to receive the $.01 per Right redemption price.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (excluding Rights held by an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person that have become null and 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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors cannot effect such
exchange at any time after any person, together with all affiliates and
associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
will be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the exchange ratio described
above. The Company will not issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In
lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company will pay to the
registered holders of the Right certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of
Common Stock.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms
of the Rights (Purchase Price, expiration date, redemption price, exchange
ratio), any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely
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affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any
Acquiring Person or any Adverse Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time
period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to
adjust the time period governing a redemption or exchange shall be made at such
time as the Rights are not redeemable.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have
no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will
not be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights
become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or
for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination, or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidence of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A
dated __________________, 1998. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free
of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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