SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K/A
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 22, 1997
Thiokol Corporation
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
1-6179 36-2678716
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Commission File Number (IRS Employer Identification No.)
2475 Washington Boulevard, Ogden, Utah 84401-2398
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(801) 629-2000
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(Registrant's Telephone Number)
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ITEM 5 - OTHER EVENTS
On May 22, 1997, the Board of Directors of Thiokol Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on May
30, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date.
Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a
price of $240 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase
Price"), subject to adjustment. 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 (the
"Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date
as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time
as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a
tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of
the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such
Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached
thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration
of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date,
separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be
mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates
alone will evidence the Rights.
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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on May 30, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares 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 Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders
of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or
purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into
Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market
price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of
the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding
regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings
or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject
to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such
case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be
entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share
but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made
per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together
with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation
or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred
Share will be entitled to receive 100 times the amount received per Common
Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate
the value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets
or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
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exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time
of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise
price of the Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned
by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter
have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having
a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which
will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a
class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1%
in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced
by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be
made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading
day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right
(the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made
effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an
amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the
greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially
owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii)
10%, except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such
amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
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Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the
Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except
pursuant to an offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being
acquired. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business
combination approved by the Board of Directors since the Rights may be
redeemed by the Company at $.01 per Right prior to the time that a person
or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Common
Shares.
The Rights Agreement, dated as of May 22, 1997, between the Company
and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent, specifies the
terms of the Rights and includes the Form Of Rights Certificate as an
exhibit thereto. The foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such exhibits.
On May 22, 1997, the Board of Directors redeemed the previously
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per right payable on June
13, 1989, to holders of record of Common Shares (to which the outstanding
rights are attached) on May 30, 1997.
ITEM 7 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(C) Exhibits
Exhibit No. 4 Rights Agreement between
Thiokol Corporation and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
Rights Agent
Dated as of May 22, 1997
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
THIOKOL CORPORATION
(Registrant)
/s/ Edwin M. North
Dated: May 27, 1997 By: __________________________
Edwin M. North
Corporate Secretary
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. 4 Rights Agreement between
Thiokol Corporation and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
Rights Agreement
Dated as of May 22, 1997
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Exhibit 4
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Thiokol Corporation
and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of May 22, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 6
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates 6
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates 9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 9
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Right Certificates 10
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights 11
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of
Right Certificates 13
Section 9. Availability of Common Shares 14
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date 15
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares or Number of Rights 15
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
or Number of Shares 27
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power 27
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 29
Section 15. Rights of Action 31
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders 31
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Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder 32
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 33
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent 33
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 35
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 37
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates 37
Section 23. Redemption 37
Section 24. Exchange 40
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events 43
Section 26. Notices 44
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments 45
Section 28. Successors 46
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 46
Section 30. Severability 46
Section 31. Governing Law 46
Section 32. Counterparts 47
Section 33. Descriptive Headings 47
Signatures 47
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate A-1
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares B-1
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Agreement, dated as of May 22, 1997, between Thiokol Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of
New York (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common
Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on May 30, 1997
(the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms
and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized
and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share
that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date
(as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be
the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more
of the Common Shares of the Company then
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outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares 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 Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if a Person shall
become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person
shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a
Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person", as defined pursuant to
the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be
an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of
this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "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
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Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the
date of this Agreement.
(c) 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
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1)
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arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in
response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the
Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable 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 with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the
Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, 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.
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(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday,
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary
of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such
first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(j) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.
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(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person
has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such
Person.
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 Shares) in accordance
with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts
such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights
Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) 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 of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or
of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public
announcement of the
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intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial
Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding
Common Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such
dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the
certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates)
and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right
Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of
Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the
Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and
the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if
requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of
the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A
hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share
so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely
by such Right Certificates.
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(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to
certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates
registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the
Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender
for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record
Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto,
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or
otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Thiokol
Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, dated as
of May 22, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal executive offices of Thiokol Corporation
Under certain
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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. Thiokol Corporation will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until
the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates
alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires
any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date,
any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and
retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit
A 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
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usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at
the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the
"Purchase Price"), but the number of such one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board,
its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or
its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have
affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be
manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of
the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and
delivery by the Company, such Right 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 Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any
Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a
proper officer of the Company to sign such
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Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of
the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names
and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates
and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Subject to the provisions of 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 earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right
Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof)
may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to
purchase a like number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as the
Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender
the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
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Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to
the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right 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 Right
Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or
destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and,
at the Company's request, 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 Right Certificate if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or
in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side
thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the
Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at
or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on May 30, 2007 (the
"Final Expiration Date"), (ii)
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the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof
(the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $240,
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section
11 or 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States
of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of
such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified
check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company,
the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of
Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B)
requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased
(in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such
receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with
such request, (ii) when
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appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in
lieu of issuance 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
Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to
or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of
such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any
of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled
by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The
Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement,
and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the
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Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its
authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in
its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with
Section 7. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered
upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates
for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable
shares.
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 Right Certificates
or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts
for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered
holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise
or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall
have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
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Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is
due.
Section 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was
duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable
transfer taxes) was made; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the date of such
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer
books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become
the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer
books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled
to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and
shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER
OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by
each Right and
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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 Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Shares (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),
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 capital stock
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of
one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital
stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
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(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a
right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then
current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market
price of the Company's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any
Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be
outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or
diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any
holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such
Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be
issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by
an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to
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the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right
Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to
an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding
sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such
Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise
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 exercise 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 or 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.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling
them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date)
to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share
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(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current
per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section
11(d)) 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 Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of
the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares 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 Preferred
Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be
paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than
cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares
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
20
<PAGE>
rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) 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 then current per share market
price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness
so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable
to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current
per share market price of the Preferred Shares; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in
no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right
be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event
that such
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<PAGE>
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to
be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to
such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share
market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or
securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision,
combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend
or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price
per share equivalent of such Security. 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 Security is 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
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<PAGE>
principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such
other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted
to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share
market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one
hundred. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly
held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean
the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
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<PAGE>
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments 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 one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share
or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this
Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no
later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction
which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the
right to exercise any Rights.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right 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 Shares contained in Section 11(a) through
(c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect
to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
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<PAGE>
(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 Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of
the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding
immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) 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 substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding
after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
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<PAGE>
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 Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Right 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 Right Certificates on such record date
Right 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 Right
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after
such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on
the record date specified in the public announcement.
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<PAGE>
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial
Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any,
of the Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Shares 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 issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such
record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities
of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the
Preferred Shares 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 ap-
27
<PAGE>
propriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares 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 it in its sole discretion shall determine to be
advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the
current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares
or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in
Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred
Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common
Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such
case (A) the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by
multiplying the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so
purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number
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<PAGE>
of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after
such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which
each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued
with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n)
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or
such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and
(c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 25 hereof.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a
Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate
with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall
consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger
and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall
be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person (or the
29
<PAGE>
Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or
otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the
Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each
such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a
Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right
to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of
Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor
thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained
by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market
price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall
thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall
take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof)
in connection with such
30
<PAGE>
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.
The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so
providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind
referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any
agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such
transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13
shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or
other transfers.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
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 the 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 for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in
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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 professional market maker making a market in the Rights
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no
such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors
of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of
one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company,
be
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evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement
between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such
agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall
have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled
as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary
receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay
to the registered holders of Right 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 Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be
the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),
without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right
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Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),
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 Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate
and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies
available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that
the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT 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 the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered
at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied
by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated
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Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and
of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership
or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for
all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall
be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote,
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares 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 Right Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Right 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 Right
Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its
reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in
the administration and execution of this Agree-
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ment 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.
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 Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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, or otherwise upon the advice
of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
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 stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
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Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or
any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; PROVIDED, that
such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights
Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent
may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and
in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under
its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates
either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
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 Right
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
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 any one of the Chairman
of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice
President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to
the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
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(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
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, 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 Right 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 Right
Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the
exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights
(including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3,
11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise
of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such
change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement
or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
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(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably
be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the
Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the 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 by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
(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.
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(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 reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Right 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 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 Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit
his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered
holder of any Right Certificate may apply
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to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights
Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of any other
state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the State of New York), in good
standing, having an office in the State of New York, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and
which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital
and surplus of at least $50 million. 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 Shares or
Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Right 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.
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Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class
of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. REDEMPTION. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring
after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to
as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of
Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, 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. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall
not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the
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Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall
mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding
Rights at their last addresses as they appear 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 Shares. 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. Neither the
Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or
purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and
other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the
Distribution Date.
Section 24. EXCHANGE. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which
shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) 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
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entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common 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 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter
of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of 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 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
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(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 24, 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 or 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 24.
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Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. (a) In case the Company shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the
holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or
warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or
shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options,
(iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, 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 or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect
the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares
or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common
Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in
Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, 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, or 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 Common Shares and/or
Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be
so given in the case of any action
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covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record
date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to
the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares,
whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such
event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
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 Right
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:
Thiokol Corporation
2475 Washington Boulevard
Ogden, Utah 84401
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
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postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Company) as follows:
First Chicago Trust Company of New York
525 Washington Boulevard
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 Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from time to
time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders
of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other
provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary
or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing
signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that from
and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this
Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting the foregoing, the
Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds
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set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the
sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares
then known by the Company to be beneficially owned 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 entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%.
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. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) 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 Right Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 30. 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
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of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way
be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of
the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts
to be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section 32. 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 33. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above
written.
Attest: THIOKOL CORPORATION
/S/ Edwin M. North /s/ James R. Wilson
By_________________________________ By______________________________
Title: Corporate Secretary Title: Chairman, President &
Chief Executive Officer
Attest: FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
/s/ M. Phalen /s/ L. A. Woods
By_________________________________ By______________________________
Title: Vice President Title: Vice President
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Exhibit A
---------
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- ____Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 30, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER
RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
THIOKOL CORPORATION
This certifies that_____________ , or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions
of the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 22, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Thiokol Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City
time, on May 30, 2007 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at
the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully
paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a
purchase price of $240 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the
number and Purchase Price as of________ ,___ , based on the Preferred
Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement,
the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
This Right 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 Right
Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the
Rights Agent.
A-1
<PAGE>
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.
If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be
entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par
value $1.00 per share.
No fractional Preferred Shares 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 Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such,
any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate
action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided
in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of________ ,___.
ATTEST: THIOKOL CORPORATION
_____________________________ By_____________________________
Countersigned:
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
By________________________________
Authorized Signature
A-3
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if
such holder desires to transfer the Right
Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto_____________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
___________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest
therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:___________________,___
___________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an
office or correspondent in the United States.
- ------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement).
Signature_________________________________
- ------------------------------------------------------
A-4
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the Right
Certificate.)
To: Thiokol Corporation
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_______________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to
purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name
of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of
such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated:________________,____
____________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an
office or correspondent in the United States.
A-5
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
______________________________
Signature
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the
face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner
of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-6
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
---------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On May 22, 1997, the Board of Directors of Thiokol Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on May
30, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date.
Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a
price of $240 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase
Price"), subject to adjustment. 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 (the
"Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior
to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an
Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an
intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of
which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being
called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect
to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date,
by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights
attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration
of
B-1
<PAGE>
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date,
separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be
mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates
alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on May 30, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares 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 Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders
of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or
purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into
Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market
price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of
the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding
regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings
or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject
to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such
case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be
entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share
but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made
per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 100 votes, voting together
with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation
or other
B-2
<PAGE>
transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will
be entitled to receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share.
These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate
the value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets
or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring
Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock
of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event
that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an
Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a
Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which
will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times
the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which
will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a
class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights,
preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1%
in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of
a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced
by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be
made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading
day prior to the date of exercise.
B-3
<PAGE>
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right
(the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made
effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an
amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the
greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially
owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii)
10%, except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such
amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.
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_______ ,1997. 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 hereby incorporated herein by reference.
B-4
<PAGE>
