5
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): June 13, 1996
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NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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New Jersey __________ 13-1086010
(State or other (Commission (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of File Number) Identification No.)
incorporation)
10 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, New York 14203
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number including area code (716) 857-7000
--------------------------------------------------------------
None
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events
On June 13, 1996 the Board of Directors of National Fuel Gas Company
("National") declared a dividend distribution of one right ("Right") for each
outstanding share of common stock, $1.00 par value, of National ("Common Stock")
to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 1996 ("Record
Date"). The Rights are to be issued pursuant to a shareholder rights plan which
was approved by the Board on March 19, 1996. Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from National one-half of one share of Common Stock at a
price of $130 per share, being $65.00 per half share, subject to adjustment
("Purchase Price"). The detailed description and terms of the Rights are set
forth in a Rights Agreement ("Agreement") between National and the Rights Agent
("Agent").
Distribution Date; Transfer of Rights
Until the earliest to occur of (i) ten days following the date
("Shares Acquisition Date") of the public announcement that a person or
affiliated group ("Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to
acquire, beneficial ownership of Common Stock or other voting securities
("Voting Stock") that have 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding
shares of Voting Stock or (ii) ten days following the commencement or
announcement of an intention to make a tender offer, or exchange offer, the
consummation of which would result in such person acquiring, or obtaining the
right to acquire, beneficial ownership of Voting Stock having 10% or more of the
voting power of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock (the earlier of such
dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with
respect to any shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, by the
Common Stock certificates representing those outstanding shares. Until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only with the Common Stock,
and new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a
notation incorporating the Agreement by reference. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights
("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of Common Stock 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 at the close of business on the tenth anniversary of the
Record Date, unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by National as described
further herein.
Exercise of Rights
Subject to redemption or exchange of the Rights, at any time
following the Distribution Date, each holder of a Right will have the right to
receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of National) having a value equal to two times the
Purchase Price of the Right then in effect. However, all Rights that are, or
under certain circumstances were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person
will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Shares
Acquisition Date, (i) National is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction, or (ii) 50% or more of National's assets or earning
power are sold or transferred, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a
value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right then in effect.
Adjustments to Purchase Price
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common
Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) 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 Common Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the
Common Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase shares
of the Common Stock or convertible securities at less than the then current
market price of the Common Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of
the Common Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
periodic cash dividends or dividends payable in Common Stock) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). Prior to the
Distribution Date, the Board may make such other equitable adjustments as it
deems appropriate in the circumstances in addition to or in lieu of any
adjustment otherwise required by the foregoing.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the event
giving rise to such adjustment or (ii) the time at which cumulative adjustments
require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional
shares of Common Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Common Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
Redemption and Exchange of Rights
At any time prior to 5:00 P.M. Buffalo, New York time on the
tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date, National may redeem the Rights
in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right ("Redemption Price"),
payable in cash or stock. Under certain circumstances set forth in the
Agreement, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of
the Independent Directors. An "Independent Director" means any member of the
Board who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the Agreement, and any
person who is subsequently elected to the Board if such person is recommended or
approved by a majority of the Independent Directors, but shall not include an
Acquiring Person or any representative thereof. Immediately upon the action of
the Board electing to redeem the Rights, National shall make announcement
thereof and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the
Board may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person,
which become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock and/or other securities, cash or other assets deemed to have the
same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right, subject to adjustment.
Until a Right is exercised or exchanged for Common Stock, the
Rights, as such, will not grant the holders thereof rights as a stockholder of
National. While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to
stockholders or to National, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances,
recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for
Common Stock of National (or other consideration) or for the stock of the
Acquiring Person.
Amendments
Any of the provisions of the Agreement may be amended by the
Board without the consent of the holders of the Rights prior to the Distribution
Date. Thereafter, the Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure any
ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any
Acquiring Person); provided, however, that no supplement or amendment may be
made on or after the Distribution Date which changes those provisions relating
to the principal economic terms of the Rights. The Board may also, with the
concurrence of a majority of the Independent Directors, extend the redemption
period for up to an additional 20 days.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is filed herewith as Exhibit
99.1. The foregoing description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Exhibit, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith
and incorporated herein by reference:
Exhibit Number
99.1) Rights Agreement, dated as of June 12, 1996, between
National Fuel Gas Company and Marine Midland Bank,
as Rights Agent.
99.2) Press Release dated March 20, 1996
99.3) Press Release dated June 13, 1996.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: June 13, 1996
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
By: /s/Philip C. Ackerman
Philip C. Ackerman
Senior Vice President
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
Number Description
99.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of
June 12, 1996, between National
Fuel Gas Company and Marine Midland
Bank, as Rights Agent.
99.2 Press Release dated March 20, 1996.
99.3 Press Release dated June 13, 1996.
EXHIBIT 99-1
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
and
MARINE MIDLAND BANK, Rights Agent
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of June 12, 1996
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . 9
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of
Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of
Shares of Common Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 10. Common Stock Record Date . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number
of Shares or Number of Rights. . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase
Price or Number of Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or
Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. . . . . . . 21
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional
Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of
Name of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates . . . . . . . 30
Section 23. Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 26. Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . 33
<PAGE>
Section 28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the
Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement. . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 32. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate. . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Form of Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6
Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7
Form of Election to Purchase. . . . . . . . . . . A-8
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase
Common Stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Rights Agreement, dated as of June 12, 1996 (the "Agreement"), between
National Fuel Gas Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), and Marine
Midland Bank, a trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York
(the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company on March 19, 1996 ("Rights
Dividend Declaration Date") authorized and declared a dividend distribution (the
"Distribution") of one Right for each share of Common Stock, $1.00 par value, of
the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business on July
31, 1996 (the "Record Date") and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(i) hereof) for each share of Common Stock issued
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury stock)
between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock, upon
the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms 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 securities of the Company
constituting a Substantial Block (as such term is hereinafter defined), but
shall not include (i) the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter
defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any Person organized, appointed or established by
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan, (ii) any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of a Substantial Block
solely as a result of a change in the aggregate number of shares of Voting Stock
(as such term is hereinafter defined) outstanding since the last date on which
such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of any shares of the Voting Stock
constituting all or a portion of such Substantial Block; and (iii) any Person
who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of a Substantial Block in the good faith belief
that such acquisition would not (x) cause such Person and its Affiliates and
Associates to become the Beneficial Owner of a Substantial Block and such Person
relied in good faith in computing the percentage of its voting power on publicly
filed reports or documents of the Company which are inaccurate or out-of-date or
(y) otherwise cause a Distribution Date or the adjustment provided for in
Section 11(a) to occur. Notwithstanding clause (ii) or (iii) of the prior
sentence, if any Person that is not an Acquiring Person due to such clause (ii)
or (iii) does not cease to be the Beneficial Owner of a Substantial Block by the
close of business on the fifth Business Day (as such term is hereinafter
defined) after notice from the Company (the date of notice being the first
Business Day) that such Person is the Beneficial Owner of a Substantial Block,
such Person shall, at the end of such five Business Day period, become an
Acquiring Person (and such clause (ii) or (iii) shall no longer apply to such
Person). For purposes of this definition, the determination whether any Person
acted in "good faith" shall be conclusively determined by the Board of Directors
of the Company, acting by a vote of those directors of the Company whose
approval would be required to redeem the Rights under Section 2 3 .
(b) "Act" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(c) hereof.
(c) "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date hereof.
(e) "Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the introduction
hereto.
(f) 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 has, directly or indirectly, the right to acquire (whether such right
is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or upon the
occurrence of an event) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a
Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
(1) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (2) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
such term is hereinafter defined), or (3) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, which Rights were
acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior
to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof ("Original Rights")
or pursuant to Section 11(i) or Section 22 hereof in connection with an
adjustment made with respect to Original Rights; or
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has, directly or indirectly, the right to vote or dispose of or has
"beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the
Exchange Act and (2) is not 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
otherPerson with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph (f)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this definition shall cause
a Person ordinarily engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired in
a bona fide firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an underwriting agreement
with the Company.
(g) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, 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.
(h) "Certification" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 18
hereof.
(i) "Close of business" on any given day shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Buffalo, New York time, on such day; provided, however, that if such day is not
a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Buffalo, New York time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(j) "Common Stock," when used with reference to the Company, shall
mean the shares of common stock, $1.00 par value, of the Company. "Common
Stock," when used with reference to any Person other than the Company, shall
mean either the capital stock with the greatest voting power of such other
Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the
management of such Person.
(k) "Common Stock Equivalent" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii).
(l) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the introduction
hereto.
(m) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d) hereof.
(n) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(o) "Distribution" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
hereto.
(p) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(q) "Equivalent Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(r) "Exchange Act" shall have the meaning set forth in the definitions
of "Affiliate" and "Associate" above.
(s) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
24(a) hereof.
(t) "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
(u) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(v) "Independent Director" shall mean any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such person is a member of the Board, who is not
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a
representative or nominee of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, and was a member of the Board prior to the date hereof, and any
successor of an Independent Director while such successor is a member of the
Board, who is not an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, or a representative or nominee of an Acquiring Person or of
any such Affiliate or Associate, and is recommended or elected to succeed the
Independent Director by a majority of the Independent Directors.
(w) "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Beneficial Owner" above.
(x) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, limited
liability company, partnership (general, limited or limited liability), trust or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(y) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.
(z) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
(aa) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
hereto.
(bb) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
(cc) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(dd) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.
(ee) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the
introduction hereto.
(ff) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals hereto.
(gg) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii).
(hh) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii).
(ii) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in Section
13(a).
(jj) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, includes a report filed
pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring
Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(kk) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(ll) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation (or other entity) of which an amount of voting securities (or
comparable ownership interests) sufficient to elect at least a majority of the
directors (or comparable individuals) of such corporation (or other entity) is
beneficially owned or otherwise controlled, directly or indirectly, by such
Person.
(mm) "Substantial Block" shall mean a number of shares of Voting Stock
which have 10% or more of the aggregate voting power of all outstanding shares
of Voting Stock.
(nn) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(oo) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(b) hereof.
(pp) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)
hereof.
(qq) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or
Section 13 Event.
(rr) "Voting Stock," as of the date of any determination, shall mean
the shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par value, then outstanding and any other
shares of capital stock of the Company which are entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company shall act as Co-Rights Agent and may from time to time appoint such
other Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable upon ten calendar
days' written notice to the Rights Agent. In no event shall the Rights Agent
have any duty to supervise or in any way be liable for such Co-Rights Agents.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i) the
close of business on the tenth calendar day after the Shares Acquisition Date
(or, if the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record
Date, the close of business on the Record Date) or (ii) the close of business on
the tenth calendar day after the date of the commencement of, or of the first
public announcement of the 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 Person organized, appointed or established by
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation
thereof, such Person would become an Acquiring Person (the earlier of the dates
in subsection (i) and (ii) hereof being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date") (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph
(b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in
the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common
Stock shall be deemed also to be 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 Stock. As soon as
practicable after receipt by the Rights Agent of written notice from the Company
of the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent, at the Company's expense, will send
by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as
of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the
form of Exhibit A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each
share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) As soon as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will send
a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Stock, in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class,
postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Stock outstanding as of
the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for Common Stock, and the registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any of the certificates for Common Stock outstanding
on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with Common Stock represented by such certificate.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock issued
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7), or, in certain
circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date.
Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock 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 National Fuel Gas Company and Marine Midland
Bank dated as of June 12, 1996 (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 National Fuel Gas Company. Under certain circumstances, as
set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. National Fuel Gas Company will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement as in effect on the date of mailing without charge
within five Business Days after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person
may become null and void.
After the due execution of any supplement or amendment to this Agreement in
accordance with the terms hereof, the reference to this Agreement in the
foregoing legend shall mean the Agreement as so supplemented or amended. Until
the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with Common Stock represented by
certificates containing the foregoing legend shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any of such certificates
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with Common Stock
represented by such certificates. In the event that the Company purchases or
acquires any shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed
canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any
Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock which are no longer
outstanding. The failure to print the foregoing legend on any such Common Stock
certificate or any other defect therein shall not affect in any manner
whatsoever the application or interpretation of the provisions of Section 7(e)
hereof.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. (a) The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase 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 usage. The Right Certificates
shall be in machine-printable format and in a form reasonably satisfactory to
the Rights Agent. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof,
the Right Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date, shall show the date of countersignature, and on their face shall entitle
the holders thereof to purchase such number of shares of Common Stock (or
following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such
exercise price per share of Common Stock, the "Purchase Price"), but the number
of such shares and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or
any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing) which has as a primary purpose or effect the
avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof; and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 6 or Section 11 hereof, upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
adjustment of any other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall
contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend, modified as applicable to
apply to such Person:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are
or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or
became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this
Right Certificate and the Rights represented hereby
may become null and void in the circumstances
specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Company by one of its authorized officers either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be
countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent either manually or
by facsimile signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the 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,
issued and delivered 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 Right Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an
officer.
In case any authorized signatory of the Rights Agent who shall have
countersigned any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such signatory
before delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be
issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the
person who countersigned such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
signatory; and any Right Certificates may be countersigned on behalf of the
Rights Agent by any person who, at the actual date of the countersignature of
such Right Certificate, shall be a proper signatory of the Rights Agent to
countersign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of
this Rights Agreement any such person was not such a signatory.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office designated for such purpose, 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 issued
hereunder, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right
Certificates, the date of each of the Right Certificates and the date of
countersignature 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
Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates 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
shares of Common Stock (or following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash
or other assets, as the case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or, in the case of a
transfer, such former 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 office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, along with a signature guarantee and such other and
further documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever
with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the
registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in
the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall
have provided such additional evidence, as the Company shall reasonably request,
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner, Affiliates or Associates of such
Beneficial Owner or holder, or of any other Person with which such holder or any
of such holder's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting or disposing of securities of the Company. Thereupon the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 14 and Section 20(k) hereof, 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 from a Right
Certificates holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge
that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of 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, along with a signature guarantee and
such other and further documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request,
and if requested by the Company, 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 owner in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein, including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Sections 9 (c) , 11 (a) (iii) , 23 (a) and 24 (b)
hereof) 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 designated office
of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for
the total number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are then exercisable, at or
prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on July 31, 2006 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof or (iii) the time at which all exercisable Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof, (such earliest date being herein
referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each full share of Common Stock pursuant to the
exercise of a Right shall initially be$130.00 (being $65.00 per half share of
Common Stock), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c)
below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed and
completed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the number of shares
of Common Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be)
to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon, subject to Section 20(k), promptly (i) requisition from
the Company certificates for the total number of shares of Common Stock to be
purchased, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of
cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 14, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates, 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 promptly deliver such payment to
or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. The
payment of the Purchase Price must be made by certified bank check or bank draft
or money order payable to the order of the Company or the Rights Agent. In the
event that the Company is obligated to issue securities, distribute property or
make payment pursuant to section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that check, property or securities are available for
issuance, distribution or payment by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(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.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person which whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) which has as a primary
purpose or effect the avoidance of this section 7(e), shall become null and void
without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights
whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this
Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure
that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied
with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other
Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an
Acquiring Person, or any of its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner, Affiliates or Associates of such Beneficial Owner or holder,
or of any other Person with which such holder or any of such holder's Affiliates
or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any
securities of the Company as the Company shall reasonably request.
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 canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled 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 canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Shares of Common Stock. (a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept
available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock (and
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued other securities), or out of its authorized and issued shares of Common
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and issued other securities) held in its treasury, the number of
shares of Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights (it being understood that any of the foregoing shares or
securities may also be reserved for other purposes) or will take such other
steps as are appropriate to assure that the number of such shares or securities
(or their equivalents) sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights will be available upon such exercise.
(b) So long as the shares of Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of
a Triggering Event, other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may
be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable (but
only to the extent that it is reasonably likely that the Rights will be
exercised), all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange
upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, or as
soon as required by law, as the case may be, a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such
filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier
of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will also take such action
as may be appropriate under the blue sky laws of the various states. The Company
may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days
after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section
9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement and shall give
simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent stating that the exercisability
of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement
and notice to the Rights Agent at such time as the suspension is no longer in
effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the
Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite
qualifications in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Common Stock (and following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, other securities) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any shares of the Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) upon
the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required (a) to pay
any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
transfer or delivery of Right Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) in a
name other than that of the registered holder of the Right Certificate
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or (b) to issue or deliver any
certificates for a number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, as the
case may be) upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been
paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Common Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for any number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, as
the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock (or
other securities, as the case may be) 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 and shall show the date of countersignature;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of
the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Common Stock (or other securities, as the
case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of
the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise 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 shares covered by each Right and the
number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of the
Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (D) issue any shares
of its capital stock in a reclassification of Common Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date
of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of Common Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when Common Stock (or other securities) transfer books of the
Company were open, he or she would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in
this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person,
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, becomes at any time after
the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, an Acquiring Person except as the result
of a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, then, prior to the later of
(x) the date on which the Company's rights of redemption pursuant to Section
23(a) expire, or (y) five (5) days after the date of the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a
Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a right
to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of shares of Common
Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price for a full share of Common Stock by the number of
shares of Common Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that
product by (y) 50% of the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock of the
Company (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the date of the occurrence of
the event described above in this subparagraph (ii) (such number of shares is
hereinafter referred to as the "Adjustment Shares"), provided that the Purchase
Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall be further adjusted as provided
in this Agreement to reflect any events occurring after the date of such first
occurrence.
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or
reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall (A) determine the excess of (1)
the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the
"Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread"), and
(B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon exercise of the Rights and payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, (1) payment by check, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares of
preferred stock which a majority of the Independent Directors and the Board of
Directors of the Company have deemed to have the same value as shares of Common
Stock (such shares of preferred stock, "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by a majority of the Independent Directors
and the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and
(y) the date on which the Company's rights of redemption pursuant to Section
23(a) expire (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon
the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if
necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith
that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this subparagraph (iii),
the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in
order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and
to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company
shall issue a public announcement and shall give concurrent written notice to
the Rights Agent stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and notice to the Rights
Agent at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of
this subparagraph (iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the Current
Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the Section 11 (a) (ii) Trigger Date and the value of any Common
Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to be the same as the value of Common Stock on
such date. The Company shall give the Rights Agent notice of the selection of
any Common Stock Equivalent under this subparagraph (iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Common Stock entitling them (for a period
expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or
purchase Common Stock (or securities having substantially the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Common Stock ("Equivalent Common
Stock") or convertible into Common Stock or Equivalent Common Stock) at a price
per share of Common Stock or Equivalent Common Stock (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security convertible into Common Stock or Equivalent
Common Stock) less than the Current Market Price (as defined in Section 11(d)
per share of Common Stock or Equivalent Common Stock, as the case may be) 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, of which the numerator shall be the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number
of shares of Common Stock or Equivalent Common Stock which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock or Equivalent
Common Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of
the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such Current
Market Price and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
shares of Common Stock and/or Equivalent Common Stock to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid
by delivery of consideration part or all of which 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. Shares of Common Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, 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 Common Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(other than a regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend payable in Common
Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in
Section 11(b)), 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, of which the numerator shall be the Current
Market Price per share of Common Stock (as defined in Section 11(d)) 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 share of Common Stock and of which the denominator shall be
such Current Market Price per share of Common Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to
be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations
made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii), the "Current Market Price" per share of
Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing
prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined in this paragraph (d)) immediately
prior to such date and, for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any
date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of Common Stock is determined during the period following
the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights)
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
and prior to the expiration of the requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day
period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be
appropriately adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of the Common Stock are
not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in
the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
shares of the Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares
of the Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares
of Common Stock are not quoted by such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value
of such shares on such date shall be as determined in good faith by the
Independent Directors if the Independent Directors constitute a majority of the
Board of Directors or, in the event the Independent Directors do not constitute
a majority of the Board of Directors, by an independent investment banking firm
selected by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions
in the State of New York are not authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to close. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, "Current Market Price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Independent Directors if the Independent
Directors constitute a majority of the Board of Directors or, in the event the
Independent Directors do not constitute a majority of the Board of Directors, by
an independent investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in such price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to
the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall
be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the
transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) or
Section 13(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than shares of Common
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from
time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Common Stock contained in Section 11(a) through
(p), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect
to Common Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Section 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 shares (calculated to
the nearest tenth-thousandth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of
shares 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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right
held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become
that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by
dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the
Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after the adjustment
of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement and shall
give simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for 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 subparagraph (i), the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of Right Certificates on such
record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, 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 may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price per share and the number of shares 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 the then par value, if any, of a share of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue such number of fully paid and
nonassessable shares of such Common Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
number of shares of Common Stock and other capital stock or securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of shares
of Common Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior
to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such
holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right
to receive such additional shares 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 the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine to be
advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of shares of Common
Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Common Stock at less than the
Current Market Price, issuance wholly for cash of the Common Stock or securities
which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock,
stock dividends or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in this Section 11 hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Common Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 and 27 hereof, take (nor will
it permit any of its Subsidiaries to take) any action if at the time such action
is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n)),
(ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company
in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n)), or (iii) sell or transfer
(or permit any of its Subsidiaries to sell or transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(n)) if (x) at
the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are
any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the
stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal
Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution
of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and
Associates.
(p) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Company may, in lieu of making any adjustment to the
Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock eligible for purchase on
exercise of each Right or the number of Rights outstanding, which adjustment
would otherwise be required by Section 11(a)(i), 11(b), 11(c), 11(h) or 11(i),
make such other equitable adjustment or adjustments thereto as the Board of
Directors (whose determination shall be conclusive) deems appropriate in the
circumstances and not inconsistent with the objectives of the Board of Directors
in adopting this Agreement and such Sections.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13, the Company
shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment and the adjusted Purchase
Price, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 26. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or
Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. (a) In the event that, following
the Shares Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company
shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, any other Person (other than
a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(n)) and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(n)) shall consolidate, merge with or into the Company and the Company shall
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and
in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50%
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(n) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right (except as provided in Section 7(e)) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradable shares
of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as hereinafter defined) , not subject to
any liens, encumbrances, rights of call or first refusal, or other adverse
claims as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price for a full share of Common Stock by the number of shares
of Common Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a) (ii) Event has occurred
prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of
such shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a) (ii) Event by the Purchase Price for a full share
of Common Stock in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and
dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all
purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined in the manner described in
Section 11 (d) ) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer; (ii) the Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 shall thereafter apply to such
Principal Party, (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but
not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock in accordance with Section 9) in connection with such 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 shares of its
Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights, and (v) the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first
occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(1) in the case of any transaction described in (x) or (y) of the first
sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into
which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or
consolidation and, if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other
party to the merger or consolidation; and
(2) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the first sentence
in Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of
the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions; provided, however, that in any such case, (x) if the Common Stock
of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the
preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another corporation the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other corporation and (y) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one corporation, the Common Stocks of two or more of
which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such corporations is the issuer of the Common Stock having the
greatest market value.
(3) The Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the
Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its
Common Stock which are neither outstanding nor reserved for issuance to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless
prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms
set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing
that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale
of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party
(i) will prepare and file a registration statement under the Act with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on an appropriate form, will use its best efforts to cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and will
use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects
with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
Section 13 Events. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time
after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not
theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner
described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates
which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company
shall pay 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 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 shares of
Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents upon exercise or exchange of the Rights
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares. In lieu of
fractional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time the Rights
evidenced thereby are exercised or exchanged as herein provided an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of Common Stock or
Common Stock Equivalents. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market
value of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of
Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange, as the case may be,
and the current market value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be the same as
the current market value of the Common Stock on such date.
(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 or exchange of a Right, except as otherwise permitted by this Section
14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such 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 hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder 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 Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates will be
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms
and certificates fully executed, along with a signature guarantee and such other
and further documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request;
(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, 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 Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates
or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company
or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary;
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by
a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; provided, however, that the Company must use its best efforts to
have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
possible.
Section 17. 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 number of shares of Common Stock
or any other securities of the Company that 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), or to receive dividends or
subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged for Common Stock in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The agreements set forth in this
Section 18 shall survive termination of the Agreement and the payments of all
amounts hereunder. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (including the reasonable
fees and expenses of counsel), 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 Common Stock or other securities of the Company, instrument of
assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, instruction, adjustment notice, 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.
In addition to the foregoing, the Rights Agent shall be protected and shall
incur no liability for, or in respect of, any action taken or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon (i) the
proper execution of the certification appended to the Form of Assignment and the
Form of Election to Purchase included as part of Exhibit B hereto (the
"Certification"), unless the Rights Agent shall have actual knowledge that, as
executed, the Certification is untrue or (ii) the non-execution or failure to
complete the Certification including, without limitation, any refusal to honor
any otherwise permissible assignment or election by reason of such nonexecution
or failure.
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 corporate trust
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21. 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 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.
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
President, any Senior Vice 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 only for its own negligence,
bad faith or willful misconduct. The issuance or non-issuance of a Right
Certificate or Common Stock or other security issued in lieu of Common Stock in
accordance with instructions given to the Rights Agent by the Company pursuant
to Section 20(k) hereof or in accordance with the terms hereof shall not
constitute negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the 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 adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
13 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates
after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock
will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver, or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered, all
such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder and
certificates delivered pursuant to any provision hereof from any one of the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Senior Vice President, any Vice
President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and is authorized to
apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer. An application
by the Rights Agent for instructions may set forth in writing any action
proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties
and obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such
action shall be taken, and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such application
on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than one
Business Day after the Company receives such application) without the consent of
the Company unless, prior to taking or omitting such action, the Rights Agent
has received written instructions in response to an application specifying the
actions to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company, or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either by itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; provided, however, that reasonable care was exercised in
the selection thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend
or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, either has not
been completed or does not indicate an affirmative response, the Rights Agent
shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting the Company. The Company shall give the Rights
Agent prompt written instructions as to the action to be taken regarding the
Right Certificates involved. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for acting in
accordance with such instructions.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company by registered or
certified mail, and, at the Company's expense, to the holders of the Right
Certificates by first class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock 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 thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the Company shall become the temporary Rights
Agent and the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court
of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be a 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 a principal
office in the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers, is subject to supervision or examination by federal or
state authority, and has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $25 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 Stock, 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.
Precedessor Rights Agent shall be released and discharged from any and all
further responsibility incurred after its termination as Rights Agent.
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. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the
redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to
shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however,
that (i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Right
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the close of
business on the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date (or if the
Shares Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close
of business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (y) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right as 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"), and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in
shares of its Common Stock (valued at their Current Market Price as defined in
Section 11(d) on the date of the redemption), other securities, cash or other
assets; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors of the Company
authorizes redemption of the Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in
clauses (x) or (y) below then there must be Independent Directors in office and
such authorization shall require the concurrence of a majority of the
Independent Directors: (x) such authorization occurs on or after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (y) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a
change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation) in the composition of a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Company from the Board that was in
office at the commencement of such solicitation if any Person who is a
participant in such solicitation has stated (or if upon the commencement of such
solicitation a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company has determined
in good faith) that such Person (or any of its Affiliates or Associates) intends
to take, or may consider taking, any action which would result in such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person or which would cause the occurrence of a Triggering
Event. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the
Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder
has expired.
(b) In deciding whether or not to exercise the Company's right of
redemption hereunder, the Board of Directors of the Company shall act in good
faith, in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the
Company and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence,
as a person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances, and they
may consider the long-term and short-term effects of any action upon employees,
customers and creditors of the Company and upon communities in which offices or
other establishments of the Company are located, and all other pertinent
factors.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price for each Right held. Within 10 days after the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to the Rights Agent and to all such holders 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
Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed
given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made. 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, and other than in
connection with the repurchase of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option (provided that there are then Independent Directors in office and a
majority of the Independent Directors concur), at any time and from time to time
on or after a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of
Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date of this Agreement (such exchange ratio
being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange
shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held
by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
issued but not outstanding, or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of
Common Stock or for issuance upon exchange of the Rights, subject, however, to
Section 24(d) hereof.
(d) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute for any share of Common Stock exchangeable for a Right
(i) Common Stock Equivalents (ii) cash, (iii) debt securities of the Company,
(iv) other assets, or (v) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate
value which a majority of the Independent Directors and the Board of Directors
of the Company shall have determined in good faith to be equal to the Current
Market Price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of exchange pursuant
to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. In case the Company shall propose at
any time following the Distribution Date (a) to pay any dividend payable in
stock of any class to the holders of Common Stock or to make any other
distribution to the holders of Common Stock (other than a regular periodic cash
dividend), or (b) to offer to the holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Common Stock or shares of
stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (c) to effect
any reclassification of Common Stock (other than a reclassification involving
only the subdivision of outstanding Common Stock), or (d) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to, any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(n) hereof), or (e) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of
the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and to each holder of a Right, in accordance with Section 26, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, distribution of rights or Rights, 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 Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and
such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (a) or
(b) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining
holders of the Common Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any
such other action, at least twenty (20)) days prior to the date of the taking of
such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Common Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
In case a Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such case, the
Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent and to
each holder of a Right, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26
a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii).
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 (unless and until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
National Fuel Gas Company
10 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, New York 14203
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Marine Midland Bank
140 Broadway
12th Floor
Corporate Trust Services
New York, New York 10005-1180
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. Prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Shares Acquisition Date and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company may from time to time supplement or
amend this Agreement in writing without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates. From and after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Shares
Acquisition Date, and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement in writing
without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order (i) to cure
any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein
which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii)
to lengthen the time period during which the Rights may be redeemed following
the Shares Acquisition Date for up to an additional twenty days beyond the time
period set forth in Section 23 (a) (provided, however, that any such lengthening
shall be effective only if there are Independent Directors and shall require the
concurrence of a majority of such Independent Directors) or (iv) to change or
supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment unless the Rights Agent shall have
determined in good faith that such supplement or amendment would adversely
affect its interests under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made on or after
the Distribution Date which changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration
Date, the Purchase Price or the number of shares of Common Stock for which a
Right is then exercisable. Prior to the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date
or the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which
any Person is the Beneficial owner, shall be made in accordance with the
provisions of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (and, where specifically
provided for herein, the Independent Directors) shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or the Company (or, as expressly provided, the
Independent Directors), or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for the purpose of clause (ii) below, all omissions
with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board (or, as
provided for, by the Independent Directors) in good faith, shall (i) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Right Certificates and all other parties, and (ii) not subject the Board or the
Independent Directors to any liability to the holders of the Right Certificates.
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant, or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23,
hereof, if then expired, shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the
close of business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by
the Board of Directors.
Section 32. 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, any dispute regarding the carrying out of its obligations hereunder by
the Rights Agent shall be governed by the laws of New York.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
[SEAL]
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
By:/s/Philip C. Ackerman
Name: Philip C. Ackerman
Title: Senior Vice President
Attest:
By:/s/Anna Marie Cellino
Name: Anna Marie Cellino
Title: Secretary
[SEAL]
MARINE MIDLAND BANK
By:/s/Carmela Ehret
Name: Carmela Ehret
Title: Vice President
Attest:
By:/s/Metin Caner
Name: Metin Caner
Title: Vice President
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _______________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 31, 2006 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE IS GIVEN. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS MAY NOT BE EXERCISABLE AND THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT MAY BE AMENDED WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE RIGHTS OWNERS.
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
Right Certificate
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 June 12, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement") between National
Fuel Gas Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company") and
_______________________ (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. (Buffalo, New York time) on July 31, 2006 at
the designated office of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, in
_____________, New York, one-half of one fully paid, nonassessable share of the
Common Stock, $1.00 par value (the "Common Stock"), of the Company, at a
purchase price of $130.00 per share (the "Purchase Price"), being $65.00 per
half share, upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related certificate duly executed, along with a
signature guarantee and such other and further documentation as the Rights Agent
may reasonably request. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
(and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set
forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of 1996, based on the Common Stock of
the Company as constituted at such date.
A-1
<PAGE>
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) ,
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii)
under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall
become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to
such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, other securities)
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, including Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the
Rights Agreement).
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 above-mentioned office of the Rights
Agent, and at the executive offices of the Company.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the designated office of the Rights Agent, along with a signature
guarantee and such other and further documentation as the Rights Agent may
reasonably request, 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 shares of Common Stock 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, along
with a signature guarantee and such other and further documentation as the
Rights Agent may
A-2
<PAGE>
reasonably request, 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 (a) may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right prior to the earlier of the close of business
on (i) the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date and (ii) the Final
Expiration Date or (b) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of Common
Stock and/or other securities, cash or other assets of the Company deemed to
have the same value as shares of Common Stock, at any time after a Section
11(a)(ii) Event. The Rights Agreement may be amended without the approval of the
holders of the Rights as and to the extent set forth therein.
No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon the exercise or
exchange of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, 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 Common Stock or of any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised or exchanged for Common Stock 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-3
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal. Dated as of 1996.
[SEAL] NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
By:__________________________________________
Name
Title
ATTEST:
By:______________________________
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
--------------------------------------------,
as Rights Agent
By:__________________________________________
Authorized Signature
Date:
A-4
<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 Certificates.)
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.)
A-5
<PAGE>
CERTIFICATE
- -----------
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate space that:
Exercising this Right Certificate will ____ will not _____ enable the
undersigned, its Affiliates, its Associates and/or any other Person with which
the undersigned or any of the undersigned's Affiliates or Associates has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of securities of the Company
to obtain, individually or in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of Common
Stock or other securities that have 10% or more of the aggregate voting power of
the outstanding shares of the Common Stock and other securities having voting
power.
Dated:_______________________________ ______________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed.)
A-6
<PAGE>
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
A-7
<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights evidenced by the Right
Certificate.)
To National Fuel Gas Company:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security or other taxpayer 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 taxpayer identifying number
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: ___________, ____
- ---------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
(Signatures must be guaranteed.)
A-8
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK EXHIBIT B
On June 13, 1996, the Board of Directors of National Fuel Gas Company
(the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each
outstanding share of Common Stock, $1.00 par value, of the Company (the "Common
Stock") to stockholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 1996 (the
"Record Date"). The Rights are to be issued pursuant to a shareholder rights
plan which was approved by the Board of Directors on March 19, 1996. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one-half of one
share of common Stock at a price of $130 per share (the "Purchase Price"), being
$65.00 per half share, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and Marine Midland Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Distribution Date; Transfer of Rights
- ------------------------------
Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten days following the date (the
"Shares Acquisition Date") of the public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of Common Stock or other
voting securities ("Voting Stock") that have 10% or more of the voting power of
the outstanding shares of Voting Stock or (ii) ten days following the
commencement or announcement of an intention to make a tender offer or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in such person acquiring, or
obtaining the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of Voting Stock having 10%
or more of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock (the
earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be
evidenced, with respect to any of the Company's Common Stock certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificate. The Rights
Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Company's Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new
issuance of the Company's Common Stock 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 of
the Company's Common Stock certificates outstanding as of the Record Date will
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
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 Company's Common Stock
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
B-1
<PAGE>
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire at the close of Business on July 31, 2006, unless earlier redeemed
or exchanged by the Company as described below.
Exercise of Rights for Common Stock of the Company
- --------------------------------------------------
Subject to redemption or exchange of the Rights, at any time following
the Distribution Date, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times
the Purchase Price of the Right then in effect. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of such event set forth in this paragraph,
all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and
void.
Exercise of Rights for Shares of the Acquiring Company
- ------------------------------------------------------
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power is
sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have
been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the Purchase Price of the Right then in effect.
Adjustments to Purchase Price
- -----------------------------
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common Stock
(or other securities, as the case may be) 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 Common Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Stock of certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Common Stock or
convertible securities at less than the then Current Market Price of the Common
Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common Stock of evidences
of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends or
dividends payable in the Common Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants
(other than those referred to above). Prior to the Distribution Date, the Board
of Directors of the Company may make such equitable adjustments as it deems
appropriate in the circumstances in lieu of any adjustment otherwise required by
the foregoing.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the event giving
rise to such adjustment or (ii) the time
B-2
<PAGE>
at which cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
Redemption and Exchange of Rights
- ---------------------------------
At any time prior to 5:00 P.M. Buffalo, New York time on the tenth day
following the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in
whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price").
Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to
redeem shall require the concurrence of a majority of the Independent Directors.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company electing to
redeem the Rights with, if required, the concurrence of the Independent
Directors, the Company shall make announcement thereof, and upon such action,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
At any time after the occurrence of the event set forth under the
heading "Exercise of Rights for Common Stock of the Company" above, the Board of
Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring
Person, which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of
one share of Common Stock, and/or other securities, cash or other assets deemed
to have the same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right, subject to
adjustment.
Until a Right is exercised or exchanged for Common Stock, the holder
thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. While
the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the
Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable
income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock or other
consideration of the Company or for the stock of the Acquiring Person as set
forth above, or are exchanged as provided in the preceding paragraph.
Amendments to Terms of the Rights
- ---------------------------------
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the
Rights prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in order to cure any
ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, or to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any
Acquiring Person); provided, however, that no supplement or amendment may be
made on or
B-3
<PAGE>
after the Distribution Date which changes those provisions relating to the
principal economic terms of the Rights. The Board of Directors may also, with
the concurrence of a majority of the Independent Directors, extend the
redemption period for up to an additional 20 days.
The term "Independent Directors" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Independent
Directors but shall not include an Acquiring Person or any representative
thereof.
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
June 12, 1996. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge form
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
EXHIBIT 99-2
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN ADOPTED
Buffalo, New York; March 20, 1996: National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG)
announced that its Board of Directors adopted a shareholder rights plan. The
plan was adopted to promote fair and equal treatment of shareholders in the
event of a proposed acquisition of the Company. "Over 1,700 American public
companies have adopted such plans and we believe that our shareholders should
receive the same protections" noted Bernard J. Kennedy, Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer. He emphasized that "the Board is not aware of any
effort to acquire control of the Company."
The plan, if approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the
Public Utility Holding Company Act, will grant shareholders rights that trade
with and are represented by each share of common stock. Rights will only be
exercisable if a person or group were to acquire 10 percent or more of NFG's
outstanding common stock, or announce a tender or exchange offer that would
result in the acquisition of 10 percent or more of NFG's outstanding stock. The
Company has the right to redeem rights in certain instances.
Further details of the plan will be available upon approval.
National Fuel Gas Company is an integrated natural gas company with operations
in all segments of the natural gas industry including exploration and
production, transmission and storage, marketing, management and retail sales.
- -end-
EXHIBIT 99-3
June 13, 1996
NATIONAL FUEL DETAILS SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
Buffalo, NY; June 13, 1996: National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG) today released
the details of a shareholder rights plan that was announced on March 20, 1996.
The Board of Directors declared the rights as a non-cash dividend to be
distributed to its shareholders of record as of July 31, 1996.
The plan was adopted to promote fair and equal treatment of
shareholders in the event of any proposed takeover of National Fuel. The Board
is not aware of any specific effort to gain control of the company.
Under the plan, shareholders will receive one right for each share
held, and that right will entitle the holder to buy one-half share of National
Fuel common stock for $65.00. The rights will stay with the shares and will be
exercisable only if a person or group were to acquire 10 percent or more of the
outstanding shares or announce a tender offer that would cause them to own 10
percent or more of National Fuel stock.
In taking this action, National Fuel joins over 1,700 United States
public companies that have adopted a shareholder rights plan.
National Fuel's stock ownership is diverse with over 20,000 registered
shareholders of approximately 37.6 million shares outstanding. The owners
include over 125 institutions that hold more than 30 percent but no institution
or individual holds more than 5 percent. Approximately 16 percent of the
Company's shares are owned by employees and employee benefit plans.
National Fuel Gas Company is an integrated natural gas company with
$2.2 billion in assets distributed among three major business segments:
Exploration and Production and Other Nonregulated Activities, Utility Operation
and Pipeline and Storage.
Additional information about National Fuel is available on its Internet
Web site: http://www.nfg.com or via its investor information service at
1-800-334-2188.
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