As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, via EDGAR,
on September 15, 1998
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Berger Holdings, Ltd.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Pennsylvania 23-2160077
(State of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
805 Pennsylvania Boulevard
Feasterville, Pennsylvania 19053
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
If this form relates to the If this form relates to the
registration of a class of registration of a class of
securities pursuant to Section securities pursuant to Section
12(b) of the Exchange Act and 12(g) of the Exchange Act and
and is effective pursuant to is effective pursuant to
General Instruction A.(c), General Instruction A.(d)
please check the following please check the following
box./ / box. /X/
Securities Act registration statement file number to which
this form relates: Not Applicable
(If applicable)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Name of Each Exchange on
Title of Each Class Which Each Class is to be
to be so Registered Registered
None Not Applicable
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Rights
(Title of Class)
<PAGE>
Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.
On August 21, 1998, the Board of Directors of Berger Holdings, Ltd.
(the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one right (each, a "Right")
for each share of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company (the "Common
Stock") outstanding on September 17, 1998 (the "Record Date"). The description
and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights
Agreement"), dated as of August 21, 1998, between the Company and Oxford
Transfer & Registrar, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). The distribution is
payable on the Record Date to shareholders of record as of the close of business
on such date. Each Right entitles the registered holder thereof, at any time
following the Distribution Date (as defined below), to purchase from the Company
a unit (each, a "Unit") consisting of one ten-thousandth of a share of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value (the "Preferred Shares"),
at a price of $12.00 per Unit (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) the close of business on
the tenth business day following a public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") (or, if the
tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the
close of Business on the Record Date) or (ii) the close of business on the tenth
business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors shall determine)
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result
in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares
of Common Stock. The definition of Acquiring Person excludes any Exempted Person
(as defined in the Rights Agreement). Until the Distribution Date, (i) the
Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for shares of Common Stock
registered in the names of the holders of Common Stock and will be transferred
with and only with such certificates for shares of Common Stock, (ii) new
certificates for shares of Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating
the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any
certificates for shares of Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by
such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on September 17, 2008 unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below. At no time will the Rights have any voting
power.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Only shares of Common Stock issued
prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
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In the event that an Acquiring Person becomes the beneficial owner of
15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (unless such
acquisition is made pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding
shares of Common Stock, at a price and on terms determined by at least 80% of
the members of the Board of Directors of the Company, after receiving advice
from one or more investment banking firms, to be fair and otherwise in the best
interest of the Company and its shareholders (a "Qualifying Offer")), each
holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company), having a value determined in accordance with the
Rights Agreement. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence
of an Acquiring Person becoming such ("Flip-In Event"), 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. However,
Rights may not be exercisable following the occurrence of a Flip-In Event until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or
indirectly, (i) the Company engages in a merger or business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the successor (other than a merger
consummated pursuant to a Qualifying Offer); (ii) the Company engages in a
merger or business combination transaction in which the Company is the successor
and the shares of Common Stock are changed or exchanged; or (iii) 50% or more of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights which have
previously been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise of the Right, common shares of the acquiring company
having a value determined pursuant to the Rights Agreement.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights,
options or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at
least 1% of the Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after the Stock Acquisition Date (but prior to the
acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock), the Company may, upon resolution by the Board of
Directors of the Company, exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an
Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio
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<PAGE>
equal to one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). Any
such exchange shall require the concurrence of at least 80% of the
members of the Board of Directors.
At any time until the close of business on the tenth business day
following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in
whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right. Under certain
circumstances, the decision to redeem shall require the concurrence of at least
80% of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company. Immediately upon
the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $0.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for shares of Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company
as set forth above or in the event the Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors (in certain circumstances, with the approval of at least 80%
of the members of the Board of Directors) in order to cure any ambiguity, to
correct or supplement any provision in the Rights Agreement which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provision therein, to make changes that
do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period
under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the
time period governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are
not redeemable.
This Summary of Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated
herein by reference.
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<PAGE>
Item 2. Exhibits.
Number Exhibit
1 Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") dated as of
August 21, 1998, by and between the Company and the
Rights Agent (including as Exhibit A thereto the
Articles of Amendment to the Company's Articles of
Incorporation setting forth the terms of the of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the
Company, as Exhibit B thereto the Form of Rights
Certificate and as Exhibit C thereto the Summary of
Rights).
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
Dated: August 25, 1998 By: /s/ Joseph F. Weiderman
------------------------
Name: Joseph F. Weiderman
Title: President
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<PAGE>
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Number Exhibit
1 Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") dated
as of August 21, 1998, by and between the Company
and the Rights Agent (including as Exhibit A thereto
the Articles of Amendment to the Company's Articles
of Incorporation setting forth the terms of the of Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company,
as Exhibit B thereto the Form of Rights Certificate and
as Exhibit C thereto the Summary of Rights).
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<PAGE>
BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
and
OXFORD TRANSFER & REGISTRAR
as
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of August 21, 1998
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<PAGE>
Table of Contents
Page
Section 1. Certain Definitions 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 4
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates 5
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates 6
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 7
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Rights Certificates 8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights 8
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates 10
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock 11
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date 12
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind
of Shares or Number of Rights 12
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares 20
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power 20
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 23
Section 15. Rights of Action 24
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders 24
Section 17. Rights 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
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 26
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 28
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates 29
Section 23. Redemption and Termination 30
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events 31
Section 25. Notices 31
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments 32
Section 27. Exchange 33
Section 28. Successors 34
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. 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 -- Articles of Amendment
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C -- Summary of Rights to Purchase Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock
10
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of August 21, 1998 (the "Agreement"),
between Berger Holdings, Ltd., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), and
Oxford Transfer & Registrar, an Oregon corporation (the "Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, on August 21, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"),
the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right ("Rights") for each share of Common Stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of
business on September 17, 1998 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the
issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock issued
between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the
Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof),
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one ten-thousandth of a
share (a "Unit") of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock") of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in the form of Articles of Amendment, amending the Company's Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
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 who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company,
(iv) any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (v) any Exempted Person.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect
on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire
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(whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of
an event) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or
not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities
are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, (C) securities
issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section
3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i)
hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original
Rights, or (D) securities issued or issuable pursuant to any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employment
agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company and any Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates; or
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or
dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or
not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this
subparagraph (ii) as a result of (A) an agreement, arrangement or understanding
to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (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
provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (2)
is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange
Act (or any comparable or successor report), or (B) securities issued or
issuable pursuant to any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary
of the Company or any employment agreement, arrangement or other understanding
between the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company and any Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates; or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with
which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company;
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a Person
engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition; and provided,
further, however, that any stockholder of the Company, with Affiliates,
Associates or
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other Person(s) who may be deemed representatives of it serving as
director(s) or officer(s) of the Company, shall not be deemed to beneficially
own securities held by other Persons as a result of (i) Persons affiliated or
otherwise associated with such stockholder serving as director(s) or officer(s)
or taking any action in connection therewith, (ii) discussing the status of its
shares with the Company or other stockholders of the Company similarly situated
or (iii) voting or acting in a manner similar to other stockholder(s) similarly
situated, absent a specific finding by the Board of Directors of an express
agreement among such stockholders to act in concert with one another as
stockholders so as to cause, in the good faith judgment of the Board of
Directors, each such stockholder to be the Beneficial Owner of the shares held
by the other stockholder(s).
(d) "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.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the
recital to this Agreement, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person
with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "Exempted Person" shall mean any Person who, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, (i) on the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date is the Beneficial Owner of securities (as disclosed in public
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date), representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
outstanding on such date; or (ii) becomes the Beneficial Owner of securities
representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding because
of a reduction in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock then
outstanding as a result of the purchase by the Company or a Subsidiary of the
Company of shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that any such Person
described in clause (ii) shall no longer be deemed to be an Exempted Person and
shall be deemed an Acquiring Person if such Person, together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner, at any time after
the date such Person became the Beneficial Owner of (and so long as such Person
continues to be the Beneficial Owner of) 15% or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock of additional securities representing 1,000 or more
shares of Common Stock, except (x) pursuant to the exercise of options or
warrants to purchase Common Stock outstanding and beneficially owned by such
Person as of the date such Person became the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the then outstanding shares of Common Stock or as a result of an adjustment to
the number of shares of Common Stock for which such options or warrants are
exercisable pursuant to the terms thereof, or (y) as a result of a stock split,
stock dividend or the like. A purchaser, assignee
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or transferee of the shares of Common Stock (or warrants or options exercisable
for Common Stock) from an Exempted Person shall not thereby become an Exempted
Person, except that a transferee from the estate of an Exempt Person who
receives Common Stock as a bequest or inheritance from an Exempt Person shall be
an Exempt Person so long as such Person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(h) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
limited liability company, partnership or other entity.
(i) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(j) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(k) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in
clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(l) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange
Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become
such.
(m) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by such Person or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(n) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event
or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
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Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the
tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock
Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the
Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the tenth business day (or such
later date as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine without
reference to Section 26 hereof) after the date that a tender or exchange offer
by any Person (other than any Exempted Person, 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
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or
given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution
Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph
(b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in
the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common
Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights), and not by separate
certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to
the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record
holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date,
at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more
rights certificates, in substantially the forms of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights
Certificates"), evidencing one right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by
such certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common
Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined
in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of
Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
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(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's
treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common
Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the
following legend: This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Berger Holdings,
Ltd. (the "Company") and Oxford Transfer & Registrar (the "Rights Agent"), dated
as of August 21, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
offices of the Rights Agent. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Rights Agent will mail to
the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on
the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or
any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, may become null and void. With respect to such certificates
containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date
or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone
and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of
the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the forms set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one ten-thousandth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and
type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (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
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(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
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and
any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon
transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate
referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend: The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in
Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall
keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
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Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e)
and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the
Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration
Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling
the registered holder to purchase a like number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate
or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the
case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights
Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery
to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase
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Price with respect to the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be)
as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the
earlier of (i) the close of business on September 17, 2008 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided
in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as
the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a share
of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
$12.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph
(c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate
duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised,
of the Purchase Price per one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or
other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company shall direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to, or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights,
a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon
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the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in
such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a 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
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board
of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no
holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company
shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with but shall have no liability to
any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to
make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer,
split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any
national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance
upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as
soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the
Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933 (the "Act") with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of
which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date
of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may
be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition,
if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required
following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (and, following
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the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required
to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the
registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been
paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued
upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the
holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered
by each Right and the number of Rights ts outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
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(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of
the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of
shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder 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) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be
in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than an Exempted
Person, 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 for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), alone or together
with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date, become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding, unless the event causing the 15% threshold to be
crossed is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof or is an acquisition
of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined by at
least 80% of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company, after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be (a) at a price
which is fair to stockholders (taking into account all factors which such
members of the Board deem relevant, including, without limitation, prices which
could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an
orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders (hereinafter a "Qualifying
Offer"), then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper provision
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in
Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence,
shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for
all purposes of this Agreement) by
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50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of
shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(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 are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a),
the Company shall (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon
the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each
Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute
for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock, such as the
Preferred Stock, which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have
essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common Stock (such
shares of preferred stock being referred to as "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4)
debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount
of any reduction in the Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Board; 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
right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (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. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the Current
Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors of the Company
determines 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-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 thirty-day period, as it may be
extended, is herein called the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that action
is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that
such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period
in order to seek such stockholder approval for such authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant
to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes
of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
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Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock
on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit value of any
Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current Market Price per
share of the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock)
less than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to
be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the
number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock
to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such
subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which
may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such
record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market
Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, less the fair market
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<PAGE>
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 cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth
above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly
adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. 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 high closing bid and low asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") Stock Market's
National Market ("NNM") or SmallCap Market ("SCM"), as applicable, or, if the
shares of such Common Stock are not included for quotation on the NNM or SCM, 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 such Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares
of such 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
NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of
such Common Stock 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 such Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.
If on any such date no market maker is making a market in such Common Stock, the
fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board
shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal
national securities exchange (which, for purposes of this Agreement, shall
include the NNM and SCM) on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or
admitted to trading is open for the
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transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the
Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market
Price per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the
same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this
Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided
above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price
per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal
to 10,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock
occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the
Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price
per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
Current Market Price of a Unit shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one
share of Preferred Stock divided by 10,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided,
however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or
other share or one-hundred millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
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(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one ten-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest
one-ten millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
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(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore
and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one
ten-thousandth of a share and the number of one ten-thousandths of a share which
were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number
of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the
opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and
legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one ten-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for
cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which
by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred
Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
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more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at
the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are
any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the
stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal
Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution
of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and
Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate,
and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or,
if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing
shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent
shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
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hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall
consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in
connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons
(other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one ten-thousandths of a share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price"
for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current
Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the
Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section
13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of
the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such
Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such
Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection
with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that
the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably
may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
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(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued,
the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred
pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in any
such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has
not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case
such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of authorized shares of its Common Stock, which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph
(a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement
under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to
cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; 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 (or any successor form).
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
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(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a Qualifying Offer (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person
or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to all
holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such
tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered
to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction
is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this
Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.
In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders
of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for
any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing high bid and low asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported by the NNM or SCM, as
applicable, or, if the Rights are not included for quotation on the NNM or SCM,
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 Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of
one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein
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provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this
Section 14(b), the current market value of one ten-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be one ten-thousandth of the closing price of a share of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one (1) share of
Common Stock shall be the closing price of one (1) share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights
expressly waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section
14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in such holder's own behalf and
for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of, such holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights
Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the
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Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates
fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one
ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in
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connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the
premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust or shareholder services business of the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent
under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further
act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice of such counsel shall be full
and complete
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authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and
the determination of "Current Market Price") be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, the
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<PAGE>
President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was
exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No 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 Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may, in its sole discretion, remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving
notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such
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<PAGE>
notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$100,000,000. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with
the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice
provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not
affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights
Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the 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, granted or
awarded as of the Distribution Date, 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 Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights
in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall
be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be
issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of
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<PAGE>
business on the twentieth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be 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"); provided, however, if the Board of
Directors of the Company authorizes redemption of the Rights in either of the
circumstances set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) below, such authorization shall
require the approval of at least 80% of the members of the Board of Directors
then in office: (i) such authorization occurs on or after the time a Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs (A) on or after
the date of a change (resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation or an
action by written consent of stockholders, whether or not made pursuant to, and
in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act) in a majority of the directors in office at
the commencement of such solicitation or action by written consent, or (B) prior
to such written consent, if any Person who is a participant in such
solicitation, or who signed such consent, has stated (or, if upon the
commencement of such solicitation, a majority of the members 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 unless, concurrent with such
solicitation, such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) is
making a cash tender offer pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form)
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock not beneficially owned by such Person (or by its Affiliates or
Associates). Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of redemption
hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price
in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the "Current Market Price," as defined
in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or
any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have
been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for
each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption
to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing
such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
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Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as
practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
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Berger Holdings, Ltd.
805 Pennsylvania Avenue
Feasterville, PA 19053
Attention: Chairman
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Oxford Transfer & Registrar
317 SW Alders, Suite 1120
Portland, OR 97204
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 26, the Company and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that following the first
occurrence of an event set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of the first proviso of
Section 23(a) hereof, any supplement or amendment of this Agreement which
shortens or lengthens any time period hereunder or adversely affects the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) shall require the approval
of at least 80% of the members of the Board of Directors then in office. From
and after the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this
Section 26, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder
(which lengthening or shortening, following the first occurrence of an event set
forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of the first proviso to Section 23(a) hereof,
shall require the approval of at least 80% of the members of the Board of
Directors then in office), or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person); provided, however, this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, whether prior to, from or after the Distribution Date,
pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence or otherwise, (A) a time period
relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not
then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the
purpose of
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protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the
holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate
officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is
in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made which
changes the Redemption Price, the Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or
the number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right is exercisable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the
holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders
of Common Stock.
Section 27. Exchange.
(a) (i) The Company may, at its option, at any time after the
Stock Acquisition Date, upon resolution by the Board of Directors of the
Company, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common 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 "Section 27(a) Exchange
Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not effect such exchange
at any time after any Acquiring Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Section 27(a) to the contrary, the Company may not exchange any Rights pursuant
to this Section 27(a) unless such exchange is approved by at least 80% of the
members of the Board of Directors then in office.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 27 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 Section
27(a) Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will
state the method by which the exchange of the shares of Common Stock for Rights
will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based
on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to
the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
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(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 27, the
Company shall make adequate provision to substitute, to the extent that there
are insufficient shares of Common Stock available (1) cash, (2) other equity
securities of the Company, (3) debt securities of the Company, (4) other assets
or (5) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value per Right
equal to the then current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) of the Common Stock multiplied by the Section 27(a) Exchange
Ratio. To the extent that the Company determined that any such substitution must
be made, the Company shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such
substitution shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with
regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be
issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (d),
the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing
price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
the exchange pursuant to this Section 27.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors,
etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
(subject to, where specifically provided for herein, the requirement of approval
by at least 80% of the members of the Board of Directors then in office) shall
have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to
exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board (subject to,
where specifically provided for herein, the requirement of approval by at least
80% of the members of the Board of Directors then in office) or to the Company,
or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary
or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination
to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or
made by the Board (subject to, where specifically provided for herein, the
requirement of approval by at least 80% of the members of the Board of Directors
then in office) in good faith, shall (x) be final,
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conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to
the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
twentieth day following the date of such determination by the Board of
Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such state.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
By:/s/Francis E. Wellock, Jr. By:/s/Joseph F. Weiderman
------------------------------ --------------------------
Name: Francis E. Wellock, Jr. Name: Joseph F. Weiderman
Title: CFO Title: President
Attest: OXFORD TRANSFER & REGISTRAR
By:/s/Tracy Dennison By:/s/ Lori Livingston
------------------------------ --------------------------
Name: Tracy Dennison Name: Lori Livingston
Title: Transfer Agent Title: President
36
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Exhibit A
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT -
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
OF
BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the powers expressly delegated to the Board
of Directors by Article 6 of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation,
as amended, the Corporation hereby establishes and designates one series of
preferred stock and fixes and determines as set forth herein the relative rights
and preferences thereof as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 2,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) The holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the
Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly
dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December
in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after
the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest
cent) equal to the greater of (a) $0.001 or (b) subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount of
all cash dividends, and 10,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in
kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after September 17, 1998 (the "Rights
Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
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(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Paragraph
(A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that,
in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.001 per share on
the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable
on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle
the holder thereof to a number of votes, if any, on all matters submitted to a
vote of the holders of Common Stock equal to the product of 10,000 times the
number of votes to which each share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
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(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall mark the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default period") which shall extend
until such time when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly
dividend periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default period, all
holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class, irrespective of series,
shall have the right to elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of
the holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised
initially at a special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this
Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual
meetings of stockholders, provided that such voting right shall not be exercised
unless the holders of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of
the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of
Preferred Stock of such voting right. At any meeting at which the holders of
Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting right initially during an existing
default period, they shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect Directors
to fill such vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as may then exist up
to two (2) Directors or, if such right is exercised at an annual meeting, to
elect two (2) Directors. If the number which may be so elected at any special
meeting does not amount to the required number, the holders of the Preferred
Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the number of Directors as
shall be necessary to permit the election by them of the required number. After
the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect
Directors in any default period and during the continuance of such period, the
number of Directors shall not be increased or decreased except by vote of the
holders of Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any
equity securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred Stock shall,
during an existing default period, have previously exercised their right to
elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series,
may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock,
which meeting shall thereupon be called by the Chairman, President, a
Vice-President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and
of any annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote
pursuant to this Paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of
Preferred Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to such holder at such holder's
last
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address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall
be called for a time not earlier than twenty (20) days and not later than sixty
(60) days after such order or request, or in default of the calling of such
meeting within sixty (60) days after such order or request, such meeting may be
called on similar notice by any stockholder or stockholders owning in the
aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Paragraph
(C)(iii), no such special meeting shall be called during the period within sixty
(60) days immediately preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of
the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common
Stock, and other classes of stock of the Corporation, if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the holders
of Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors
voting as a class, after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so
elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in office until their
successors shall have been elected by such holders or until the expiration of
the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as
provided in Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority
of the remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class of
stock which elected the Director whose office shall have become vacant.
References in this Paragraph (C) to Directors elected by the holders of a
particular class of stock shall include Directors elected by such Directors to
fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default
period, (x) the right of the holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the number of Directors
shall be such number as may be provided for in the Restated Articles of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Corporation irrespective of any increase made
pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number
being subject, however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in
the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Corporation). Any vacancies in
the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the
preceding sentence may be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock as
provided in Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued
and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid
in full, the Corporation shall not:
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(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under Paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation
in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the
acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become
authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of
a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of
the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance
set forth herein.
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<PAGE>
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to $120,000 per share of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, plus an amount equal to accrued
and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the
date of such payment (the "Series B Liquidation Preference"). Following the
payment of the full amount of the Series B Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment")
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series B Liquidation
Preference by (ii) 10,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends
and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause
(ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the
Series B Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all
outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, respectively, holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
and holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and
proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of
the Adjustment Number to one with respect to such Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient
assets available to permit payment in full of the Series B Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred
Stock, if any, which rank on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation
preferences. In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock
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<PAGE>
are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any
other property, then in any such case the shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation
shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 10. Fractional Shares. Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holders fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other
rights of holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
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<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate
and do affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this 25th day
of August, 1998.
BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
By:/s/Joseph F. Weiderman
---------------------------
Name: Joseph F. Weiderman
Title: President
Attest:
/s/Francis E. wellock, Jr.
- -----------------------------
Secretary
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<PAGE>
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R-
Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.](1)
Rights Certificate
BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
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 August 21, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Berger Holdings, Ltd., a
Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), and Oxford Transfer & Registrar, an
Oregon corporation (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on September 17, 2008 at the office
or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as
Rights Agent, one ten-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company,
at a purchase price of $12.00 per one ten-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of 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 September 17,
1998 based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
- -----------
(1) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
<PAGE>
a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will
be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any 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, or
an Affiliate or Associate of 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 Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one ten-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time
period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final
Expiration Date. In addition, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole or in part,
for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the Company
having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares. Immediately
upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing any such
exchange, and without
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<PAGE>
any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights which are not
subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders
to receive the shares issuable upon such exchange. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, the decision to redeem the Rights shall
require the approval of at least 80% of the directors of the Company then in
office.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but
in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
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 Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Dated as of _______________________ , 1998
Attest: BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.
By:_____________________________ By:____________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
OXFORD TRANSFER & REGISTRAR
By:_____________________________
Authorized Signature
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<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________ , ____
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:___________ ,______
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
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<PAGE>
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: BERGER HOLDINGS, LTD.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ____ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the 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
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number _____________________
_________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number _____________________
_________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_________________________________________________________________
Dated:___________,_____
________________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
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<PAGE>
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ,
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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<PAGE>
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
On August 21, 1998, the Board of Directors of Berger Holdings, Ltd.
(the "Company") adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan, providing that one Right (a
"Right") shall be attached to each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company a unit (a "Unit") consisting of one
ten-thousandth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $12.00 per
Unit (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated
as of August 21, 1998, between the Company and Oxford Transfer & Registrar, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding and no separate Rights Certificate will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a Distribution
Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock
Acquisition Date") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later date as may be
determined by the Board of Directors) following the commencement of a tender
offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group beneficially
owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock. The definition of
Acquiring Person excludes any Exempted Person (as defined below). Until the
Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate.
Any person who, on the date the Board of Directors authorizes the
rights dividend (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date") together with all
affiliates and associates of such person, is the beneficial owner of Common
Stock, options and/or warrants exercisable for shares of Common Stock
representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock outstanding on such date,
will be an "Exempted Person." In addition, any person who, together with all
affiliates and associates of such person, becomes the beneficial owner of Common
Stock, options and/or warrants exercisable for shares of Common Stock
representing 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding as a
result of a purchase by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of shares of
Common Stock will also be an "Exempted Person." However, any such person will no
longer be deemed to be an Exempted Person and will be deemed to be an Acquiring
Person if such person, together with all affiliates and associates of such
person, becomes the beneficial owner, at any time after the date such person
became the beneficial
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owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, of
additional securities representing 1,000 or more shares of Common Stock, except
if such additional securities are acquired (x) pursuant to the exercise of
options or warrants to purchase Common Stock outstanding and beneficially owned
by such person as of the date such person became the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock or as a result of an
adjustment to the number of shares of Common Stock for which such options or
warrants are exercisable pursuant to the terms thereof, or (y) as a result of a
stock split, stock dividend or the like. A purchaser, assignee or transferee of
the shares of Common Stock (or options or warrants exercisable for Common Stock)
from an Exempted Person will not thereby become an Exempted Person, except that
a transferee from the estate of an Exempted Person who receives Common Stock as
a bequest or inheritance from an Exempt Person shall be an Exempt Person so long
as such transferee continues to be the beneficial owner of the requisite
percentage of shares.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on September 17, 2008 unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below. At no time will the Rights have any voting
power.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock prior to the Distribution
Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that an Acquiring Person, other than an Exempted Person,
becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock (unless such acquisition is made pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer for all outstanding shares of the Company, at a price determined by at
least 80% of the directors of the Company then in office to be fair and
otherwise in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms (a "Qualifying
Offer")), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Exercise Price
of the Right. The Exercise Price is the Purchase Price times the number of
shares of Common Stock associated with each Right (initially, one).
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of the events set
forth in this paragraph (the "Flip-In Events"), 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. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of the Flip-In Events set forth above until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth
below.
In the event that following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company
engages in a merger or business combination transaction in which the Company is
not the surviving corporation (other than a merger consummated pursuant to a
Qualifying Offer); (ii) the Company engages in a merger or business combination
transaction in which the Company is the surviving corporation and the Common
Stock is changed or exchanged; or (iii) 50% or more of the
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Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights which have previously been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, common stock
of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Exercise Price of
the Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
or other securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after the Stock Acquisition Date and prior to the
acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at
an exchange ratio equal to one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to
adjustment). Any such exchange shall require approval of at least 80% of the
directors of the Company then in office.
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.001 per Right. Under certain circumstances, the decision to redeem shall
require the approval of at least 80% of the directors of the Company then in
office. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. 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 as set
forth above or in the event the Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company (in certain circumstances with the approval of
80% of the directors of the Company then in office) prior to the Distribution
Date. After the Distribution Date, the provisions of the
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Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board (in certain circumstances, with the
approval of at least 80% of the directors of the Company then in office) in
order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the
interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any Acquiring Person),
or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
Summary of Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
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