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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-A
For Registration of Certain Classes of Securities
Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
California 95-3737816
(State of incorporation (I.R.S. Employer
or organization) Identification No.)
11011 Via Frontera
San Diego, California 92127
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of debt securities and is
effective upon filing pursuant to General Instruction A.(c)(1), please check the
following box. [_]
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of debt securities and is to
become effective simultaneously with the effectiveness of a concurrent
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c)(2), please check the following box. [_]
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
(Title of Class)
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Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered
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On September 25, 1998 the Board of Directors of Synbiotics Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right")
for each outstanding share of Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of the Company.
The dividend is payable on October 7, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the
shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit;" i.e., 1000
Units equal one share) of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Series A Preferred Stock") of the Company at a price of $10.00 per Unit (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of October 1, 1998 (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) a public announcement that a person or group
of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired
beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Stock or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of such outstanding Common Stock
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Stock
certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock,
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificate") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and
such separate Rights Certificate alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will
expire at the close of business on October 7, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are
earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of 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) upon the grant to holders of the Units of Preferred Stock of certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Units of Preferred Stock at a
price, or securities convertible into Units of Preferred Stock with a conversion
price, less than the then current market price of the Units of Preferred Stock
or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Units of Preferred Stock of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends
paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Units of
Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Units of Preferred Stock
issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event
of a stock split of the Common Stock or a stock dividend on the Common Stock
payable in Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the
Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
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Units of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to a dividend equal
to any dividend declared per share of Common Stock. In the event of
liquidation, each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to a payment equal to
any payment made per share of Common Stock. Each Unit of Preferred Stock will
have one vote, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of
any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock
are exchanged, each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive an
amount equal to the amount received per share of Common Stock. These rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value
of each Unit of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights should
approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.
In the event that, after the Rights become exercisable, the Company is acquired
in a merger or other business combination transaction with an Acquiring Person
or an affiliate thereof, or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold to an Acquiring Person or an affiliate thereof, proper provision
will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Rights,
that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time
of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of
the Rights.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than
Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be null
and void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number
of shares of Common Stock or Units of Preferred Stock (or cash, other securities
or property) having a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Rights.
At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of
50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the
Company may exchange all or part of the Rights (other than Rights owned by such
person or group which have become void) for Units of Preferred Stock at an
exchange ratio of (subject to adjustment) which shall equal, subject to
adjustment to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions
occurring after the date hereof, that number obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price by the then current per share market price per Unit of Preferred Stock on
the earlier of (i) the date on which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and
(ii) the date on which a tender or exchange offer is announced by any Person, if
upon consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required
until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made
based on the market price of the Units of Preferred Stock on the last trading
day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or
more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"). The redemption of the rights may be made effective at such
time on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its
sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. The Rights are also
redeemable under other circumstances as specified in the Rights Agreement.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company
without the consent of the holders of the Rights except that from and after a
Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the
holders of the Rights.
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Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as
a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote
or to receive dividends.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except pursuant to an
offer conditioned on a substantial number of rights being acquired. The Rights
should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by
the Board of Directors because the Rights may be redeemed by the Company at the
Redemption Price prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date.
The Rights Agreement, dated as of October 1, 1998, between the Company and the
Rights Agent, specifying the terms of the Rights, is attached hereto as an
exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of
the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.
Item 2. Exhibits
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1 Rights Agreement, dated as of October 1, 1998, between the Company and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., which includes the form of
Certificate of Determination for the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit B
and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Series A Preferred Stock as Exhibit
C. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, printed Right Certificates will not
be mailed until as soon as practicable after the earlier of (i) the close
of business on the first date of a public announcement that a person or
group has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the shares of
Common Stock or (ii) the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as
may be determined by action of the Board of Directors) after a person
commences, or announces its intention to commence, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the shares of Common
Stock.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
Date: October 7, 1998 /s/ Kenneth M. Cohen
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Kenneth M. Cohen
President and Chief Executive Officer
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
EXHIBITS
TO
FORM 8-A
UNDER
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Exhibit
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1 Rights Agreement, dated as of October 1, 1998, between the Company
and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., which includes the
form of Certificate of Determination for the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the form of Rights
Certificate as Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to Purchase
Series A Preferred Stock as Exhibit C. Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, printed Right Certificates will not be mailed until as
soon as practicable after the earlier of (i) the close of business
on the first date of a public announcement that a person or group
has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the shares of
Common Stock or (ii) the tenth (10th) business day (or such later
date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors)
after a person commences, or announces its intention to commence, a
tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would
result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 20% or
more of the shares of Common Stock.
<PAGE>
Exhibit 1
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SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
and
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
(Rights Agent)
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 1, 1998
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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Section 1. Certain Definitions............................................ 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.................................... 5
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificate.................................... 6
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificate..................................... 7
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.............................. 8
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificate; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificate.................................................... 9
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.. 10
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificate............. 11
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock................ 12
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.................................... 13
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights......................................................... 13
Section 12. Articles of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares........ 22
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.................................................. 22
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................ 25
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................... 26
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.................................... 26
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder............. 27
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.................................... 27
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...... 28
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent......................................... 28
i.
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent......................................... 31
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificate............................. 31
Section 23. Redemption and Termination..................................... 32
Section 24. Exchange....................................................... 33
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events....................................... 34
Section 26. Notices........................................................ 35
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments..................................... 36
Section 28. Successors..................................................... 36
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors........... 36
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement..................................... 37
Section 31. Severability................................................... 37
Section 32. Governing Law.................................................. 37
Section 33. Counterparts................................................... 37
Section 34. Descriptive Headings........................................... 37
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Determination of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B - Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
ii.
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 1, 1998, between Synbiotics
Corporation, a California corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company(the "Rights
Agent").
WHEREAS, effective September 25, 1998 (the "Rights Dividend
Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors authorized and declared a
distribution of one Right (each, a "Right") for each share of Common Stock (as
hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the Close of Business (as
hereinafter defined) on October 7, 1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right
initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share (a
"Unit;" i.e., 1000 Units equal one share) of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter
defined) upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has
further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each
share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and
the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
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
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following terms have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock
of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity
holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing:
(i) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acqui sition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the shares of
Common Stock of the Company then out standing; provided, however, that if a
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Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases
by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become
the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock of the
Company, such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" hereunder;
and
(ii) if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith
that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" as defined
pursuant to the
1.
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foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently,
and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of
shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring
Person" (as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph
(a)), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for
any purpose of this Agreement.
"Adjustment Shares" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter defined).
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, for purposes of
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 thereunder (or any
comparable or successor law or regulation); or
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing, other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner
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of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding; provided further, however, that a Person
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shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
any security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding: (x) 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 Exchange Act
and the Exchange Act Regulations, and (y) is not reportable by such Person
on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, (whether or not in writing, other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), for the
2.
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purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by
the proviso to subparagraph (ii) above or disposing of any securities of
the Company; provided, however, that in no case shall an officer or
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director of the Company be deemed (A) the Beneficial Owner of any
securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the Company
solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity as
officers or directors of the Company or (B) the Beneficial Owner of
securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any
employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the
officer or director, by reason of any influence that such officer or
director may have over the voting of the securities held in the plan;
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of "Beneficial Owner" and
"beneficially own" to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used
with reference to a Person who is the Beneficial Owner of securities of the
Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding
together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and
outstanding which such Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or
a day on which banking institutions in the State of California or the state in
which the principal office of the Rights Agent is located are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
"Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., California
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
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it shall mean 5:00 P.M., California time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
"Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock of the Company. "Common Stock" when used with reference
to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or other
equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such
other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
"current per share market price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
"Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
"equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
3.
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"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exchange Act Regulations" shall mean the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act.
"Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
"NASDAQ" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in
the Form of Certificate of Determination attached to this Agreement as Exhibit
A.
"preferred stock equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b)
hereof.
"Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
"Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a)
hereof.
"Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
"Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to
this Agreement.
"Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
"Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
the recitals to this Agreement.
"Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
"Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
4.
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"Section 13 Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(a)
hereof.
"Section 24(a) Exchange Ratio" has the meaning set forth in Section
24(a) hereof.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the
Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
"Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
"Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)
hereof.
"Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof.
"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
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the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms
and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.
The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days notice to the Rights Agent. The
Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for, the
acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
5.
<PAGE>
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificate.
---------------------------
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the Shares
Acquisition Date and (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Company's Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and of
which the Company will give the Rights Agent prompt written notice) after the
date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding shares of Common Stock for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given
within the meaning of Rule 14d-4(a) of the Exchange Act Regulations or any
successor rule or of the first public announcement of the intention of any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity
holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer, if upon consummation thereof such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Company Common
Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) above being the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for shares of Common
Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall
also be deemed to be Rights Certificate) and not by separate Rights Certificate,
and (y) the right to receive Rights Certificate will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of shares of Common Stock. As soon as practicable
after the Distribution Date, the Company will notify the Rights Agent thereof
and the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and
the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if
requested and provided with all necessary information send) by first-class,
insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares of Common Stock
as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, a Rights Certificate, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Rights Certificate"), evidencing
one Right for each share of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificate.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-
class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares of Common Stock as
of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for shares of
Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the
holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
Until the Distribution Date (or the Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer
of any certificate for shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date,
with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock
represented thereby.
6.
<PAGE>
(c) Certificates for shares of Common Stock which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired shares of Common Stock referred to in
the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date shall have impressed
on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Synbiotics
Corporation and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., dated as of
October 1, 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 executive offices of Synbiotics Corporation. 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. Synbiotics Corporation will mail to
the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without
charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to
any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights
Agreement), 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 the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such
certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
shares of Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company
purchases or acquires any shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior
to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock
shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled
to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock which are no
longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificate.
--------------------------
(a) The Rights Certificate (and the forms of election to purchase
Units of Pre ferred Stock and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall be substantially the same as 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 (but which do
not affect the duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) 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 or transaction
reporting system 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
7.
<PAGE>
Certificate shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase the number of Units of
Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per Unit of Preferred
Stock set forth therein, but the number of such Units of Preferred Stock and the
Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant hereto that represents
Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which a majority of 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 shall contain (to the extent the Rights Agent has been notified and 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 between Synbiotics Corporation and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent, dated as of
October 1, 1998 (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 the Rights
Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
---------------------------------
(a) The Rights Certificate shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Chief Financial Officer,
either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or
an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificate shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificate shall
cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificate,
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 Certificate had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Rights Certificate 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
8.
<PAGE>
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 and receipt by the Rights Agent of
all relevant information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its
office designated for such purpose, books for registration and transfer of the
Rights Certificate issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificate, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificate and the date of
each of the Rights Certificate.
Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
------------------------------------------------------
Certificate; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificate.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 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
Rights Certificate may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificate, entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a
Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as
the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificate surrendered then entitled such
holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificate shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificate to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the office 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 properly 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 or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificate, 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 Certificate.
(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 satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement
to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental
thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered
holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
9.
<PAGE>
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
------------------------------------------------------
Rights.
- ------
(a) Except as provided in Sections 23(c) and 7(e), the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of
election to purchase and certification on the reverse side thereof duly
executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each Unit of
Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth anniversary hereof (the
"Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof (the earlier of
(i), (ii) and (iii) being the "Expiration Date").
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") for each Unit of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $10.00,
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and
13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America
in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the number of Units of Preferred Stock (or
other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such
Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof in cash, or by certified
check or cashier's check payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights
Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock) a certificate or
certificates for the number of Units 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
Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a
depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent of a depositary receipt
or depositary receipts representing such number of Units of Preferred Stock as
are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Units of Preferred Stock
represented by such receipt or receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent
with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent
to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash 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 (including to zero) pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may 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
of the Company,
10.
<PAGE>
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 necessary to comply with this Agreement.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing a number of Rights equivalent to the number of Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate or to such registered holder's duly authorized assigns,
subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Triggering 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,
(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 a majority of 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) or (iv) any subsequent transferee 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 ensure
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 Certificate or to any
other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect
to an Acquiring Person or any of such Acquiring Person's 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) properly 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 or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificate. All
--------------------------------------------------
Rights Certificate surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
11.
<PAGE>
it, and no Rights Certificate shall be issued in lieu thereof except as
expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The
Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and
the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate
purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.
The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificate to the Company,
or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights
Certificate, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof
to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock.
-----------------------------------------------
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will use its best
efforts to cause to be reserved and kept available out of and to the extent of
its authorized and unissued Units of Preferred Stock not reserved for another
purpose that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all
outstanding Rights. Upon the occurrence of any events resulting in an increase
in the aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock (or other equity securities
of the Company) issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Rights above the
number then reserved, the Company shall make appropriate increases in the number
of shares so reserved.
(b) If the Units of Preferred Stock to be issued and delivered upon
the exercise of the Rights are at any time listed on a national securities
exchange or included for quotation on any transaction reporting system, the
Company shall during the period from the Distribution Date to the Expiration
Date use its best efforts to cause all shares reserved for such issuance to be
listed on such exchange or included for quotation on any such transaction
reporting system 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 in 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, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the
case may be, a registration statement under the Securities 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
Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no
longer exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance
with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with
the exercisability of the Rights. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction, unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained, or an exemption therefrom shall be available and until a
registration statement has been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Units of Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a
12.
<PAGE>
Triggering Event, any other securities that may be delivered upon exercise of
Rights) shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Units of
Preferred Stock (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable.
(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 Certificate or
of any Units of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificate to a person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for
Units of Preferred Stock in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Rights Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Units of Preferred Stock
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been
paid (any such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Rights
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose name
---------------------------
any certificate for Units of Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, other securities) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Units of
Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, other
securities) 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 any applicable transfer taxes
or charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
-------- --------
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or, following the occurrence
of a Triggering Event, other securities) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day
on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open; provided
--------
further, however, that if delivery of Units of Preferred Stock is delayed
- ------- -------
pursuant to Section 9(c), such Persons shall be deemed to have become the record
holders of such Units of Preferred Stock only when such Units first become
deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder
of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of
the Company with respect to securities 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. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder
of a Unit of Preferred Stock for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
--------------------------------------------------------
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kinds of securities covered by
- ---------
each Right and the
13.
<PAGE>
number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in
shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding shares of
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller
number of shares Preferred Stock 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), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of
the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately
adjusted so that the holder of any Rights exercised after such time shall
be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital
stock which, if such Rights 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; provided, however, that in no event shall the
-------- -------
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capi tal stock of the Company issuable
upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to,
and shall be made prior, to any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii).
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that
(A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring
Person, at any time after the date of this Agreement, directly or
indirectly, shall (1) merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the
Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such merger or combination and shares of Company Common Stock shall remain
outstanding and unchanged, (2) in one transaction or a series of
transactions, transfer any assets to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
in exchange (in whole or in part) for shares of Company Common Stock, for
other equity securities of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or for
securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of equity securities
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether shares of Company Common
Stock or otherwise) or otherwise obtain from the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, with or without consideration, any additional shares of such
equity securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into such
equity securities other than pursuant to a pro rata distribution to all
holders of shares of Company Common Stock, (3) sell, purchase, lease,
exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of, in
one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan maintained by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with respect
to such plan acting in such capacity, assets (including securities) on
terms and conditions less favorable to the
14.
<PAGE>
Company or such Subsidiary or plan than those that could have been obtained
in arm's-length negotiations with an unaffiliated third party, other than
pursuant to a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, (4) sell,
purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire
or dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or
with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan
maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee or
fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such capacity (other than
transactions, if any, consistent with those engaged in, as of the date
hereof, by the Company and such Acquiring Person or such Associate or
Affiliate), assets (including securities or intangible assets) having an
aggregate fair market value of more than $6,000,000 other than pursuant to
a transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, (5) receive, or any
designee, agent or representative of such Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate of such Acquiring Person shall receive, any compensation from
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than compensation for full-
time employment as a regular employee at rates in accordance with the
Company's (or its Subsidiaries') past practices, or (6) receive the
benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a holder of
shares of Company Common Stock or as required by law or governmental
regulation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial
assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantages provided by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any employee benefit plan maintained
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee or fiduciary with
respect to such plan acting in such capacity; or (B) any Person shall
become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing the Person to become
an Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a); or (C)
during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, there shall be any
reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split), or
recapitalization of the Company, or any merger or consolidation of the
Company with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction or series of
transactions involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than a
transaction or transactions to which the provisions of Section 13(a) apply
(whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person),
which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing by more than 1%
the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity
securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is directly or
indirectly beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Person or any
Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person;
then promptly following the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii)(A), (B) or (C) (a "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), proper provision shall
be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e)
hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive for each Right, upon exercise
thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the then-
current Purchase Price, in lieu of the number of Units of Preferred Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, such number of Units of Preferred Stock as shall equal
the result obtained by multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the then
number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable (or would
have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred) immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, and dividing that product by 50%
of the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) for shares of Common Stock on the
15.
<PAGE>
date of occurrence of the Triggering Event (such number of Units of Preferred
Stock being hereinafter referred to as the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of Units of Preferred Stock
which are authorized by the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation
but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights, or if any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance has
not been obtained by the Company, the Company shall, in lieu of issuing
Units of Preferred Stock in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, upon
approval by the Board of Directors: (A) determine the excess of (1) the
value of the Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess being
referred to as the "Spread") and (B) with respect to each Right, make
adequate provision to substitute for such Units of Preferred Stock, upon
exercise of the Rights, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price,
(3) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation,
Common Stock or shares or units of shares of any series of preferred stock
which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same
value as the Units of Preferred Stock (such shares or units of preferred
stock are herein called "preferred stock equivalents")), except to the
extent that the Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval
for such issuance, (4) debt securities of the Company, except to the extent
that the Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval for
such issuance, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing,
having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate
value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based
upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected
by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, 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) 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)(iii) Trigger Date"), then
the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise
of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Units of
Preferred Stock (to the extent available), except to the extent that the
Company has not obtained any necessary regulatory approval for such
issuance, and then, if necessary, cash, which Units and/or cash have an
aggregate value equal to the Spread.
(b) In the event that the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders
of Units of Preferred Stock entitling them (for a period expiring within 45
calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Units of
Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as
the Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible
into Units of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per Unit
of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price
per share, if a security convertible into Units of Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock) less than the then current per share market price of a Unit of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on such record date,
16.
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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 Units of Preferred
Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of Units of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Units 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 Units of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date plus the number of additional Units 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 in a consideration part or all of which
shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by a majority of 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.
Units 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, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to
all holders of Units of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend) assets (other than a dividend payable in Units
of Preferred Stock but including any dividend payable in equity securities other
than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those
referred to in Section 11(d) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)) of the Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by a majority of 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 holder of
rights) of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness to be distributed or of
such subscription rights or warrants distributable in respect of a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current per share
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) of a 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 again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of
this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
17.
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immediately prior to, but not including, such date; provided, however, that
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in the event that the "current per share market price" of the Security is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B)
any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior
to the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after, but not including, the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the "current per share market price" shall be appropriately adjusted
to reflect the "current market price" per share equivalent of such
Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq National
Market ("NASDAQ") or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on the NASDAQ, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if
on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Security selected by a majority of the
Board of Directors. If on any such date no market maker is making a market
in the Security, the "current per share market price" of such Security on
such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company as provided for above shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall
mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the "current
per share market price" of the 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 per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be
conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to $10,000 (as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to shares of Company Common Stock occurring
after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price
per share of Company Common Stock. If shares of neither the Company Common
Stock nor Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current
per share market price" 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
18.
<PAGE>
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.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
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11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock or one one-hundredth of any other share or security as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, the holder of any Rights thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Units of Preferred
Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of
any Rights 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 Section 11(a), (b),
(c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l) and (m), and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on
like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Units 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 Units of Preferred
Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock)
obtained by dividing (i) the product obtained by multiplying (x) the number of
Units of Preferred Stock 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 by, (ii) the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Units 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 one-thousandth)
obtained by dividing
19.
<PAGE>
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 (with prompt
notice thereof to the Rights Agent) 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 Certificate have been issued, shall be at least ten days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificate 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 Certificate on such record date Rights Certificate 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 Certificate held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights
Certificate evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Rights Certificate to be so distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificate on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights,
the Rights Certificate theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Purchase Price per Unit and the number of Units of Preferred Stock which
were expressed in the initial Rights Certificate issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value of the number of Units 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 number of
Units 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 (with prompt notice thereof to
the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder
of any Rights exercised after such record date of that number of Units of
Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Units 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) 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
20.
<PAGE>
expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole
discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation
or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Unit
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible
into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, (iv) dividends on Preferred Stock
payable in Preferred Stock or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of
Units of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company 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)), (ii) merge with or into any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o)), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any
Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o)), 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
Person which constitutes, or would constitute the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) shall have distributed or otherwise transferred to its
shareholders or other persons holding an equity interest in such Person Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates;
provided, however, this Section 11(n) shall not affect the ability of any
- -------- -------
Subsidiary of the Company to consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell or
transfer assets or earning power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(o) After the Distribution Date, the Company shall not, except as
permitted by Section 23 or Section 27, 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) In the event that, at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock
or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock
(by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of
Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in
any such case the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable after such
event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of Units of Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately prior to such
event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(p) shall be made successively
21.
<PAGE>
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Articles of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
------------------------------------------------
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13
- ------
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for
such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the shares of Common Stock or Units of Preferred Stock a copy of such
certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights
Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, the failure by the Company to make such certification or
give such notice shall not affect the validity of or the force or effect of the
requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and
shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it
shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
------------------------------------------------------
Earning Power.
- -------------
(a) Except as provided in Section 13(b) hereof, in the event that,
following a Shares 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)),
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)) shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and 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 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) to any Person or Persons (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o)), in one or more transactions,
directly or indirectly, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole),
(any such event being a "Section 13 Event"), then, and in each such case, proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e), shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price, such number of validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), which shares shall not be
subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, transfer
restrictions or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained
by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Units 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 Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right would be exercisable
22.
<PAGE>
hereunder but for the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase
Price which would be in effect hereunder but for such first occurrence) and (2)
dividing that product (which, following the direct occurrence of a Section 13
Event, shall be the "Purchase Price" for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50%
of the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) of
the shares of 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, for all purposes of this Agreement, thereafter be deemed to refer to such
Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section
11 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 ensure that the provisions of this Agreement shall thereafter be
applicable to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) shall be of
no further effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person that is the
issuer of any securities into which shares of Company Common Stock are
converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one
such issuer, the issuer of shares of Common Stock that has the highest
aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) and
(B) if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to
such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such Person,
the Person the Common Stock of which has the highest aggregate current
market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)); 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 largest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to
such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or
earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions or
if the Person receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power
cannot be determined, whichever Person the Common Stock of which has the
highest aggregate current market price (determined pursuant to Section
11(d)); provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock
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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 ("Registered Common Stock"), or such Person is not a corporation, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person that has
Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person; (2) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered
Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person but is
23.
<PAGE>
not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person which has Registered
Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to the ultimate
parent entity of such first-mentioned Person; (3) if the Common Stock of
such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a
corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more
than one Person, and one or more of such other Persons has Registered
Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such other Persons is the issuer of the Registered Common Stock having the
highest aggregate current per share market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)); and (4) if the Common Stock of such Person is not
Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such
Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and
none of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the
corporation having the greatest shareholders' equity or, if no such
ultimate parent entity is a corporation, shall refer to whichever ultimate
parent entity is the entity having the greatest net assets.
(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 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 the Principal Party will:
(i) (A) file on an appropriate form, as soon as practicable
following the execution of such agreement, a registration statement under
the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Common Stock that may be
acquired upon exercise of the Rights, (B) cause such registration statement
to remain effective (and to include a prospectus complying with the
requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and (C) as
soon as practicable following the execution of such agreement take such
action as may be required to ensure that any acquisition of such shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights complies with any applicable
state securities or "blue sky" laws; and
(ii) 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.
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to a
transaction referred to in this Section 13 has a provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or other
instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the
effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue, in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section
13, shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then current
market price per share (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) or securities
exercisable for, or convertible into, shares
24.
<PAGE>
of Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than such then current marker
price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13) or (ii)
providing for any special payment, tax or similar provisions in connection with
the issuance of the shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to
the provisions of this Section 13, then, in such event, the Company shall not
consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such
Principal Party shall have been cancelled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will
have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of
the proposed transaction.
(e) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to
successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event
that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised
shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
---------------------------------------
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or
to distribute Rights Certificate which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificate with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ or, if the Rights are
not listed or admitted to trading on the NASDAQ, 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 Directors. If on any such date no such market
maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such
date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall
be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Preferred
25.
<PAGE>
Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock). Fractions of Preferred Stock in integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it;
provided, however, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such
- -------- -------
depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to
which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented
by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificate 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 a share of Preferred Stock
as determined pursuant to Section 11(d).
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
----------------
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificate (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
certificates representing shares of Common Stock); and any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, a certificate
representing shares of 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 a certificate representing shares of 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 will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations 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 shares of the Company's Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificate are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;
26.
<PAGE>
(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the 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 Certificate
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 shall 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 judgment 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 judgment or ruling lifted or otherwise
overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. 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 Units of Preferred
Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
upon 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 shareholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay
---------------------------
to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the preparation
and execution, delivery and amendment 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, fine,
damage, judgment, penalty, costs, claim, demand settlement or expense, incurred
without gross negligence, or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent,
for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with
the execution, acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the exercise
and performance hereunder of its duties, including the costs and expenses of
defending against and appealing any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement and
the expiration of the Rights. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this
right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. Anything to the contrary
notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights
27.
<PAGE>
Agent be liable for special, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or
damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even
if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.
Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement will be limited to
the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and 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 acceptance and administration of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder in reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Units of Preferred Stock or
shares of 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, or otherwise upon the
advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
---------------------------------------------------
Agent.
- -----
(a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock
transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be
the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such Person 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 Certificate shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificate so countersigned;
and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificate shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificate either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of
the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificate shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificate 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 Certificate shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificate so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificate shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificate either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificate shall have the full
force provided in the Rights Certificate and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes
----------------------
only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions and no implied duties or obligations shall be
read into this Agreement against the
28.
<PAGE>
Rights Agent, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificate,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may
consult with legal counsel of its choice (who may be legal counsel for the
Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such advice or
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the administration, exercise and performance of its
duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or
desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior
to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company
and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered
or omitted in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own gross negligence 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
Certificate (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any liability or
responsibility in respect of the legality, validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof
by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the legality, validity or enforceability
or the execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof
and has actual knowledge of such change or adjustment); nor shall it be liable
or 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 change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount
thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificate after receipt
of the certificate described in Section 12 hereof or has actual knowledge of
such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make
any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Units of Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Stock will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
29.
<PAGE>
(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 administration, exercise and performance of its
duties hereunder from any one of the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any
Vice President, the Secretary or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and
to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be responsible or liable for any action taken, suffered
or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such
officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date
on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be
effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or
omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such
application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall
not be less than five (5) Business Days after the date any officer of the
Company actually received such application, unless any such officer shall have
consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action
(or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have
received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, affiliate, 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 Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(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
the Rights Agent in good faith believes that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
30.
<PAGE>
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange, the
certification on the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the
case may be, that the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate are not owned
by an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate thereof, has either not
been completed or in any manner indicates any other response thereto, the Rights
Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange, 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 or Preferred Stock (as to which the
Rights Agent has received prior written notice) by registered or certified mail,
and the Company shall mail notice thereof to the holders of the Rights
Certificate by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock (as to which the Rights Agent has
received prior written notice) by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Rights Certificate by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent
shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the
Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving
notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit such
holder's Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the 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 Person
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state
of the United States, in good standing, authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer powers, and subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million or an affiliate of such Person. 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 or Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof
in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificate. 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 Certificate. Notwithstanding
----------------------------------
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option,
31.
<PAGE>
issue new Rights Certificate 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 Certificate 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
Expiration Date, 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 benefit plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities of the Company currently outstanding or issued at any
time in the future 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
Certificate representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
-------- -------
shall be issued and this sentence shall be null and void ab initio if, and to
-- ------
the extent that, such issuance or this sentence would create a significant risk
of or result in material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person
to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued or would create a significant
risk of or result in such options' or employee plans' or arrangements' failing
to qualify for otherwise available special tax treatment 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 Company may, at its option, upon approval by a majority of the
Board of Directors, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Shares
Acquisition 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,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and the Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price either in cash, shares of Common Stock (based
on the current per share market price thereof (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) at the time of redemption), or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights by
the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such basis and with
such conditions as a majority of the Board of Directors in its sole discretion
may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of a majority of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided,
--------
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not
- -------
affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of a
majority of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the
Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and shall mail
a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Stock. Any notice
32.
<PAGE>
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state
the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither
the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or
purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of shares of Common Stock prior to the
Distribution Date.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 7(a) at any
time when the Rights are redeemable hereunder.
Section 24. Exchange.
--------
(a) The Company, at its option, upon approval by a majority of the
Board of Directors, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
may 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 Units of Preferred Stock at an exchange ratio equal to,
subject to adjustment to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and similar
transactions occurring after the date hereof, that number obtained by dividing
the Purchase Price by the then current per share market price per Unit of
Preferred Stock on the earlier of (i) the date on which any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person and (ii) the date on which a tender or exchange offer by any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any trustee
or fiduciary with respect to such plan acting in such capacity) is first
published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-4(a) of the Exchange
Act Regulations or any successor rule, if upon consummation thereof such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Section
24(a) Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries, or any trustee or fiduciary with respect to such
plan acting in such capacity), together with all Affiliates and Associates of
such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Units of Preferred
Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Section 24(a) Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of
any such exchange (with prompt notice thereof to the Rights Agent); 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
33.
<PAGE>
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 Units of Preferred 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.
(c) In the event that the number of shares of Preferred Stock which
are authorized by the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights are not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated
in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as
may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Preferred Stock for issuance
upon exchange of the Rights or make adequate provision to substitute (1) cash,
(2) Company Common Stock or 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 equal to the Adjustment Spread, where such
aggregate value has been determined by a majority of the Board of Directors.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions smaller than
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractions smaller than one one-
thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. In lieu thereof, the Company shall
pay to the registered holders of the Rights Certificate with regard to which
such fractional Units would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(ii) hereof) of one Unit of Preferred Stock.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
------------------------
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable
in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Units of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other
than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Stock), (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)), or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or
more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or to effect
a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of Common
Stock), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a
Rights Certificate and the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
34.
<PAGE>
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights
or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Common Stock
and/or 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 ten (10) 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 ten (10) 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 Common Stock and/or 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 the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof. In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company will
promptly notify the Rights Agent thereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
-------
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Synbiotics Corporation
11011 Via Frontera
San Diego, CA 92127
Attention: President
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sent by registered or
certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt and addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
400 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Attention: Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate 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.
35.
<PAGE>
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
--------------------------
Date, the Company may supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect, without
the approval of any holders of Rights, by action of its Board of Directors and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, execute such supplement or
amendment. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company may from time to
time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
Rights, by action of its Board of Directors, in order (i) to cure any ambiguity,
(ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be
defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or
lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the
provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights Certificate (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of an Acquiring Person), including, without limitation, to change the Purchase
Price, the Redemption Price, any time periods herein specified, and any other
term hereof, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing
signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and
-------- -------
after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall
not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Rights and further provided that such supplement or amendment does
------- --------
not change or increase the Rights Agent's duties, liabilities or obligations.
Upon receipt of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that
the proposed supplement or amendment is consistent with this Section 27 and,
after such time as any Person has become an Acquiring Person, that the proposed
supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Rights, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
----------
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.
----------------------------------------------------
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the Exchange Act.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors, or 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 of Directors in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on
the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificate and all
other parties and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the
holders of
36.
<PAGE>
the Rights. The Rights Agent is entitled to always assume the Company's Board
of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no
liability in reliance thereon.
Section 30. Benefits of This Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
--------------------------
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificate (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, shares of 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 Certificate (and, prior to the Distribution Date, shares
of 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 tenth Business Day following
the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of the Company.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Rights
-------------
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of California and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State; provided, however, that all
-------- -------
provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York 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 or convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
37.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
By /s/ Michael K. Green By /s/ Kenneth M. Cohen
------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Name: Michael K. Green Name: Kenneth M. Cohen
Title: Vice President Finance Title: President and
and Secretary Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.,
as Rights Agent
By /s/ Martha Mijango By /s/ Sharon Knepper
------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Name: Martha Mijango Name: Sharon Knepper
Title: Assistant Vice President Title: Assistant Vice President
38.
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
---------
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DETERMINATION
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
__________________________________
Kenneth M. Cohen and Michael K. Green hereby certify that:
A. They are the duly elected and acting President and Secretary,
respectively, of Synbiotics Corporation, a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of California (hereinafter called
the "Corporation").
B. Pursuant to the authority given by said Corporation's Restated
Articles of Incorporation, as amended to date, the Board of Directors of said
Corporation has duly adopted the following resolution:
RESOLVED, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred
Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Corporation consisting of Two Hundred
Thousand (200,000) shares designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock," and hereby fixes the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions
and other matters relating to said Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
as follows:
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall
----------------------
be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred
Stock shall be Two Hundred Thousand (200,000). Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of
A-1
<PAGE>
Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of
--------
Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then
outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of
outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any
outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A
Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
---------------------------
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the
Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, each holder of a share
of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of
Common Stock (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other
junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when 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 Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter
set forth, One Thousand (1,000) times the aggregate per share amount of all
cash dividends, and One Thousand (1,000) 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 since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of a share or fraction of Series A
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided, however, that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall
have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any
Quarterly Distribution Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment
A-2
<PAGE>
Date, a dividend of $.001 per share of Series A Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on each
outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such share of Series A
Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such share is prior to the
record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such share shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of
such share, 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 A 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 A 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 A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60
days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A
-------------
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
One Thousand (1,000) votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise
than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number
of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of
Determination creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or
by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders
of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation
having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
A-3
<PAGE>
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law,
holders of Series A 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 A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred
Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, 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 A
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the shares of Series
A 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 junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior 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 A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
on a parity with the Series A 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.
A-4
<PAGE>
(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 A Preferred Stock
-----------------
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may not be
reissued as shares of Series A Preferred Stock, but and may be reissued as part
of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on
issuance set forth herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, or in any other
Certificate of Determination creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
--------------------------------------
(A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received One Thousand Dollars
($1,000) per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment,
provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount to
be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the
holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause
(1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full to the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any,
which rank on a parity with the Series A 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
A-5
<PAGE>
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 are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to One Thousand (1,000) 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 declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series A 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 A Preferred Stock
-------------
shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
----
respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to
all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Articles of Incorporation of the
---------
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class.
A-6
<PAGE>
C. The authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock of said
Corporation is 25,000,000, none of which has been issued.
We further declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
State of California that the matters set forth in this Certificate are true and
correct of our own knowledge.
Executed at San Diego, California, on ____________, 1998.
-----------------------------
Name: Kenneth M. Cohen
Title: President
-----------------------------
Name: Michael K. Green
Title: Secretary
A-7
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
---------
Form of Rights Certificate
Article No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 7, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT THE OPTION
OF THE COMPANY AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME
NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE
OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING
PERSON OR 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 SUCH AGREEMENT.]
Rights Certificate
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
This certifies that _______________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of October 1, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Synbiotics Corporation, a California corporation (the "Company"), and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., California time, on October 7,
2008, at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the
office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth (a "Unit") of a
fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
(the "Series A Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $10.00
per Unit of Series A Preferred Stock (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation
and surrender of this Rights
B-1
<PAGE>
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of Units of Series A
Preferred Stock which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
October 7, 1998 based on the Series A Preferred Stock as constituted at such
date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of
Units of Series A Preferred Stock 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.
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 Certificate. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificate,
upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificate of like
tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like
aggregate number of Series A Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificate 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 Certificate for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Articles may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price
of $0.001 per Right.
No fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock will be issued upon
the exercise of any Rights or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions
which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Series A
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, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Units of
Series A 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 shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Rights or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
B-2
<PAGE>
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its
corporate seal. Dated as of _____________, 1998.
ATTEST: SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
____________________________ By _______________________________
Name: Michael K. Green Name: Kenneth M. Cohen
Title: Secretary Title: President
Countersigned:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.,
as Rights Agent
By _________________________
Authorized Signatory
B-3
<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:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities
Transfer Association Inc. recognized signature guarantee medallion program.
B-4
<PAGE>
CERTIFICATE
-----------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
_________________________
Signature
-----------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
------
The signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment must conform to the
name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment
is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial
owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
and such Assignment will not be honored.
B-5
<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Rights Certificate.)
To Synbiotics Corporation:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
___________________________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to
purchase the units of Series A Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of
such Rights and requests that certificates for such Series A Preferred Stock be
issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ____________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number ____________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
Dated: __________________, ____
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer
Association Inc. recognized signature guarantee medallion program.
B-6
<PAGE>
CERTIFICATE
-----------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
________________________
Signature
-----------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
------
The signature in the foregoing Form of Election to Purchase must conform
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Election
to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights
Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Election to Purchase will not be
honored.
B-7
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
---------
SYNBIOTICS CORPORATION
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SHARES OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
On September 25, 1998 the Board of Directors of Synbiotics Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each out standing share of Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of the
Company. The dividend is payable on October 7, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the
shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit;" i.e., 1000
Units equal one share) of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Series A Preferred Stock") of the Company at a price of $10.00 per Unit (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of October 1, 1998 (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) a public announcement that a person
or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Stock or
(ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of such outstanding Common Stock
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificate") will be mailed to
holders of record of the
C-1.
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Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Rights Certificate alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire at the close of business on October 7, 2008 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the
Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case as
described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of 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) upon the grant to holders of the Units of Preferred Stock
of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Units of Preferred
Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Units of Preferred Stock with a
conversion price, less than the then current market price of the Units of
Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Units of
Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular
periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends
payable in Units of Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants
(other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Units of Preferred
Stock issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the
event of a stock split of the Common Stock or a stock dividend on the Common
Stock payable in Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of
the Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Units of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to a dividend
equal to any dividend declared per share of Common Stock. In the event of
liquidation, each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to a payment equal to
any payment made per share of Common Stock. Each Unit of Preferred Stock will
have one vote, voting together with the Common Stock. Finally, in the event of
any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock
are exchanged, each Unit of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive an
amount equal to the amount received per share of Common Stock. These rights are
protected by customary anti dilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights,
the value of each Unit of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.
In the event that, after the Rights become exercisable, the Company is
acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction with an Acquiring
Person or an affiliate thereof, or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold to an Acquiring
C-2.
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Person or an affiliate thereof, proper provision will be made so that each
holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise
thereof at the then current exercise price of the Rights, that number of shares
of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction
will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Rights.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right,
other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will
thereafter be null and void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of shares of Common Stock or Units of Preferred Stock (or
cash, other securities or property) having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Rights.
At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated
or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of
50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the
Company may exchange all or part of the Rights (other than Rights owned by such
person or group which have become void) for Units of Preferred Stock at an
exchange ratio of (subject to adjustment) which shall equal, subject to
adjustment to reflect stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions
occurring after the date hereof, that number obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price by the then current per share market price per Unit of Preferred Stock on
the earlier of (i) the date on which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and
(ii) the date on which a tender or exchange offer is announced by any Person, if
upon consummation thereof such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or
more of the shares of Company Common Stock then outstanding.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Units of Preferred Stock on the
last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the public announcement that a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or
more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"). The redemption of the rights may be made effective at such
time on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its
sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be
C-3.
<PAGE>
to receive the Redemption Price. The Rights are also redeemable under other
circumstances as specified in the Rights Agreement.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights except that from
and after a Distribution Date no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except pursuant to an
offer conditioned on a substantial number of rights being acquired. The Rights
should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by
the Board of Directors because the Rights may be redeemed by the Company at the
Redemption Price prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
C-4.
