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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): OCTOBER 5, 2000
PARALLEL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
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STATE OF DELAWARE 1-13305 75-1971716
(State of incorporation) (Commission File No.) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
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ONE MARIENFELD PLACE, SUITE 465, MIDLAND, TEXAS 79701
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)
REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (915) 684-3727
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
Adoption of Rights Agreement
On October 5, 2000, the Board of Directors of Parallel Petroleum
Corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of the Company's common stock, $0.01 par value (the
"Common Stock"), to stockholders of record at the close of business on October
16, 2000. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, par value
$0.10 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $26.00 per one
one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a share, subject to adjustment. The description and
terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, Inc., as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock upon the earlier
of (i) ten (10) business days following a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired,
or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of fifteen percent (15%)
or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition
Date"), or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later date as the Board of
Directors shall determine) following the commencement of a tender or exchange
offer that would result in a person or group beneficially owning fifteen percent
(15%) or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock. The date the Rights
separate is referred to as the "Distribution Date."
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common
Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after October 16,
2000 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference,
and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificates. Pursuant to the Rights Agreement,
the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number
of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be
issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on October 5, 2010, unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates will represent the Rights. Except in connection with shares of
Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options under any
employee plan or arrangements, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities hereafter issued by the Company, or as otherwise determined by the
Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution
Date will be issued with Rights.
In the event that (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a
merger or other business combination with an Acquiring Person (or any associate
or affiliate thereof) and its Common Stock remains outstanding and unchanged,
(ii) any person shall acquire beneficial ownership of more than fifteen percent
(15%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to (A) certain
consolidations or mergers involving the Company or sales or transfers of the
combined assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries
or (B) an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and upon
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terms and conditions which the Board of Directors determines to be in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders), or (iii) there occurs a
reclassification of securities, a recapitalization of the Company or any of
certain business combinations or other transactions (other than certain
consolidations and mergers involving the Company and sales or transfers of the
combined assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries)
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has the effect of
increasing by more than one percent (1%) the proportionate share of any class of
the outstanding equity securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person (or any associate or affiliate
thereof), each holder of a Right (other than the Acquiring Person and certain
related parties) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the
Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of
the events described in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person will be null and void. The events described in this paragraph
are referred to as "Flip-in Events."
For example, at a Purchase Price of $26.00 per Right, each Right not
owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties or transferees)
following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder
to purchase $52.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted
above) for $26.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share market price
of $5.20 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to
purchase 10 shares of Common Stock for $26.00.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company shall enter into a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the
Company is the surviving corporation in a consolidation, merger or similar
transaction pursuant to which all or part of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
person or cash or any other property or (iii) more than 50% of the combined
assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries is sold
or transferred (in each case other than certain consolidations with, mergers
with and into, or sales of assets, cash flow or earning power by or to
subsidiaries of the Company as specified in the Rights Agreement), each holder
of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the
Right. The events described in this paragraph are referred to as "Flip-over
Events." Flip-in Events and Flip-over Events are referred to collectively as
"Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) if
holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights, options or warrants
to subscribe for Preferred Stock or securities convertible into Preferred Stock
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness,
cash (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends), assets (other than dividends
payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to in (ii) immediately above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be
issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
(1/1,000) of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, the Company may
make an adjustment in cash based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on
the trading date immediately prior to the date of exercise.
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At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company
may, without payment of the Purchase Price by the holder, exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will become void), in
whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one-half
(1/2) the number of shares of Common Stock (or in certain circumstances
Preferred Stock) for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the time
of the Company's decision to exchange the Rights (subject to adjustment).
At any time until the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem
the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (payable in
cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the
Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of an acquiring company as set forth above or in the event that the
Rights are redeemed.
Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company at any time during the period in which the
Rights are redeemable. At any time when the Rights are no longer redeemable, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board only if such
amendment does not adversely affect the interest of holders of Rights (excluding
the interest of any Acquiring Person); provided, however, that no amendment may
cause the Rights again to become redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights and
the Company's press release announcing the declaration of the Rights are filed
herewith as Exhibits and are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the
Rights Agreement are also available free of charge from the Rights Agent. The
foregoing description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.
Amendment of Bylaws
Also on October 5, 2000, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted
certain amendments to the Company's Bylaws. These amendments modify, clarify and
add certain provisions regarding the advance notice requirements for stockholder
proposals before an annual meeting of stockholders (Section 2.2), the calling of
special meetings of stockholders (Section 2.5), stockholder written consents
(Section 2.14), and the procedures for nominating directors (Section 2.15).
The Bylaws, as amended, are attached hereto as an exhibit and are
incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the amended
Bylaws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the amended
Bylaws, which are attached as Exhibit 3 hereto.
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ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) EXHIBITS
3. Amended Bylaws of Parallel Petroleum Corporation.
4. Rights Agreement, dated as of October 5, 2000, by and between
Parallel Petroleum Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, Inc.,
as Rights Agent, including exhibits thereto, filed as an exhibit to the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on the same date
this Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed, which exhibit is hereby
incorporated by reference.
99. Press Release dated October 5, 2000.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
PARALLEL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
October 9, 2000 By: /s/ Larry C. Oldham
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Larry C. Oldham
President
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
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EXHIBIT
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
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3. Amended Bylaws of Parallel Petroleum Corporation.
4. Rights Agreement, dated as of October 5, 2000, by and between
Parallel Petroleum Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, Inc.,
as Rights Agent, including exhibits thereto, filed as an exhibit to the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on the same date
this Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed, which exhibit is hereby
incorporated by reference.
99. Press Release dated October 5, 2000.
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