Page 30 of 57 Pages
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The Liposome Company, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 22-2370691
(State of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
One Research Way
Princeton Forrestal Center
Princeton, New Jersey 08540-6619
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered each class is to be registered
None None
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Title of each class
to be so registered
Stock Purchase Rights
Exhibit Index is on Page 6
Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to Be Registered.
On July 11, 1996, the Board of Directors of The Liposome Company, Inc.
(the "Company") adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan, providing that one right (a
"Right") shall be attached to each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a purchase price of $100 per one-thousandth of a share (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as
of July 11, 1996, between the Company and MidLantic Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificate will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock
and a "Distribution Date" will occur upon the day (or such later date as may be
determined by the Board of Directors (and the Continuing Directors (as defined
below)) which is the earlier of (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, other
than an Exempted Person, as defined below, (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired,
or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) ten
(10) business days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange
offer that would result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of
such outstanding shares of Common Stock, except, in either case, where the
person or group acquired the shares pursuant to actions or transactions approved
by the Board of Directors (and the Continuing Directors (as defined below)).
Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate.
An "Exempted Person" is any person who, together with all affiliates
and associates of such person, (a) becomes the beneficial owner of Common Stock,
options and/or warrants exercisable for shares of Common Stock representing 15%
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely because of a
reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding since such
Person's last Common Stock acquisition, or (b) becomes the beneficial owner of
more than 15% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding due to a good faith
error as to the number of shares outstanding or in the good faith belief that
such acquisition would not cause a Distribution Date or an adjustment of the
Rights, provided that such Person divests any shares in excess of 15% of the
number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding within 5 business days after
notice from the Company. The determination of "good faith" for purposes of this
definition is made by the same directors who would be authorized to redeem the
Rights. A purchaser, assignee or transferee of the shares of Common Stock (or
options or warrants exercisable for Common Stock) of an Exempted Person will not
thereby become an Exempted Person.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on July 11, 2006 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 alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, Rights will only be issued with respect to shares of
Common Stock outstanding prior to the Distribution Date.
In the event that, without the approval of the Board of Directors (and
the Continuing Directors (as defined below)), an Acquiring Person, other than an
Exempted Person, becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock (unless such acquisition is made pursuant to
a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of the Company, at a price
determined by a majority of the independent directors of the Company who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person to be
fair and otherwise in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders),
each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in this paragraph (the "Flip-In Events"), all Rights that are,
or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of any of the Flip-In Events
set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the
Company as set forth below.
In the event that following the Stock Acquisition Date, without the
approval of the Board of Directors (and the Continuing Directors (as defined
below)), (i) the Company engages in a merger or business combination transaction
in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger that
follows a tender offer determined to be fair to the stockholders of the Company,
as described in the preceding paragraph); (ii) the Company engages in a merger
or business combination transaction in which the Company is the surviving
corporation and the Common Stock is changed or exchanged; or (iii) 50% or more
of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of
a Right (except Rights which have previously been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price.
The Purchase Price and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or other
securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the Current Market Price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Rights, or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock) will be required to be issued and, in lieu thereof, the Company
may, at its election, cause depositary receipts to be issued and/or cash
payments to be made.
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01
per Right. Under certain circumstances, the decision to redeem shall require
the concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined below).
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 $0.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the adoption of
the Rights Plan and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if such
person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, but
shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or associate of an
Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company as set
forth above.
For as long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may amend
the Rights in any manner, including an amendment to extend the time period in
which the Rights may be redeemed. At any time when the Rights are not then
redeemable, the Company may amend the Rights in any manner that does not
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights as such.
Amendments require the approval of the Continuing Directors.
The Rights Agreement (which includes as Exhibit A the form of
Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, as Exhibit B the forms of Rights Certificate, and
as Exhibit C a deteiled summary 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 the Rights Agreement and
such exhibits thereto.
Item 2. Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
4(a) Rights Agreement, which includes a Form of Certificate of Designation,
Preferences, and Rights of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, a Form of Rights Certificate as
Exhibit B, and a Detailed Summary of Rights as Exhibit C.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused behalf this registration statement to be
signed on its by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: July 11, 1996
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
By:/s/CHARLES A. BAKER
Name: Charles A. Baker
Title: Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description Sequentially Numbered Page
4(a) Shareholder Rights 7
Agreement, dated as of
July 11, 1996 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between
The Liposome Company, Inc.
and MidLantic Bank, N.A.,
as Rights Agent, which includes
a Form of Certificate of Designation,
Preferences and Rights of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock
as Exhibit A, a Form of Rights
Certificate as Exhibit B, and
a Detailed Summary of Rights as
Exhibit C
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of July 11, 1996 (the "Agreement"), between The
Liposome Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and MidLantic
Bank, N.A., a national banking association (the "Rights Agent"),
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on July 11, 1996 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") outstanding at the close of business
on July 22, 1996 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of one
Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of
Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock issued between the Record
Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and
the Distribution Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company
having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate
of Designation, Preferences and Rights attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan, (v) any Exempted Person, or (vi) any Person, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, who or which would be an Acquiring
Person solely by reason of being the Beneficial Owner of Common Stock, the
Beneficial Ownership of which was acquired by such Person pursuant to any action
or transaction or series of related actions or transactions approved by the
Board of Directors before such Person otherwise became an Acquiring Person;
provided, however, that at the time of such approval there were Continuing
Directors (as hereinafter defined) and a majority of the Continuing Directors
concurred in such approval; and provided further, that in the event any Person
does not become an Acquiring Person by reason of clause (vi), such Person
nonetheless shall become an Acquiring Person in the event such Person thereafter
acquires Beneficial Ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock, unless
the acquisition of such additional Common Stock would not result in such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person by reason of clause (vi).
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended and in effect on the date of this
Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (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), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
(A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (B) securities issuable
upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, which Rights were acquired by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the
"Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with
an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights; or
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (1) arises
solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or
consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (2) is not also then reportable by such Person on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
(or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided, however, that
nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a person engaged in business as
an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty (40) days after the date of such acquisition.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in the recital to this
Agreement, except that "common stock" when used with reference to any Person
other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person with the
greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having
power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(g) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company, while such Person is a member of the Board, who is not
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a
representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or Associate, and
was a member of the Board prior to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) any
Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board, while such Person is a
member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or
of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or
election to the Board is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors.
(h) "Exempted Person" shall mean any Person (i) who has become the
Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding solely because of a reduction in the aggregate number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding since the last date on which such Person acquired
Beneficial Ownership of any shares of Common Stock, until such time thereafter
as such Person shall become the Beneficial Owner (other than by means of a stock
dividend or stock split) of any additional shares of Common Stock; or (ii) who
acquired Beneficial Ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding in the good faith belief that such acquisition
would not (x) cause such Beneficial Ownership to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and such Person relied in good
faith in computing the percentage of its Beneficial Ownership on publicly filed
reports or documents of the Company which are inaccurate or out-of-date, or (y)
otherwise cause a Distribution Date or the adjustment provided for in Section
11(a)(ii), provided in either case (x) or case (y) that by the Close of Business
on the fifth Business Day after notice from the Company that such Person's
Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock exceeds fifteen percent (15%), such Person
divests (without exercising or retaining any power, including voting, with
respect to such shares) sufficient shares of Common Stock (or securities
convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for Common Stock) so that such
Person ceases to be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock. For purposes of this definition, the
determination whether any Person acted in "good faith" shall be conclusively
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, acting by a vote of those
directors whose approval would be required to redeem the Rights under Section
23. A purchaser, assignee or transferee of the shares of Common Stock (or
warrants or options exercisable for Common Stock) of an Exempted Person shall
not thereby become an Exempted Person.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and, to the extent
that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the
Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to
the terms of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(k) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(l) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y)
or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(m) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such, or
such earlier date as a majority of the Continuing Directors shall become aware
of the existence of an Acquiring Person.
(n) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority
of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(o) "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
a Business Day.
(p) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the Close of Business on the day (or such later date as may be
determined by the Board of Directors, provided, however, that at the time of
such determination there were Continuing Directors and a majority of the
Continuing Directors concurred in such determination) which is the earlier of
(i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after
the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business
on the Record Date), or (ii) the tenth Business Day 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, any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any Person, together with its
Affiliates and Associates, who is excluded from the definition of "Acquiring
Person" pursuant to clause (vi) of Section 1(a) hereof) is first commenced,
published, sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such
Person would be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (A) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (B) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-
class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"),
evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of
Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof,
at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make
the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section
14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of
Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of
and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Rights Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as
Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to
each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record
Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With
respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates
for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also
be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in
respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which
are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be
deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between The
Liposome Company, Inc. (the "Company") and MidLantic Bank, N.A. (the
"Rights Agent"), dated as of July 11, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Rights Agent.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement,
such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Rights Agent will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as
in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any
Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any
subsequent holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification
or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as
the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or
with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation
of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22
hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the
Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one one-
thousandth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of
securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price
thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or
any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer,
exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to
in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void
in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually
or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or
a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by
facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall keep or cause
to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate
place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for
registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights
Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights
Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14
hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at
or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or,
following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other
assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a
transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such
request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights
Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take
any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed
the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the
Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the
close of business on July 11, 2006, (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $100.00, and shall
be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below
.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of
the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company shall direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to, or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In the event that
the Company is obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of
the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to
require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of
Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred
Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act")
with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the
expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky"
laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.
The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety
(90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In
addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is
required following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend
the exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or
other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase
Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any
transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than
that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered
holder upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any
such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of
record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of
a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights 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 Preferred Stock, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record
date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the
Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he or she would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section
11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any
adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event any Person (other than an Exempted Person, the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan), alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at
any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring
Person, unless the event causing the 15% threshold to be crossed is a
transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof or is an acquisition of
shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined
by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the
Company who are not officers of the Company and who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person,
after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be (a)
at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking into account all factors
which such members of the Board deem relevant, including, without
limitation, prices which could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and
(b) otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders,
then, promptly following the occurrence of such event, proper provision
shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and
in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that
product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of
this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which
are authorized by the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A) determine
the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right
(the "Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to
Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price,
(3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including,
without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock, such as
the Preferred Stock, which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed
to have essentially the same value or economic rights as shares of Common
Stock (such shares of preferred stock being referred to as "Common Stock
Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or
(6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to
the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price),
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Board; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30)
days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event and (y) the date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant
to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein
as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be
obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and
without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall mean the excess of (i) the
Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty-day period set forth above may
be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days
after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may
seek shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such thirty-day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that action is to be taken pursuant
to the first and/or third sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(1) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall
apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution
Period in order to seek such shareholder approval for such authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to
be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof.
In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section
11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date
and the per share or per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be
deemed to equal the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on
such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("equivalent
preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price
may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the
purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or
warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so
to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a
share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current
Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed
.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the
thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and
for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,
the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately
following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a
dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock
(other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading
Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current
Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average
of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or,
if on any such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected
by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market
maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares
on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall be used. If
the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current
Market Price per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per
share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above
or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for
such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock. If
neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so
listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of
a Unit shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share of Preferred
Stock divided by 1,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share
or one-ten millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date
.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9,
10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like
terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-ten millionth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one- thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a
share and the number of one one-thousandths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of one one-
thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights,
the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue
fully paid and nonassessable such number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii)
sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the shareholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 26 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the
outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof,
the Company shall
(a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment;
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for
the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate; and
(c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate
(or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate
representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of 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 therein
contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.
(a) Except where the transaction specified in clause (x), (y) or (z) below
has been approved by the Board of Directors and at the time of such approval
there were Continuing Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors
concurred in such approval, in the event that, following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such
consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as may
be contemplated by Section 13(e) hereof), proper provision shall be made so
that:
(i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e)
hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise
thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal
Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be
equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase
Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of
such one one-thousandths of a share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence),
and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each
Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current
Market Price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of
the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties
of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to
such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of
Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and
(v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in any such case,
(1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been
continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in
case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one
Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is
the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock, which have not been issued or reserved
for issuance, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a
national securities exchange; and
(iii) will deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive 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).
(d) In case the Principal Party which is to be a party to a transaction
referred to in this Section 13 has provision in any of its authorized securities
or in its Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws 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 Section 13, shares of common stock
of such Principal Party at less than such then Current Market Price per share or
securities exercisable for, or convertible into, common stock of such Principal
Party at less than such Current Market Price (other than to holders of Rights
pursuant to this Section 13) or (ii) providing for any special tax or similar
payment in connection with the issuance to any holder of a Right 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 canceled, waived or amended, or
that the authorized securities will be redeemed, so that the applicable
provision will have no effect on the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the
proposed transaction.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13
shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y)
of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons
who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer
for all outstanding shares of Common Stock which complies with the provisions of
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or
Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction
is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of
shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer
or exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the
remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the
same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange
offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section
13(e), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on
which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-
thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of issuing fractional shares of Preferred
Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock, the Company may, at its election, issue depositary receipts
evidencing fractions of shares pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the
Company and a depositary selected by it, provided that such agreement shall
provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all of the
rights, privileges and preferences to which they would be entitled as owners of
the Preferred Stock. With respect to fractional shares that are not integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a share, if the Company does not issue such
fractional shares or depositary receipts in lieu thereof, there shall be paid to
the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-thousandth of the closing price
of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one (1) share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, except rights of action given to the Rights Agent in Section 18
hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his or her own behalf and for
his or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action
or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of,
his or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in
the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without
limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or
threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by accepting
the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with
every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as
such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or
be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any
time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall
anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer
upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of
the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with
its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter,
notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust or shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and
obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions,
by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "Current Market Price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under
the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to
be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether
any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company
may, in its sole discretion, remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the
Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent
shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the
Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving
notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such
resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by
the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the
United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal
or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent
a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance
or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to
the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect
to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day following the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred
prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth day following the
Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than
all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, as
such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"); provided,
however, if the Board of Directors of the Company authorizes redemption of the
Rights in either of the circumstances set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) below,
then there must be Continuing Directors then in office and such authorization
shall require the concurrence of a majority of such Continuing Directors: (i)
such authorization occurs on or after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, or (ii) such authorization occurs on or after the date of a change
(resulting from a proxy or consent solicitation or an action by written consent
of stockholders, whether or not made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange
Act) in a majority of the directors in office at the commencement of such
solicitation, or prior to such written consent, if any Person who is a
participant in such solicitation, or who signed such consent, has stated (or, if
upon the commencement of such solicitation, a majority of the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined in good faith) that such Person (or any of its
Affiliates or Associates) intends to take, or may consider taking, any action
which would result in such Person becoming an Acquiring Person or which would
cause the occurrence of a Triggering Event unless, concurrent with such
solicitation, such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) is
making a cash tender offer pursuant to a Schedule 14D-1 (or any successor form)
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock not beneficially owned by such Person (or by its Affiliates or
Associates) in compliance with Section 11(a)(ii). Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
"Current Market Price", as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common
Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or
any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 25 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case
of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 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 Preferred Stock whichever
shall be the earlier. The failure to give notice required by this Section 24 or
any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the actions
taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible
and in accordance with Section 25 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such
event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the
preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to
Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
The Liposome Company, Inc
One Research Way
Forrestal Center
Princeton, New Jersey 08540-6619
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
MidLantic Bank, N.A.
Metropark Plaza
P.O. Box 600
Edison, NJ 08818
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-
class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such
holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. For as long as the Rights are then
redeemable and except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 26, the
Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall if
the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of the Rights (including, without
limitation, amendments to
extend the time period during which the Rights may be redeemed). At any time
when
the Rights are not then redeemable and except as provided in the last sentence
of
this Section 26, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so
directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders
of
the Rights Certificates (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 or (iii) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder
in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, provided
that no
such supplement or amendment pursuant to this clause (iii) shall materially
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates. Upon the
delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which
states
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of
this
Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
supplements
or amendments may be made only if there are Continuing Directors and if a
majority
of such Continuing Directors approve such supplements or amendments.
Section 27. 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 28. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For all
purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which
any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company (with, where specifically
provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board (with, where specifically
provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret
the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed
necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement).
All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including,
for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing)
which are done or made by the Board (with, where specifically provided for
herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors) in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board or the
Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority
to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided,
however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any
such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority
to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from
this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement,
the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and
shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date
of such determination by the Board of Directors. Without limiting the
foregoing, if any provision requiring a majority of the Board of Directors of
the Company to be Continuing Directors to act is held by any court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, such
determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in
accordance with applicable law and the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such state.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several sections
of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC. MIDLANTIC BANK, N.A..
BY: BY:
Charles A. Baker .
TITLE: Chairman of the Board, TITLE:
President and Chief Executive Officer
ATTEST:
BY: BY:
Carol J. Gillespie .
TITLE: Secretary TITLE:
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION,
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
The undersigned officers of The Liposome Company, Inc., a corporation
organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (the "Corporation"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103
thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors
on July 11, 1996 adopted the following resolution creating a series of 100,000
shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of
this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated Certificate
of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be and it
hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the voting
powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special
rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall
be designated as "Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock" and
the number of shares constituting such series shall be one hundred
thousand (100,000).
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) The holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the
purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March,
June, September and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing
on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to the greater of (a) $0.01 or (b) subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share
amount of all cash dividends, and 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, par
value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since
the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with
respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first
issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time after July 11, 1996 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i)
declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior
to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Paragraph (A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or
distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the
period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.01 per
share on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of
issue of such shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date
for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends
on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall
begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.
Dividends paid on the shares of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be
no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters
submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration
Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders
of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on
all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal
to six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such
contingency shall mark the beginning of a period (herein called a
"default period") which shall extend until such time when all accrued
and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend periods and
for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been
declared and paid or set apart for payment. During each default
period, in addition to voting together with the holders of the Common
Stock for the election of other directors of the Corporation, the
holders of record of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, voting separately as a class to the exclusion of the holders of
Common Stock, shall be entitled to elect two (2) Directors, as set
forth below.
(ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be
exercised initially at a special meeting called pursuant to
subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any annual meeting of
stockholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of stockholders,
provided that such voting right shall not be exercised unless the
holders of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in person
or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock
shall not affect the exercise by the holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock of such voting right. At any meeting at
which the holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall exercise such voting right initially during an existing default
period, they shall have the right, voting as a class, to elect
Directors to fill such vacancies, if any, in the Board of Directors as
may then exist up to two (2) Directors or, if such right is exercised
at an annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If the number which
may be so elected at any special meeting does not amount to the
required number, the holders of the Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such increase in the
number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election by
them of the required number. After the holders of the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to
elect Directors in any default period and during the continuance of
such period, the number of Directors shall not be increased or
decreased except by vote of the holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the
rights of any equity securities ranking senior to or pari passu with
the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall, during an existing default period, have
previously exercised their right to elect Directors, the Board of
Directors may order, or any stockholder or stockholders owning in the
aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding
may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Series
B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon
be called by the President, a Vice-President or the Secretary of the
Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any annual meeting at
which holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock are
entitled to vote pursuant to this Paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to
each holder of record of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
by mailing a copy of such notice to him or her at his or her last
address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier than twenty (20) days
and not later than sixty (60) days after such order or request, or in
default of the calling of such meeting within sixty (60) days after
such order or request, such meeting may be called on similar notice by
any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than
ten percent (10%) of the total number of shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting shall
be called during the period within sixty (60) days immediately
preceding the date fixed for the next annual meeting of the
stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders of Common Stock,
and other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until
the holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
have exercised their right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a
class, after the exercise of which right (x) the Directors so elected
by the holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall
continue in office until their successors shall have been elected by
such holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y)
any vacancy in the Board of Directors may (except as provided in
Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled by vote of a majority
of the remaining Directors theretofore elected by the holders of the
class of stock which elected the Director whose office shall have
become vacant. References in this Paragraph (C) to Directors elected
by the holders of a particular class of stock shall include Directors
elected by such Directors to fill vacancies as provided in clause (y)
of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period,
(x) the right of the holders of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as a class to elect Directors shall cease, (y) the
term of any Directors elected by the holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the
number of Directors shall be such number as may be provided for in the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Corporation
irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of
Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such number being subject,
however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Corporation).
Any vacancies in the Board of Directors effected by the provisions of
clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be filled by a
majority of the remaining Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are
entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock as provided in Section 2 hereof are in arrears, thereafter and
until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or
not declared, on shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred
Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall
not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid
ratably on the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in
proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock of
the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares
of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board
of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend
rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair
and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under
Paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such
shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled
promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors,
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the
holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have
received an amount equal to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per share
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, plus an amount equal
to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or
not declared, to the date of such payment (the "Series B Liquidation
Preference"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series
B Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made to
the holders of shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall
have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to
the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series B Liquidation
Preference by (ii) 1,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock)
(such number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the
payment of the full amount of the Series B Liquidation Preference and
the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively,
holders of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock and holders
of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and
proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the
ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series B Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of
Preferred Stock, if any, which rank on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, then such remaining
assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity
shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to
permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining
assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment Number
in effect immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by
multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into
other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any
such case the shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount
per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth) equal to 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 after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a
smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth
in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of
shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Rank. The Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the
distribution of assets, junior to all other series of any class of the
Corporation's Preferred Stock, unless the terms of another series or
class shall provide otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights
of the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect
them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority or more of the outstanding shares of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall
entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares,
to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in
distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders
of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate and do
affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this __th day of
July, 1996.
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
____________________________________
Name:
Title:
Attest:
____________________________________
Secretary
EXHIBIT B
FORM Of RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 11, 2006, OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $0.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING
PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. RIGHTS 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) MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.
(1)
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
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 July 11, 1996 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between The Liposome Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and MidLantic Bank, N.A., a national banking corporation (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on July 11, 2006 at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-
thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $100 per one one-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase Price"),
upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of
Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may
be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per
share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July 22, 1996
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves
the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that
only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $0.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time
period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final
Expiration Date. In addition, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole or in part,
for shares of the Common Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the Company
having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing
any such exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights
(other than Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and
the Rights will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such
exchange. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, the
decision to redeem the Rights shall require the concurrence of a majority of the
Continuing Directors (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share) are required to be issued
upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby. In lieu of issuing
fractional shares, the Company may, at its election, cause depositary receipts
to be issued and/or cash payments to be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until
it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its
corporate seal.
Dated as of:
THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
By___________________________
Name
Title
ATTEST:
________________________________
Secretary
Countersigned:
MIDLANTIC BANK, N.A.
By______________________
Authorized Signature
[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: ___________________, 19__
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned hereby certifies by striking out the inapplicable boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [is] [is not] being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[did] [did not] acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: __________________, 19__
______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE:
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the
name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: THE LIPOSOME COMPANY, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
_______________________________________
(Please print name and address)
Please insert social security or other identifying number:
_______________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
_______________________________________
(Please print name and address)
Please insert social security or other identifying number:
_______________________
Dated: _______________, ____
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by striking out the inapplicable boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [is] [is not] being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[did] [did not] acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: __________________, 19__
______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
EXHIBIT C
DETAILED SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
On July 11, 1996, the Board of Directors of The Liposome Company, Inc. (the
"Company") adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan, providing that one right (a
"Right") shall be attached to each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred
Stock"), at a purchase price of $100 per one-thousandth of a share (the
"Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as
of July 11, 1996, between the Company and MidLantic Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
(the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificate will be
distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a "Distribution
Date" will occur upon the day (or such later date as may be determined by the
Board of Directors (and the Continuing Directors (as defined below)) which is
the earlier of (i) ten (10) days following a public announcement that a person
or group of affiliated or associated persons, other than an Exempted Person, as
defined below, (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to
acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) ten (10) business days following
the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a
person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock, except, in either case, where the person or group acquired the
shares pursuant to actions or transactions approved by the Board of Directors
(and the Continuing Directors (as defined below)). Until the Distribution Date,
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be
transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common
Stock certificates will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
An "Exempted Person" is any person who, together with all affiliates and
associates of such person, (a) becomes the beneficial owner of Common Stock,
options and/or warrants exercisable for shares of Common Stock representing 15%
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely because of a
reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding since such
Person's last Common Stock acquisition, or (b) becomes the beneficial owner of
more than 15% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding due to a good faith
error as to the number of shares outstanding or in the good faith belief that
such acquisition would not cause a Distribution Date or an adjustment of the
Rights, provided that such Person divests any shares in excess of 15% of the
number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding within 5 business days after
notice from the Company. The determination of "good faith" for purposes of this
definition is made by the same directors who would be authorized to redeem the
Rights. A purchaser, assignee or transferee of the shares of Common Stock (or
options or warrants exercisable for Common Stock) of an Exempted Person will not
thereby become an Exempted Person.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on July 11, 2006 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 alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, Rights will only be issued with respect to shares of
Common Stock outstanding prior to the Distribution Date.
In the event that, without the approval of the Board of Directors (and the
Continuing Directors (as defined below)), an Acquiring Person, other than an
Exempted Person, becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock (unless such acquisition is made pursuant to
a tender or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of the Company, at a price
determined by a majority of the independent directors of the Company who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person to be
fair and otherwise in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders),
each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise,
Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities
of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in this paragraph (the "Flip-In Events"), all Rights that are,
or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and void. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of any of the Flip-In Events
set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the
Company as set forth below.
In the event that following the Stock Acquisition Date, without the
approval of the Board of Directors (and the Continuing Directors (as defined
below)), (i) the Company engages in a merger or business combination transaction
in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger that
follows a tender offer determined to be fair to the stockholders of the Company,
as described in the preceding paragraph); (ii) the Company engages in a merger
or business combination transaction in which the Company is the surviving
corporation and the Common Stock is changed or exchanged; or (iii) 50% or more
of the Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of
a Right (except Rights which have previously been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price.
The Purchase Price and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or other
securities or property issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the Current Market Price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Rights, or fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock) will be required to be issued and, in lieu thereof, the Company
may, at its election, cause depositary receipts to be issued and/or cash
payments to be made.
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.01 per
Right. Under certain circumstances, the decision to redeem shall require the
concurrence of a majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined below).
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 $0.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board of Directors
of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the adoption of the Rights
Plan and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if such person is
recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, but shall not
include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or associate of an Acquiring
Person, or any representative of the foregoing entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company as set
forth above.
For as long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may amend the
Rights in any manner, including an amendment to extend the time period in which
the Rights may be redeemed. At any time when the Rights are not then
redeemable, the Company may amend the Rights in any manner that does not
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights as such.
Amendments require the approval of the Continuing Directors.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A
copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This
Detailed Summary of Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein
by reference.
