16 89-5P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported) August 12, 1998
PHARMERICA, INC.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-20606 11-2310352
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(State of incorporation) (Commission File Number (IRS Employer
Identification No.)
3611 Queen Palm Drive, Tampa, Florida 33619
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(813) 626-7788
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(Registrant's telephone number,
including area code)
N/A
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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Items 1-4. Not Applicable.
Item 5. Other Events.
On August 12, 1998, the Board of Directors of PharMerica, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend payable August 24,
1998 of one right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company held of record at the
close of business on August 24, 1998 (the "Record Time"), or issued thereafter
and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter defined) and thereafter
pursuant to options and convertible securities outstanding at the Separation
Time. The Rights will be issued pursuant to a Stockholder Protection Rights
Agreement, dated as of August 13, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between the
Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Each Right entitles its registered holder to purchase from the Company, after
the Separation Time, one one-thousandth of a share of Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Participating Preferred Stock"), for $30.00
(the "Exercise Price"), subject to adjustment.
The Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates until the
close of business on the earlier of (either, the "Separation Time") (i) the
tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the Company
may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation Time
that would otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person (as
defined in the Rights Agreement) commences a tender or exchange offer which, if
consummated, would result in such Person's becoming an Acquiring Person, as
defined below, and (ii) the tenth day after the first date or such earlier or
later date as the Board of Directors of PharMerica, Inc. may from time to time
fix (the "Flip-in Date") of public announcement by the Company or any Person
that such Person has become an Acquiring Person (the date of such public
announcement being, the "Stock Acquisition Date"); provided that if the
foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior to the Record Time, the
Separation Time shall be the Record Time; and provided further that if a tender
or exchange offer referred to in clause (i) is cancelled, terminated or
otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation Time without the purchase of any
shares of stock pursuant thereto, such offer shall be deemed never to have been
made. An Acquiring Person is any Person having Beneficial Ownership (as defined
in the Rights Agreement) of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock, which term shall not include (i) the Company, any wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Company or any employee stock ownership or other employee benefit plan of
the Company, (ii) any person who is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Stock as of the date of the Rights Agreement or who shall
become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock
solely as a result of an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company, until such
time as such Person acquires additional Common Stock, other than through a
dividend or stock split, (iii) any
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Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding Common
Stock without any plan or intent to seek or affect control of the Company if
such Person promptly divests sufficient securities such that such 15% or greater
Beneficial Ownership ceases or (iv) any Person who Beneficially Owns shares of
Common Stock consisting solely of (A) shares acquired pursuant to the grant or
exercise of an option granted by the Company in connection with an agreement to
merge with, or acquire, the Company entered into prior to a Flip-in Date, (B)
shares owned by such Person and its Affiliates and Associates at the time of
such grant and (C) shares, amounting to less than 1% of the outstanding Common
Stock, acquired by Affiliates and Associates of such Person after the time of
such grant. The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Separation Time, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Common Stock
certificates issued after the Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall
evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall
contain a legend incorporating by reference the terms of the Rights Agreement
(as such may be amended from time to time). Notwithstanding the absence of the
aforementioned legend, certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock
outstanding at the Record Time shall also evidence one Right for each share of
Common Stock evidenced thereby. Promptly following the Separation Time, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of Common Stock at the Separation Time.
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Business Day (as defined
in the Rights Agreement) following the Separation Time. The Rights will expire
on the earliest of (i) the Exchange Time (as defined below), (ii) the close of
business on August 24, 2008, (iii) the date on which the Rights are terminated
as described below and (iv) upon the merger of the Company into another
corporation pursuant to an agreement entered into prior to a Stock Acquisition
Date (in any such case, the "Expiration Time").
The Exercise Price and the number of Rights outstanding, or in certain
circumstances the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of a
Common Stock dividend on, or a subdivision or a combination into a smaller
number of shares of, Common Stock, or the issuance or distribution of any
securities or assets in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock.
In the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Date occurs,
the Company shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure and provide
that each Right (other than Rights Beneficially Owned by the Acquiring Person or
any affiliate or associate thereof, which Rights shall become void) shall
constitute the right to purchase from the Company, upon the exercise thereof in
accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement, that number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company having an aggregate Market Price (as defined in the
Rights Agreement), on the Stock Acquisition
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Date that gave rise to the Flip-in Date, equal to twice the Exercise Price for
an amount in cash equal to the then current Exercise Price. In addition, the
Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after a
Flip-in Date and prior to the time that an Acquiring Person becomes the
Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
elect to exchange all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (other
than Rights Beneficially Owned by the Acquiring Person or any affiliate or
associate thereof, which Rights become void) for shares of Common Stock at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date of the Separation Time (the "Exchange Ratio"). Immediately upon such
action by the Board of Directors (the "Exchange Time"), the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter represent only the
right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio.
Whenever the Company shall become obligated, as described in the
preceding paragraph, to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in
exchange for Rights, the Company, at its option, may substitute therefor shares
of Participating Preferred Stock, at a ratio of one one-thousandth of a share of
Participating Preferred Stock for each share of Common Stock so issuable.
In the event that prior to the Expiration Time the Company enters into,
consummates or permits to occur a transaction or series of transactions after
the time an Acquiring Person has become such in which, directly or indirectly,
(i) the Company shall consolidate or merge or participate in a binding share
exchange with any other Person if, at the time of the consolidation, merger or
share exchange or at the time the Company enters into an agreement with respect
to such consolidation, merger or share exchange, the Acquiring Person controls
the Board of Directors of the Company and (A) any term of or arrangement
concerning the treatment of shares of capital stock in such merger,
consolidation or share exchange relating to the Acquiring Person is not
identical to the terms and arrangements relating to other holders of Common
Stock or (B) the Person with whom such transaction or series of transactions
occurs is the Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or (ii) the
Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its subsidiaries
shall sell or otherwise transfer) assets (A) aggregating more than 50% of the
assets (measured by either book value or fair market value) or (B) generating
more than 50% of the operating income or cash flow, of the Company and its
subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person (other than the Company or
one or more of its wholly owned subsidiaries) or to two or more such Persons
which are affiliated or otherwise acting in concert, if, at the time of such
sale or transfer of assets or at the time the Company (or any such subsidiary)
enters into an agreement with respect to such sale or transfer, the Acquiring
Person controls the Board of Directors of the Company (a "Flip-over Transaction
or Event"), the Company shall take such action as shall be necessary to ensure,
and shall not enter into, consummate or permit to occur such
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Flip-over Transaction or Event until it shall have entered into a supplemental
agreement with the Person engaging in such Flip-over Transaction or Event or the
parent corporation thereof (the "Flip-over Entity"), for the benefit of the
holders of the Rights, providing, that upon consummation or occurrence of the
Flip-over Transaction or Event (i) each Right shall thereafter constitute the
right to purchase from the Flip-over Entity, upon exercise thereof in accordance
with the terms of the Rights Agreement, that number of shares of common stock of
the Flip-over Entity having an aggregate Market Price on the date of
consummation or occurrence of such Flip-over Transaction or Event equal to twice
the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the then current Exercise
Price and (ii) the Flip-over Entity shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Flip-over Transaction or Event and such supplemental
agreement, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to the Rights
Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing description, the term "Acquiring
Person" shall include any Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates
counted together as a single Person.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, terminate the Rights without
any payment to the holders thereof, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company electing to
terminate the Rights, without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter be
null and void.
The holders of Rights will, solely by reason of their ownership of
Rights, have no rights as stockholders of the Company, including, without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights will not prevent a takeover of the Company. However, the
Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that acquires 15% or
more of the Common Stock unless the Rights are first terminated by the Board of
Directors of the Company. Nevertheless, the Rights should not interfere with a
transaction that is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders
because the Rights can be terminated on or prior to the close of business on the
Flip-in Date, before the consummation of such transaction.
As of August 13, 1998 there were 89,924,626 shares of Common Stock
issued (of which 89,387,126 shares were outstanding and 537,500 shares were held
in treasury) and 12,465,000 shares reserved for issuance pursuant to employee
benefit plans. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock, the
Company will issue one Right with each new share of Common Stock so that all
such shares will have Rights attached.
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The Rights Agreement (which includes as Exhibit A the forms of Rights
Certificate and Election to Exercise and as Exhibit B the form of Certificate of
Designation and Terms of the Participating Preferred Stock) 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.
In addition, the Company amended and restated its bylaws to provide for
an advance notice provision for stockholder proposals and to conform other
provisions to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation.
Item 6. Not Applicable.
Item 7. Exhibits.
(3.1) Amended and Restated Bylaws.
(4.1) Rights Agreement, which includes as Exhibit A the forms of Rights
Certificate and Election to Exercise and as Exhibit B the form of
Certificate of Designation and Terms of the Participating
Preferred Stock.
(99.1) Press release, dated August 14, 1998, issued by the Company.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
PHARMERICA, INC.
By /s/ Curtis B. Johnson
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Name: Curtis B. Johnson
Title: Legal Counsel
Date: August 24, 1998
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
PHARMERICA, INC.
ARTICLE I
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
1.1 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held,
at such place within or without the state of incorporation as may be designated
by the Board of Directors, on such date and at such time as shall be designated
each year by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. At
the annual meeting the stockholders shall elect a Board of Directors by a
plurality vote and transact such other business as may properly be brought
before the meeting.
1.2 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may be called
only by a majority of the Board of Directors or by the holders of not less than
twenty-five percent (25%) of all the shares entitled to vote at such meeting.
The place of said meetings shall be designated by the directors. The business
transacted at special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be
confined to the business stated in the notice given to the stockholders.
1.3 Notice of Stockholder Meetings. Whenever stockholders are required or
permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall
be given which shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting, and, in the
case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is
called. Unless otherwise provided by law, the written notice of any meeting
shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the
meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such
notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail,
postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder's address as it
appears on the records of the Corporation.
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1.4 Quorum Requirements. A majority of the shares entitled to vote
present, in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the
transactions of business. A meeting may be adjourned despite the absence of a
quorum, and notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and
place to which the meeting is adjourned are announced at the meeting at which
the adjournment is taken. When a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority in
interest of the stock there represented shall decide any question brought before
such meeting, unless the question is one upon which, by express provision of
this Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or by the laws of
Delaware, a larger or different vote is required, in which case such express
provision shall govern the decision of such question.
1.5 Voting and Proxies. Every stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting
may do so either in person or by proxy appointment made by an instrument in
writing subscribed by such stockholder which proxy shall be filed with the
secretary of the meeting before being voted. Such proxy shall entitle the
holders thereof to vote at any adjournment of such meeting, but shall not be
valid after the final adjournment thereof. No proxy shall be valid after the
expiration of eleven (11) months from the date of its executing, unless the said
instrument expressly provides for a longer period.
1.6 Organization. Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, or in the absence of the Chairman of
the Board of Directors by the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any,
or in the absence of the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors by the
President, or in the absence of the President by a Vice President, or in the
absence of the foregoing persons by a chairman designated by the Board of
Directors, or in the absence of such designation by a chairman chosen at the
meeting. The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary an Assistant
Secretary, shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the absence of the
Secretary and any Assistant Secretary the chairman of the meeting may appoint
any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
The order of business at each such meeting shall be as determined by the
chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting shall have the right and
authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to
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do all such acts and things as are necessary or desirable for the proper conduct
of the meeting, including, without limitation, the establishment of procedures
for the maintenance of order and safety, limitations on the time allotted to
questions or comments on the affairs of the Corporation, restrictions on entry
to such meeting after the time prescribed for the commencement thereof and the
opening and closing of the voting polls.
1.7 Advance Notice of Stockholder Proposals. At any annual or special
meeting of stockholders, proposals by stockholders and persons nominated for
election as directors by stockholders shall be considered only if advance notice
thereof has been timely given as provided herein and such proposals or
nominations are otherwise proper for consideration under applicable law and the
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Corporation. Notice of any
proposal to be presented by any stockholder or of the name of any person to be
nominated by any stockholder for election as a director of the Corporation at
any meeting of stockholders shall be delivered to the Secretary of the
Corporation at its principal executive office not less than 60 nor more than 90
days prior to the date of the meeting; provided, however, that if the date of
the meeting is first publicly announced or disclosed (in a public filing or
otherwise) less than 70 days prior to the date of the meeting, such advance
notice shall be given not more than ten days after such date is first so
announced or disclosed. Public notice shall be deemed to have been given more
than 70 days in advance of the annual meeting if the Corporation shall have
previously disclosed, in these bylaws or otherwise, that the annual meeting in
each year is to be held on a determinable date, unless and until the Board of
Directors determines to hold the meeting on a different date. Any stockholder
who gives notice of any such proposal shall deliver therewith the text of the
proposal to be presented and a brief written statement of the reasons why such
stockholder favors the proposal and setting forth such stockholder's name and
address, the number and class of all shares of each class of stock of the
Corporation beneficially owned by such stockholder and any material interest of
such stockholder in the proposal (other than as a stockholder). Any stockholder
desiring to nominate any person for election as a director of the Corporation
shall deliver with such notice a statement in writing setting forth the name of
the person to be nominated, the number and class of all shares of each class of
stock of the
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Corporation beneficially owned by such person, the information regarding such
person required by paragraphs (a), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K
adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (or the corresponding
provisions of any regulation subsequently adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission applicable to the Corporation), such person's signed consent to serve
as a director of the Corporation if elected, such stockholder's name and address
and the number and class of all shares of each class of stock of the Corporation
beneficially owned by such stockholder. As used herein, shares "beneficially
owned" shall mean all shares as to which such person, together with such
person's affiliates and associates (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934), may be deemed to beneficially own pursuant to
Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as well as all
shares as to which such person, together with such person's affiliates and
associates, has the right to become the beneficial owner pursuant to any
agreement or understanding, or upon the exercise of warrants, options or rights
to convert or exchange (whether such rights are exercisable immediately or only
after the passage of time or the occurrence of conditions). The person presiding
at the meeting, in addition to making any other determinations that may be
appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall determine whether such notice
has been duly given and shall direct that proposals and nominees not be
considered if such notice has not been given.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2.1 Qualification and Election. Directors need not be stockholders or
residents of this State, but must be of legal age. They shall be elected by a
plurality of the votes cast at the annual meetings of the stockholders or at a
special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose. Each director shall
hold office until the expiration of the term for which he is elected, and
thereafter until his successor has been elected and qualified. Whenever the
holders of preferred stock issued pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation
or the resolution or resolutions adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors
then in office providing for the issue of shares of preferred stock shall have
the right, voting as a
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separate class, to elect directors, the election, term of office, filling of
vacancies and other terms of such directorships shall be governed by the terms
of the Certificate of Incorporation or such resolution or resolutions, as the
case may be, and such directorships shall not be divided into serial classes or
otherwise subject to Section 5 of the Certificate of Incorporation unless
expressly so provided therein.
2.2 Number. The number of directors that shall constitute the entire Board
of Directors shall be not less than three (3) nor more than fifteen (15), the
exact number of directors to be determined by resolution of the Board of
Directors from time to time; provided, however, that such maximum number may be
increased from time to time to reflect the rights of holders of preferred stock
to elect directors in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of
Incorporation or of the resolution or resolutions adopted by a majority of the
Board of Directors then in office providing for the issue of shares of preferred
stock.
2.3 Meetings. The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held
immediately after the adjournment of the annual meeting of the stockholders, at
which time the officers of the Corporation shall be elected. The Board of
Directors may also designate more frequent intervals for regular meetings.
Special meetings may be called at any time by the chairman of the Board of
Directors, president, or any two directors.
2.4 Notice of Directors' Meetings. The annual and all regular Board of
Directors meetings may be held without notice of the date, time, place or
purpose of the meeting. Special meetings shall be held upon notice sent by any
usual means of communication not less than two (2) days before the meeting
noting the date, time and place of the meeting. The notice need not describe the
purposes of the special meeting. Attendance by a director at a meeting or
subsequent execution or approval by a director of the minutes of a meeting or a
consent action shall constitute a waiver of any defects in notice of such
meeting and/or consent action.
2.5 Participation in Meetings by Conference Telephone Permitted. Unless
otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Corporation, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by
the
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Board of Directors, may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors or
of such committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or
similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in
the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this
by-law shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
2.6 Quorum and Vote. The presence of a majority of the directors shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A meeting may be adjourned
despite the absence of a quorum, and notice of an adjourned meeting need not be
given if the time and place to which the meeting is adjourned are fixed at the
meeting at which the adjournment is taken, and if the period of adjournment does
not exceed thirty days in any one adjournment. The vote of a majority of the
directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of
the Board of Directors, unless the vote of a greater number is required by the
Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, or by the laws of the state of
incorporation.
2.7 Executive and Other Committees. The Board of Directors, by a
resolution adopted by a majority of its members, may designate an executive
committee, consisting of two or more directors, and other committees, consisting
of two or more persons, who may or may not be directors, and may delegate to
such committee or committees any and all such authority as it deems desirable,
including the right to delegate to an executive committee the power to exercise
all the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the affairs and
property of the Corporation.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
3.1 Number. The Corporation shall have a President, a Secretary, and such
other officers as the Board of Directors shall from time to time deem necessary.
Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of
President and Secretary.
3.2 Election and Term. The officers shall be elected by the Board of
Directors.
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3.3 Duties. All officers shall have such authority and perform such duties
in the management of the Corporation as are normally incident to their offices
and as the Board of Directors may from time to time provide.
ARTICLE IV
RESIGNATION, REMOVALS AND VACANCIES
4.1 Resignations. Any officer or director may resign at any time by giving
written notice to the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president, or the
secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein,
or, if no time is specified, then upon its acceptance by the Board of Directors.
4.2 Removal of Officers. Any officer or agent may be removed at any time
with or without cause by the Board of Directors whenever in its judgment the
best interests of the Corporation will be served thereby.
4.3 Removal of Directors. Any director or the entire Board of Directors
may be removed, with cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then
entitled to vote at an election of directors (considered for this purpose as one
class). "Cause" for purposes of this paragraph shall mean: (i) any fraudulent or
dishonest act or activity by the director; or (ii) behavior materially
detrimental to the business of the Corporation.
4.4 Vacancies. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of
Incorporation or these by-laws, vacancies and newly created directorships
resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all
of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class or from any other
cause may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less
than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. Whenever the holders of any
class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more
directors by the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created
directorships of such class or classes or series may be filled by a majority of
the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office,
or by the sole remaining director so elected. Any director elected or appointed
to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next election of the class of
directors of the director which such director
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replaced, and until and his or her successor is elected and qualified or until
his or her earlier resignation or removal.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL STOCK
5.1 Stock Certificates. Every stockholder shall be entitled to a
certificate or certificates of capital stock of the Corporation in such form as
may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. Unless otherwise decided by the
Board of Directors, such certificates shall be signed by the president and the
secretary of the Corporation.
5.2 Transfer of Shares. Shares of stock may be transferred on the books of
the Corporation by delivery and surrender of the properly assigned certificate,
but subject to any restrictions on transfer imposed by either the applicable
securities laws or any stockholder agreement.
5.3 Loss of Certificates. In the case of the loss, mutilation, or
destruction of a certificate of stock, a duplicate certificate may be issued
upon such terms as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
ARTICLE VI
ACTION BY CONSENT
6.1 Actions by Board of Directors. Whenever the directors are required or
permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken without a meeting
on written consent, setting forth the action so taken, signed by all the persons
or entities entitled to vote thereon, and such action shall be as valid and
effective as any action taken at a regular or special meeting of the directors.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
These bylaws may be amended, added to, or repealed either by: (1) a
majority of the Corporation's capital stock entitled to vote; or (2) by a
majority vote of the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year for the Corporation shall be determined by the
Corporation's Board of Directors.
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================================================================================
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
dated as of
August 13, 1998
between
PHARMERICA, INC.
and
HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
as Rights Agent
================================================================================
<PAGE>
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Table of Contents
Page
----
Article I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions......................................................2
Article II
THE RIGHTS
Section 2.1 Summary of Rights...............................................14
Section 2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates.............................14
Section 2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights........................15
Section 2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights.................18
Section 2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective.............................21
Section 2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of
Rights Certificates...........................................21
Section 2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.............22
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates.......24
Section 2.9 Persons Deemed Owners...........................................25
Section 2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates.......................25
Section 2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders.....................................26
Article III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
Section 3.1 Flip-in.........................................................27
Section 3.2 Flip-over.......................................................31
Article IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
Section 4.1 General.........................................................33
Section 4.2 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.......34
Section 4.3 Duties of Rights Agent..........................................35
Section 4.4 Change of Rights Agent..........................................38
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Article V
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 5.1 Termination....................................................40
Section 5.2 Expiration.....................................................41
Section 5.3 Issuance of New Rights Certificates............................41
Section 5.4 Supplements and Amendments.....................................42
Section 5.5 Fractional Shares..............................................43
Section 5.6 Rights of Action...............................................43
Section 5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Stockholder......................44
Section 5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions.....................................44
Section 5.9 Notices........................................................45
Section 5.10 Suspension of Exercisability...................................46
Section 5.11 Costs of Enforcement...........................................46
Section 5.12 Successors.....................................................46
Section 5.13 Benefits of this Agreement.....................................47
Section 5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.......47
Section 5.15 Descriptive Headings...........................................47
Section 5.16 Governing Law..................................................48
Section 5.17 Counterparts...................................................48
Section 5.18 Severability...................................................48
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Rights Certificate (Together with Form of
Election to Exercise)
Exhibit B Form of Certificate of Designation and Terms of
Participating Preferred Stock
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STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (as amended from time to time,
this "Agreement"), dated as of August 13, 1998, between PharMerica, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent", which term shall include any successor Rights
Agent hereunder).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (a) authorized and
declared a dividend of one right ("Right") in respect of each share of Common
Stock (as hereinafter defined) held of record as of the close of business on
August 24, 1998 (the "Record Time") and (b) as provided in Section 2.4,
authorized the issuance of one Right in respect of each share of Common Stock
issued after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time (as hereinafter
defined) and, to the extent provided in Section 5.3, each share of Common Stock
issued after the Separation Time;
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Right
entitles the holder thereof, after the Separation Time, to purchase securities
or assets of the Company (or, in certain cases, securities of certain other
entities) pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act on
behalf of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing so to act, in connection
with the issuance, transfer, exchange and replacement of Rights Certificates (as
hereinafter defined), the exercise of Rights and other matters referred to
herein;
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NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective
agreements set forth herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms
have the meanings indicated:
"Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who is a Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that
the term "Acquiring Person" shall not include any Person (i) who is the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock on the
date of this Agreement or who shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock solely as a result of an acquisition
by the Company of shares of Common Stock, until such time hereafter or
thereafter as any of such Persons shall become the Beneficial Owner (other than
by means of a stock dividend or stock split) of any additional shares of Common
Stock, (ii) who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock but who acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common
Stock without any plan or intention to seek or affect control of the Company,
if, upon notice by the Company, such Person promptly enters into an irrevocable
commitment with the Company to divest, and thereafter promptly divests (without
exercising or retaining any power, including voting, with respect to such
shares), sufficient shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible into,
exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Stock) so that such Person ceases to
be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
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Common Stock or (iii) who Beneficially Owns shares of Common Stock consisting
solely of one or more of (A) shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned pursuant
to the grant or exercise of an option granted to such Person (an "Option
Holder") by the Company in connection with an agreement to merge with, or
acquire, the Company entered into prior to a Flip-in Date, (B) shares of Common
Stock (or securities convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for
Common Stock), Beneficially Owned by such Option Holder or its Affiliates or
Associates at the time of grant of such option and (C) shares of Common Stock
(or securities convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for Common
Stock) acquired by Affiliates or Associates of such Option Holder after the time
of such grant which, in the aggregate, amount to less than 1% of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock. In addition, the Company, any wholly-owned Subsidiary of
the Company and any employee stock ownership or other employee benefit plan of
the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company shall not be an
Acquiring Person.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, as such Rule is in effect on
the date of this Agreement.
"Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", and to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, and to "Beneficially Own", any securities as to which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is or may be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of pursuant to Rule 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the
Exchange Act, as such Rules are in effect on the date of this Agreement, as well
as any securities as to which such Person or any of such
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Person's Affiliates or Associates has the right to become Beneficial Owner
(whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time
or the occurrence of conditions) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner", or to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of, or to "Beneficially Own", any security (i) solely
because such security has been tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such
tendered security is accepted for payment or exchange or (ii) solely because
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has or shares the
power to vote or direct the voting of such security pursuant to a revocable
proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made to more
than ten holders of shares of a class of stock of the Company registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act and pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, except if such power
(or the arrangements relating thereto) is then reportable under Item 6 of
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any similar provision of a comparable or
successor report). For purposes of this Agreement, in determining the percentage
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Person is the
Beneficial Owner, all shares as to which such Person is deemed the Beneficial
Owner shall be deemed outstanding.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a
day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are generally
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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"Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m. New York
City time on such date or, if such date is not a Business Day, 5:00 p.m. New
York City time on the next succeeding Business Day.
"Common Stock" shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of the Company.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
"Election to Exercise" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.3(d) hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c)
hereof.
"Exchange Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise the
Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 3.1(c) hereof.
"Exercise Price" shall mean, as of any date, the price at which a
holder may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right.
Until adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price
shall equal $30.00.
"Expansion Factor" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a)
hereof.
"Expiration Time" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Exchange Time,
(ii) the Termination Time, (iii) the close of business on the tenth anniversary
of the Record Time and (iv) immediately prior to the effective time of a
consolidation, merger or share exchange of the Company (A) into another
corporation or (B) with another corporation in which the Company is the
surviving corporation but Common Stock is converted into cash and/or
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securities of another corporation, in either case pursuant to an agreement
entered into by the Company prior to a Stock Acquisition Date.
"Flip-in Date" shall mean the tenth business day after any Stock
Acquisition Date or such earlier or later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Flip-in
Date that would otherwise have occurred.
"Flip-over Entity," for purposes of Section 3.2, shall mean (i) in the
case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event described in clause (i) of the
definition thereof, the Person issuing any securities into which shares of
Common Stock are being converted or exchanged and, if no such securities are
being issued, the other party to such Flip-over Transaction or Event and (ii) in
the case of a Flip-over Transaction or Event referred to in clause (ii) or (iii)
of the definition thereof, the Person receiving the greatest portion of the (A)
assets or (B) operating income or cash flow being transferred in such Flip-over
Transaction or Event, provided in all cases if such Person is a subsidiary of a
corporation, the parent corporation shall be the Flip-Over Entity.
"Flip-over Stock" shall mean the capital stock (or similar equity
interest) with the greatest voting power in respect of the election of directors
(or other persons similarly responsible for direction of the business and
affairs) of the Flip-Over Entity.
"Flip-over Transaction or Event" shall mean a transaction or series of
transactions after a Flip-in Date in which, directly or indirectly, (i) the
Company shall consolidate or merge or participate in a share exchange with any
other Person if, at the time of the consolidation, merger or share exchange or
at the time the Company enters into any
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agreement with respect to any such consolidation, merger or share exchange, the
Acquiring Person Controls the Board of Directors of the Company and either (A)
any term of or arrangement concerning the treatment of shares of capital stock
in such consolidation, merger or share exchange relating to the Acquiring Person
is not identical to the terms and arrangements relating to other holders of the
Common Stock or (B) the Person with whom the transaction or series of
transactions occurs is the Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of the
Acquiring Person or (ii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer) assets (A)
aggregating more than 50% of the assets (measured by either book value or fair
market value) or (B) generating more than 50% of the operating income or cash
flow, of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person
(other than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries) or to
two or more such Persons which are Affiliates or Associates or otherwise acting
in concert, if, at the time of the entry by the Company (or any such Subsidiary)
into an agreement with respect to such sale or transfer of assets, the Acquiring
Person Controls the Board of Directors of the Company. An Acquiring Person shall
be deemed to Control the Company's Board of Directors when, following a Flip-in
Date, the persons who were directors of the Company (or persons nominated and/or
appointed as directors by vote of a majority of such persons) before the Stock
Acquisition Date shall cease to constitute a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors.
"Market Price" per share of any securities on any date shall mean the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such securities (determined as
described below) on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through and
including the Trading Day immediately
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preceding such date; provided, however, that if an event of a type analogous to
any of the events described in Section 2.4 hereof shall have caused the closing
prices used to determine the Market Price on any Trading Days during such period
of 20 Trading Days not to be fully comparable with the closing price on such
date, each such closing price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in order
to make it fully comparable with the closing price on such date. The closing
price per share of any securities on any date shall be the last reported sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place or is quoted on such
date, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for each
share of such securities, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or, if the securities
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
securities are listed or admitted to trading or, if the securities are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, as reported
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation
System or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the securities
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange or
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 securities
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if on
any such date the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a national
securities exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market, the closing price
per share of such securities on such date shall mean the fair
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value per share of securities on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a nationally
recognized investment banking firm, and set forth in a certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent.
"Option Holder" shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of
Acquiring Person.
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, association,
group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as such Rule is in effect on the date of this Agreement), corporation or
other entity.
"Preferred Stock" shall mean the series of Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company created by a Certificate of
Designation and Terms in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto
appropriately completed.
"Record Time" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
"Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
"Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
"Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(c)
hereof.
"Rights Register" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.7(a)
hereof.
"Separation Time" shall mean the close of business on the earlier of
(i) the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the
Company may from time to time fix by resolution adopted prior to the Separation
Time that would otherwise have occurred) after the date on which any Person
commences a tender or exchange offer which, if consummated, would result in such
Person's becoming an Acquiring Person and (ii) the Flip-in Date; provided, that
if the foregoing results in the Separation Time being prior
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to the Record Time, the Separation Time shall be the Record Time and provided
further, that if any tender or exchange offer referred to in clause (i) of this
paragraph is canceled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Separation
Time without the purchase of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, such
offer shall be deemed, for purposes of this paragraph, never to have been made.
"Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company (by any means) or by an Acquiring Person (including
by means of filing a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (or any comparable or successor report or schedule) or an amendment
thereto) that a Person has become an Acquiring Person.
"Subsidiary" of any specified Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the equity securities or
a majority of the equity interest is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly,
by such Person.
"Termination Time" shall mean the time at which the right to exercise
the Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof.
"Trading Day," when used with respect to any securities, shall mean a
day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for the transaction of
business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc., a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if such securities are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
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ARTICLE II
THE RIGHTS
2.1 Summary of Rights. As soon as practicable after the Record Time,
the Company will mail a letter summarizing the terms of the Rights to each
holder of record of Common Stock as of the Record Time, at such holder's address
as shown by the records of the Company.
2.2 Legend on Common Stock Certificates. Certificates for the Common
Stock issued after the Record Time but prior to the Separation Time shall
evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock represented thereby and shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:
Until the Separation Time (as defined in the Rights Agreement referred
to below), this certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as
of August 13, 1998 (as such may be amended from time to time, the
"Rights Agreement"), between PharMerica, Inc. (the "Company") and
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent, the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file
at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may
be terminated, may become exercisable for securities or assets of the
Company or securities of another entity, may be exchanged for shares of
Common Stock or other securities or assets of the Company, may expire,
may become void (if they are "Beneficially Owned" by an "Acquiring
Person" or an Affiliate or Associate thereof, as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement, or by any transferee of any of the foregoing)
or may be evidenced by separate certificates and may no longer be
evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail or arrange for the
mailing of a copy of the Rights Agreement to the holder of this
certificate without charge after the receipt of a written request
therefor.
Certificates representing shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding
at the Record Time shall evidence one Right for each share of Common Stock
evidenced thereby notwithstanding the absence of the foregoing legend.
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2.3 Exercise of Rights; Separation of Rights. (a) Subject to Sections
3.1, 5.1 and 5.10 and subject to adjustment as herein set forth, each Right will
entitle the holder thereof, after the Separation Time and prior to the
Expiration Time, to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock.
(b) Until the Separation Time, (i) no Right may be exercised and (ii)
each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated share of
Common Stock (together, in the case of certificates issued prior to the Record
Time, with the letter mailed to the record holder thereof pursuant to Section
2.1) and will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a
transfer (whether with or without such letter) of, such associated share.
(c) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, after the Separation
Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights (i) may be exercised and (ii)
may be transferred independent of shares of Common Stock. Promptly following the
Separation Time, the Rights Agent will mail to each holder of record of Common
Stock as of the Separation Time (other than any Person whose Rights have become
void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)), at such holder's address as shown by the
records of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such
records to the Rights Agent for this purpose), (x) a certificate (a "Rights
Certificate") in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto appropriately
completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder at the
Separation Time and having such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appro
priate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as
may be
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required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any national securities exchange or
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded,
or to conform to usage, and (y) a disclosure statement describing the Rights.
(d) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Rights may be exercised
on any Business Day after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time
by submitting to the Rights Agent the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights
with an Election to Exercise (an "Election to Exercise") substantially in the
form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed, accompanied by payment
in cash, or by certified or official bank check or money order payable to the
order of the Company, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the
number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax
or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for shares or depositary receipts (or both) in a name other than
that of the holder of the Rights being exercised.
(e) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, with an Election to Exercise
accompanied by payment as set forth in Section 2.3(d), and subject to the terms
and conditions hereof, the Rights Agent will thereupon promptly (i)(A)
requisition from a transfer agent stock certificates evidencing such number of
shares or other securities to be purchased (the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizing its transfer agents to comply with all such requisitions) and (B) if
the Company elects pursuant to Section 5.5 not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares, requisition from the depositary selected by the
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Company depositary receipts representing the fractional shares to be purchased
or requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 5.5 and (ii) after receipt of such
certificates, depositary receipts and/or cash, deliver the same to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered (in the
case of certificates or depositary receipts) in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder.
(f) In case the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced by such holder's Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent
to such holder or to such holder's duly authorized assigns.
(g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will (i) take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized,
executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and nonassessable; (ii) take all
such action as may be necessary to comply with any applicable requirements of
the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
thereunder, and any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with
the issuance of any shares upon exercise of Rights; and (iii) pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates or of any shares issued upon the exercise of Rights, provided, that
the Company shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in
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the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of
certificates for shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights
being transferred or exercised.
2.4 Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights. (a) In the event
the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation
Time (i) declare or pay a dividend on Common Stock payable in Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, (x) the Exercise Price in
effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of shares of Common
Stock (the "Expansion Factor") that a holder of one share of Common Stock
immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision or combination would hold
thereafter as a result thereof and (y) each Right held prior to such adjustment
will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and the
adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be distributed among the shares of
Common Stock with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they
remain outstanding) and the shares issued in respect of such dividend,
subdivision or combination, so that each such share of Common Stock will have
exactly one Right associated with it. Each adjustment made pursuant to this
paragraph shall be made as of the payment or effective date for the applicable
dividend, subdivision or combination.
In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time and
prior to the Separation Time issue any shares of Common Stock otherwise than in
a transaction referred to in the preceding paragraph, each such share of Common
Stock so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which
Right shall be evidenced by
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the certificate representing such share. To the extent provided in Section 5.3,
Rights shall be issued by the Company in respect of shares of Common Stock that
are issued or sold by the Company after the Separation Time.
(b) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Record Time
and prior to the Separation Time issue or distribute any securities or assets in
respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for Common Stock (other than pursuant to a
regular periodic cash dividend or a dividend paid solely in Common Stock)
whether by dividend, in a reclassification or recapitalization (including any
such transaction involving a merger, consolidation or share exchange), or
otherwise, the Company shall make such adjustments, if any, in the Exercise
Price, number of Rights and/or securities or other property purchasable upon
exercise of Rights as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole
discretion, may deem to be appropriate under the circumstances in order to
adequately protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally, and the
Company and the Rights Agent shall amend this Agreement as necessary to provide
for such adjustments.
(c) Each adjustment to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Section
2.4 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. Whenever an adjustment to the
Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.4, the Company shall (i)
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment and (ii) promptly file
with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy
of such certificate.
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(d) Rights certificates shall represent the securities purchasable
under the terms of this Agreement, including any adjustment or change in the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, even though such
certificates may continue to express the securities purchasable at the time of
issuance of the initial Rights Certificates.
2.5 Date on Which Exercise is Effective. Each person in whose name any
certificate for shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all
purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares represented
thereby on the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was
duly surrendered and payment of the Exercise Price for such Rights (and any
applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the exercising holder
hereunder) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed,
such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which
the stock transfer books of the Company are open.
2.6 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights
Certificates. (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, President or one of its Vice Presidents,
under its corporate seal reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or one of
its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights
Certificates may be manual or facsimile.
Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the
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Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights
Certificates.
Promptly after the Company learns of the Separation Time, the Company
will notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights
Certificates executed by the Company to the Rights Agent for countersignature,
and, subject to Section 3.1(b), the Rights Agent shall manually countersign and
deliver such Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to
Section 2.3(c) hereof. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose
unless manually countersigned by the Rights Agent.
(b) Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature
thereof.
2.7 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. (a) After the
Separation Time, the Company will cause to be kept a register (the "Rights
Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the Company will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights
Agent is hereby appointed "Rights Registrar" for the purpose of maintaining the
Rights Register for the Company and registering Rights and transfers of Rights
after the Separation Time as herein provided. In the event that the Rights Agent
shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to
examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times after the Separation Time.
After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon
surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate,
and subject to
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the provisions of Section 2.7(c) and (d), the Company will execute, and the
Rights Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the
designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder's
instructions, one or more new Rights Certificates evidencing the same aggregate
number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.1(b), all Rights issued
upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be
the valid obligations of the Company, and such Rights shall be entitled to the
same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such
registration of transfer or exchange.
(c) Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer
or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Rights Agent, as the case
may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder's attorney duly
authorized in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights
Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Company may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto.
(d) The Company shall not be required to register the transfer or
exchange of any Rights after such Rights have become void under Section 3.1(b),
been exchanged under Section 3.1(c) or been terminated under Section 5.1.
2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Rights Certificates. (a) If
any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the
Expiration Time, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1, the Company
shall execute and the
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Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate
so surrendered.
(b) If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Rights Agent
prior to the Expiration Time (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the
destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate and (ii) such security or
indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any of their
agents harmless, then, subject to Sections 3.1(b), 3.1(c) and 5.1 and in the
absence of notice to the Company or the Rights Agent that such Rights
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall
execute and upon its request the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver, in
lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate
so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under
this Section 2.8, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation
thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights
Agent) connected therewith.
(d) Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.8 in
lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence an
original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the
destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by
anyone, and, subject to Section 3.1(b) shall be entitled to all the benefits of
this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly
issued hereunder.
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2.9 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock
certificate) for registration of transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any
agent of the Company or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name such Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, such Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. As used in this
Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "holder" of any
Rights shall mean the registered holder of such Rights (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated shares of Common Stock).
2.10 Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates. All Rights Certificates
surrendered upon exercise or for registration of transfer or exchange shall, if
surrendered to any person other than the Rights Agent, be delivered to the
Rights Agent and, in any case, shall be promptly canceled by the Rights Agent.
The Company may at any time deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation any
Rights Certificates previously countersigned and delivered hereunder which the
Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Rights Certificates
so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Rights Agent. No Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned in lieu of or in exchange for any Rights
Certificates canceled as provided in this Section 2.10, except as expressly
permitted by this Agreement. The Rights Agent shall destroy all canceled Rights
Certificates and deliver a certificate of destruction to the Company.
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2.11 Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of Rights by accepting
the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with
every other holder of Rights that:
(a) prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only
together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated share of
Common Stock;
(b) after the Separation Time, the Rights Certificates will be
transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein;
(c) prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Company or the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby for
all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary;
(d) Rights beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under the
circumstances set forth in Section 3.1(b), become void; and
(e) this Agreement may be supplemented or amended from time to time
pursuant to Section 2.4(b) or 5.4 hereof.
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ARTICLE III
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS IN
THE EVENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
3.1 Flip-in. (a) In the event that prior to the Expiration Time a
Flip-in Date shall occur, except as provided in this Section 3.1, each Right
shall constitute the right to purchase from the Company, upon exercise thereof
in accordance with the terms hereof (but subject to Section 5.10), that number
of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate Market Price on the Stock
Acquisition Date equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal
to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to
protect the interests of the holders of Rights generally in the event that on or
after such Stock Acquisition Date an event of a type analogous to any of the
events described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to
the Common Stock).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Rights that are or were
Beneficially Owned on or after the Stock Acquisition Date by an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or by any transferee, direct or indirect,
of any of the foregoing shall become void and any holder of such Rights
(including transferees) shall thereafter have no right to exercise or transfer
such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. If any Rights Certificate is
presented for assignment or exercise and the Person presenting the same will not
complete the certification set forth at the end of the form of assignment or
notice of election to exercise and provide such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner and its Affiliates and Associates (or former
Beneficial Owners and their Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall
reasonably
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request, then the Company shall be entitled conclusively to deem the Beneficial
Owner thereof to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or
a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced thereby to be void and not transferable or exercisable.
(c) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after a Flip-in Date and prior to the time that an Acquiring Person becomes
the Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
elect to exchange all (but not less than all) the then outstanding Rights (which
shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 3.1(b)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests
of holders of Rights generally in the event that after the Separation Time an
event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.4(a) or
(b) shall have occurred with respect to the Common Stock (such exchange ratio,
as adjusted from time to time, being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange
Ratio").
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
electing to exchange the Rights, without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and each Right (other
than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) will thereafter
represent only the right to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the Exchange Ratio. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors electing
to exchange the Rights, the Company shall give notice thereof (specifying the
steps to be taken to receive shares of Common Stock in
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exchange for Rights) to the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights (other
than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 3.1(b)) outstanding
immediately prior thereto by mailing such notice in accordance with Section 5.9.
Each Person in whose name any certificate for shares is issued upon the
exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 3.1(c) or Section 3.1(d) shall for
all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares
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 any applicable taxes and other governmental charges payable by the holder was
made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a
date upon which the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the stock
transfer books of the Company are open.
(d) Whenever the Company shall become obligated under Section 3.1(a) or
(c) to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of or in exchange for Rights,
the Company, at its option, may substitute therefor shares of Preferred Stock,
at a ratio of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock for each share of
Common Stock so issuable.
(e) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company
to permit the exercise or exchange in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(a) or (c), and the Company elects not to, or is otherwise unable to,
make the exchange referred
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to in Section 3.1(c), the Company shall either (i) call a meeting of
stockholders seeking approval to cause sufficient additional shares to be
authorized (provided that if such approval is not obtained the Company will take
the action specified in clause (ii) of this sentence) or (ii) take such action
as shall be necessary to ensure and provide, to the extent permitted by
applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on the Stock
Acquisition Date to which it is a party, that each Right shall thereafter
constitute the right to receive, (x) at the Company's option, either (A) in
return for the Exercise Price, debt or equity securities or other assets (or a
combination thereof) having a fair value equal to twice the Exercise Price, or
(B) without payment of consideration (except as otherwise required by applicable
law), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination thereof)
having a fair value equal to the Exercise Price, or (y) if the Board of
Directors of the Company elects to exchange the Rights in accordance with
Section 3.1(c), debt or equity securities or other assets (or a combination
thereof) having a fair value equal to the product of the Market Price of a share
of Common Stock on the Flip-in Date times the Exchange Ratio in effect on the
Flip-in Date, where in any case set forth in (x) or (y) above the fair value of
such debt or equity securities or other assets shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, after consultation with a
nationally recognized investment banking firm.
3.2 Flip-over. (a) Prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall not
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event unless and until it shall have entered into a
supplemental agreement with the Flip-over Entity, for the benefit of the holders
of the Rights, providing that, upon
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consummation or occurrence of the Flip-over Transaction or Event (i) each Right
shall thereafter constitute the right to purchase from the Flip-over Entity,
upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, that number of shares
of Flip-over Stock of the Flip-over Entity having an aggregate Market Price on
the date of consummation or occurrence of such Flip-over Transaction or Event
equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise
Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in order to protect the interests
of the holders of Rights generally in the event that after such date of con-
summation or occurrence an event of a type analogous to any of the events
described in Section 2.4(a) or (b) shall have occurred with respect to the
Flip-over Stock) and (ii) the Flip-over Entity shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-over Transaction or Event and such
supplemental agreement, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant
to this Agreement. The provisions of this Section 3.2 shall apply to successive
Flip-over Transactions or Events.
(b) Prior to the Expiration Time, unless the Rights will be terminated
pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof in connection therewith, the Company shall not
enter into any agreement with respect to, consummate or permit to occur any
Flip-over Transaction or Event if at the time thereof there are any rights,
warrants or securities outstanding or any other arrangements, agreements or
instruments that would eliminate or otherwise diminish in any material respect
the benefits intended to be afforded by this Rights Agreement to the holders of
Rights upon consummation of such transaction.
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ARTICLE IV
THE RIGHTS AGENT
4.1 General. (a) The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as
agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and
the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company agrees to pay to
the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted to be done 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.
(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 certificate for
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights, Rights Certificate, certificate
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.
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4.2 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 is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder services
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.4 hereof. In case at the time
such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any
of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates will 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 is 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
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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.
4.3 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 will 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 deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved
or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by a person believed by the Rights Agent to be the
Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer
or any Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will 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 will be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
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(d) The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
certificates for securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or the Rights
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any certificate for securities
purchasable upon exercise of Rights or Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the
exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to
Section 3.1(b) hereof) or any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 2.4, 3.1 or 3.2 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 after
receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.4 describing any such
adjustment); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights or any Rights or as to whether
any securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights will, when issued, be duly
and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and fully paid and
nonassessable.
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(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 any
person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chairman of the Board, the
President or any Vice President or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or
the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
persons for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such person.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee
of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Stock, 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 will not be answerable or
accountable for any
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act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any
loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct,
provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment
thereof.
4.4 Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may resign and be
discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 90 days' notice (or such
lesser notice as is acceptable to the Company) in writing mailed to the Company
and to each transfer agent of Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. The Company may
remove the Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
Agent and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified
mail, and to the holders of the Rights in accordance with Section 5.9. If the
Rights Agent should resign or be removed or otherwise become incapable of
acting, the Company will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company
fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after 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 any Rights (which
holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's Rights Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Rights 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 any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise the powers of the Rights Agent contemplated by this
Agreement and is subject to supervision or
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examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will 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 will file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the holders of the
Rights. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 4.4, 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.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Termination. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the Flip-in Date, elect to terminate the Rights
without any payment to any holder thereof.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company electing to terminate the Rights (or, if the resolution of the Board of
Directors electing to terminate the Rights states that the termination will not
be effective until the occurrence of a specified future time or event, upon the
occurrence of such future time or event),
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without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and each Right will thereafter be null and void.
5.2 Expiration. The Rights and this Agreement shall expire at the
Expiration Time and no Person shall have any rights pursuant to this Agreement
or any Right after the Expiration Time, except, if the Rights are exchanged, as
provided in Section 3.1 hereof.
5.3 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 number or kind or class of shares of stock purchasable upon exercise of
Rights made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock by the Company
following the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time pursuant to the
terms of securities convertible or redeemable into shares of Common Stock or to
options, in each case issued or granted prior to, and outstanding at, the
Separation Time, the Company shall issue to the holders of such shares of Common
Stock, Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in
connection with the issuance or sale of such shares of Common Stock; provided,
however, in each case, (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 to the Person to whom such Rights Certificates would be issued, (ii)
no such Rights Certificates shall be
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issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall have otherwise
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof, and (iii) the Company shall have no
obligation to distribute Rights Certificates to any Acquiring Person or
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any transferee of any of the
foregoing.
5.4 Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Rights Agent may
from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Rights (i) prior to the close of business on the Flip-in Date, in any
respect and (ii) after the close of business on the Flip-in Date, to make any
changes that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not
materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights generally or
in order to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be inconsistent with any other provisions herein or
otherwise defective. The Rights Agent will duly execute and deliver any
supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company which satisfies the
terms of the preceding sentence.
5.5 Fractional Shares. If the Company elects not to issue certificates
representing fractional shares upon exercise of Rights, the Company shall, in
lieu thereof, in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, either (a)
evidence such fractional shares by depositary receipts issued pursuant to an
appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it,
providing that each holder of a depositary receipt shall have all of the rights,
privileges and preferences to which such holder would be entitled as a
beneficial owner of such fractional share, or (b) pay to the registered holder
of such Rights the appropriate fraction of the Market Price per share in cash.
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5.6 Rights of Action. Subject to the terms of this Agreement (including
Sections 3.1(b) and 5.14), rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other
than rights of action vested solely in the Rights Agent, are vested in the
respective holders of the Rights; and any holder of any Rights, without the
consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights, may, on such
holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit and the benefit of other
holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such
holder's right to exercise such holder's Rights in the manner provided in such
holder's Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.
5.7 Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of
any Rights shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any
purpose the holder of shares or any other securities which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of such Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or
in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights,
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
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stockholders (except as provided in Section 5.8 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until such Rights shall have been
exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.
5.8 Notice of Proposed Actions. In case the Company shall propose after
the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time (i) to effect or permit a
Flip-over Transaction or Event or (ii) 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 Right, in accordance with Section 5.9 hereof, a notice of such
proposed action, which shall specify the date on which such Flip-over
Transaction or Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place,
and such notice shall be so given at least 20 Business Days prior to the date of
the taking of such proposed action.
5.9 Notices. Notices or demands authorized or required by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
PharMerica, Inc.
3611 Queen Palm Drive
Tampa, Florida 33619
Attention: Secretary
Any notice or demand authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights to or on the Rights Agent
shall be sufficiently
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given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
Harris Trust and Savings Bank
311 West Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Attention: Laura Kress
Notices or demands authorized or required by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to or on the holder of any Rights shall be
sufficiently given or made if delivered or sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as it appears
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Separation Time, 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.
5.10 Suspension of Exercisability. To the extent that the Company
determines in good faith that some action will or need be taken pursuant to
Section 3.1 or to comply with federal or state securities laws, the Company may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a reasonable period in order to
take such action or comply with such laws. In the event of any such suspension,
the Company shall issue as promptly as practicable a public announcement stating
that the exercisability or exchangeability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended. Notice thereof pursuant to Section 5.9 shall not be required.
Failure to give a notice pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement
shall not affect the validity of any action taken hereunder.
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<PAGE>
5.11 Costs of Enforcement. The Company agrees that if the Company or
any other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon exercise of Rights
fails to fulfill any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, then the
Company or such Person will reimburse the holder of any Rights for the costs and
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in actions to enforce
such holder's rights pursuant to any Rights or this Agreement.
5.12 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.
5.13 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
holders of the Rights any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement and this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.
5.14 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board 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. All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all
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omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board 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 of Directors of the Company to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
5.15 Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings appear herein for
convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of
any of the provisions hereof.
5.16 Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT ISSUED HEREUNDER
SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS TO BE MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY
WITHIN SUCH STATE.
5.17 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.
5.18 Severability. If any term or provision hereof or the application
thereof to any circumstance shall, in any jurisdiction and to any extent, be
invalid or unenforceable, such term or provision shall be ineffective as to such
jurisdiction to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without
invalidating or rendering
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unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the application of
such term or provision to circumstances other than those as to which it is held
invalid or unenforceable.
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<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the date first above written.
PHARMERICA, INC.
By: /s/ Curtis B. Johnson
---------------------------------
Name: Curtis B. Johnson
Title: Legal Counsel
HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
By: /s/ Laura S. Kress
---------------------------------
Name: Laura S. Kress
Title: Assistant Vice President
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<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
Form of Rights Certificate
Certificate No. W- _______ Rights
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO TERMINATION OR
MANDATORY EXCHANGE, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY,
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR
AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR
TRANSFEREES OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING WILL BE VOID.
Rights Certificate
PHARMERICA, INC.
This certifies that ____________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered holder of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the registered holder thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Stockholder Protection Rights Agreement, dated as of August
13, 1998 (as amended from time to time, the "Rights Agreement"), between
PharMerica, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust and
Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent", which term shall include any
successor Rights Agent under the Rights Agreement), to purchase from the Company
at any time after the Separation Time (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to the close of business on August 24, 2008, one
one-thousandth of a fully paid share of Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company (subject to adjustment
as provided in the Rights Agreement) at the Exercise Price referred to below,
upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of
Election to Exercise duly executed at
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<PAGE>
the principal office of the Rights Agent in The City of New York. The Exercise
Price shall initially be $30.00 per Right and shall be subject to adjustment in
certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
In certain circumstances described in the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced hereby may entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase
securities of an entity other than the Company or securities of the Company
other than Preferred Stock or assets of the Company, all as provided in the
Rights Agreement.
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. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company and are
available without cost upon written request.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose,
may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like
tenor evidencing an aggregate number of Rights equal to the aggregate number of
Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the registered holder
shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
-2-
<PAGE>
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, each Right evidenced
by this Certificate may be (a) terminated, without any payment to the holder, by
the Company under certain circumstances, at its option, or (b) exchanged by the
Company under certain circumstances, at its option, for one share of Common
Stock or one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock per Right (or, in
certain cases, other securities or assets of the Company), subject in each case
to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to
vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of any
securities 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 Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged as provided in
the Rights Agreement.
-3-
<PAGE>
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.
Date: ____________
ATTEST: PHARMERICA, INC.
By:
- ---------------------------- --------------------------------
Secretary
Countersigned:
HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK
By
----------------------------
Authorized Signature
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<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer this Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ____________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ____________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _______________, ____
Signature Guaranteed: _________________________
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name
as written upon the face of this
Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration
or enlargement or any change
whatsoever)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to
SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
- ------------------------------------------
(To be completed if true)
-1-
<PAGE>
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of
Rights and shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never been,
Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as defined in the Rights Agreement).
--------------------------------
Signature
- ------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in
connection with a purported assignment, the Company will deem the Beneficial
Owner of the Rights evidenced by the enclosed Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
-2-
<PAGE>
[To be attached to each Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ELECTION TO EXERCISE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Rights Certificate.)
TO: PHARMERICA, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_______________________ whole Rights represented by the attached Rights
Certificate to purchase the shares of Participating Preferred Stock issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares
be issued in the name of:
------------------------------------------
Address:
------------------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification 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:
------------------------------------------
Address:
------------------------------------------
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number:
------------------------------------------
Dated:
--------------------, -----
Signature Guaranteed: -----------------------------------
Signature
(Signature must correspond to name
as written upon the face of the
attached Rights Certificate in
every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever)
-1-
<PAGE>
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee Medallion program), pursuant to
SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
- ----------------------------------------
(To be completed if true)
The undersigned hereby represents, for the benefit of all holders of
Rights and shares of Common Stock, that the Rights evidenced by the attached
Rights Certificate are not, and, to the knowledge of the undersigned, have never
been, Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
-------------------------
Signature
- ----------------------------------------
NOTICE
In the event the certification set forth above is not completed in
connection with a purported exercise, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner
of the Rights evidenced by the attached Rights Certificate to be an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
or a transferee of any of the foregoing and accordingly will deem the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate to be void and not transferable or
exercisable.
-2-
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION AND TERMS
OF PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF PHARMERICA, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
We, the undersigned, ____________________ and ____________________, the
____________________ and __________, respectively, of PharMerica, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), do hereby certify as follows:
Pursuant to authority granted by Article Fourth of the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, and in accordance with the
provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has adopted the following
resolutions fixing the designation and certain terms, powers, preferences and
other rights of a new series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share, and certain qualifications, limitations and restrictions
thereon:
RESOLVED, that there is hereby established a series of Preferred
Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation, and the
designation and certain terms, powers, preferences and other rights of
the shares of such series, and certain qualifications, limitations and
restrictions thereon, are hereby fixed as follows:
(i) The distinctive serial designation of this series shall
be "Participating Preferred Stock" (hereinafter called "this
Series"). Each share of this Series shall be identical in all
respects with the other shares of this Series except as to the
dates from and after which dividends thereon shall be cumulative.
-1-
<PAGE>
(ii) The number of shares in this Series shall initially be
300,000, which number may from time to time be increased or
decreased (but not below the number then outstanding) by the Board
of Directors. Shares of this Series purchased by the Corporation
shall be canceled and shall revert to authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock undesignated as to series. Shares of
this Series may be issued in fractional shares, which fractional
shares shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's
fractional share, to all rights of a holder of a whole share of
this Series.
(iii) The holders of full or fractional shares of this Series
shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of
Directors, but only out of funds legally available therefor,
dividends, (A) on each date that dividends or other distributions
(other than dividends or distributions payable in Common Stock of
the Corporation) are payable on or in respect of Common Stock
comprising part of the Reference Package (as defined below), in an
amount per whole share of this Series equal to the aggregate
amount of dividends or other distributions (other than dividends
or distributions payable in Common Stock of the Corporation) that
would be payable on such date to a holder of the Reference Package
and (B) on the last day of March, June, September and December in
each year, in an amount per whole share of this Series equal to
the excess (if any) of $____* over the aggregate dividends paid
per whole share of this Series during the three month period
ending on such last day. Each such dividend shall be paid to the
holders of record of shares of this Series on the date, not
exceeding sixty days preceding such dividend or distribution
payment date, fixed for the purpose by the Board of Directors in
advance of payment of each particular dividend or distribution.
Dividends on each full and each fractional share of this Series
shall be cumulative from the date such full or fractional share is
originally issued; provided that any such full or fractional share
originally issued after a dividend record date and on or prior to
the dividend payment date to which such record date relates shall
not be entitled to receive the dividend payable on such dividend
payment date or any amount in respect of the period from such
original issuance to such dividend payment date.
The term "Reference Package" shall initially mean 1000 shares
of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of
the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the
- --------
* Insert an amount equal to 1/4 of 1% of the Exercise Price divided by the
number of shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of one Right.
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close of business on ________, ____* (A) declare or pay a dividend
on any Common Stock payable in Common Stock, (B) subdivide any
Common Stock or (C) combine any Common Stock into a smaller number
of shares, then and in each such case the Reference Package after
such event shall be the Common Stock that a holder of the
Reference Package immediately prior to such event would hold
thereafter as a result thereof.
Holders of shares of this Series shall not be entitled to any
dividends, whether payable in cash, property or stock, in excess
of full cumulative dividends, as herein provided on this Series.
So long as any shares of this Series are outstanding, no
dividend (other than a dividend in Common Stock or in any other
stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon
liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or
other distribution declared or made upon the Common Stock or upon
any other stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends or
upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Stock nor any other stock
of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with this
Series as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased
or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid
to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any
shares of any such stock) by the Corporation (except by conversion
into or exchange for stock of the Corporation ranking junior to
this Series as to dividends and upon liquidation), unless, in each
case, the full cumulative dividends (including the dividend to be
due upon payment of such dividend, distribution, redemption,
purchase or other acquisition) on all outstanding shares of this
Series shall have been, or shall contemporaneously be, paid.
(iv) In the event of any merger, consolidation,
reclassification 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 this Series shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed in an amount per whole share equal to the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other
property (payable in kind), as the case may be, that a holder of
the Reference Package would be entitled to receive as a result of
such transaction.
- --------
* For a certificate of designation relating to shares to be issued pursuant
to Section 2.3 of the Rights Agreement, insert the Separation Time. For a
certificate of designation relating to shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 3.1(d) of the Rights Agreement, insert the Flip-in Date.
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<PAGE>
(v) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or
involuntary, the holders of full and fractional shares of this
Series shall be entitled, before any distribution or payment is
made on any date to the holders of the Common Stock or any other
stock of the Corporation ranking junior to this Series upon
liquidation, to be paid in full an amount per whole share of this
Series equal to the greater of (A) $__________* or (B) the
aggregate amount distributed or to be distributed prior to such
date in connection with such liquidation, dissolution or winding
up to a holder of the Reference Package (such greater amount being
hereinafter referred to as the "Liquidation Preference"), together
with accrued dividends to such distribution or payment date,
whether or not earned or declared. If such payment shall have been
made in full to all holders of shares of this Series, the holders
of shares of this Series as such shall have no right or claim to
any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
In the event the assets of the Corporation available for
distribution to the holders of shares of this Series upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether
voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all
amounts to which such holders are entitled pursuant to the first
paragraph of this Section (v), no such distribution shall be made
on account of any shares of any other class or series of Preferred
Stock ranking on a parity with the shares of this Series upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up unless proportionate
distributive amounts shall be paid on account of the shares of
this Series, ratably in proportion to the full distributable
amounts for which holders of all such parity shares are
respectively entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or
winding up.
Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, the holders of shares of this Series then outstanding
shall be entitled to be paid out of assets of the Corporation
available for distribution to its stockholders all amounts to
which such holders are entitled pursuant to the first paragraph of
this Section (v) before any payment shall be made to the holders
of Common Stock or any other stock of the Corporation ranking
junior upon liquidation to this Series.
For the purposes of this Section (v), the consolidation or
merger of, or binding share exchange by, the Corporation with any
other
- --------
* Insert an amount equal to 1000 times the Exercise Price in effect as of the
Separation Time.
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<PAGE>
corporation shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
(vi) The shares of this Series shall not be redeemable.
(vii) In addition to any other vote or consent of
stockholders required by law or by the Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation, each whole share of
this Series shall, on any matter, vote as a class with any other
capital stock comprising part of the Reference Package and voting
on such matter and shall have the number of votes thereon that a
holder of the Reference Package would have.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed and attested this
certificate on the ____ day of _________, _____.
---------------------------------
Attest:
-------------------------
-5-
Contact: Charles O'Neill
PharMerica
(800) 237-7676
Jeannette Moninger
Johnston Wells
(303) 623-3366
PHARMERICA ADOPTS STOCKHOLDER PROTECTION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
TAMPA, Fla., (August 14, 1998) -- PharMerica's (Nasdaq: DOSE) board of
directors adopted a Stockholder Protection Rights Agreement and declared a
dividend of one Right on each outstanding share of PharMerica Common Stock. The
dividend will be paid on Aug. 24, 1998 to stockholders of record on Aug. 24,
1998.
The Rights Agreement was adopted to deter abusive takeover tactics that
can be used to deprive stockholders of the full value of their investment. It
was not adopted in response to any specific effort to acquire control of
PharMerica.
Until it is announced that a person or group has acquired 15 percent or
more of PharMerica's Common Stock (an "Acquiring Person") or commences a tender
offer that will result in such person or group owning 15 percent or more of
PharMerica's Common Stock, the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates, will automatically trade with the Common Stock and will not be
exercisable. Thereafter, separate Rights certificates will be distributed, and
each Right will entitle its holder to purchase Participating Preferred Stock
having economic and voting terms similar to those of one share of Common Stock
for an exercise price of $30.
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<PAGE>
PharMerica Adopts Agreement
Page 2
Upon announcement that any person or group has become an Acquiring
Person, then 10 days thereafter (or such earlier or later date as the board may
decide) (the "Flip-in Date") each Right (other than Rights beneficially owned by
any Acquiring Person or transferees thereof, which Rights become void) will
entitle its holder to purchase, for the exercise price, a number of shares of
PharMerica Common Stock having a market value of twice the exercise price. Also,
if after an Acquiring Person controls PharMerica's board of directors,
PharMerica is involved in a merger or sells more than 50 percent of its assets
or earning power (or has entered an agreement to do any of the foregoing), and,
in the case of a merger, the Acquiring Person will receive different treatment
than all other stockholders, each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, for
the exercise price, a number of shares of Common Stock of the Acquiring Person
having a market value of twice the exercise price. If any person or group
acquires between 15 percent and 50 percent of PharMerica's Common Stock,
PharMerica's board of directors may, at its option, exchange one share of
PharMerica Common Stock for each Right.
The Rights may be terminated by the board of directors prior to the
Flip-in Date.
Arnold C. Renschler, M.D., chairman, president and chief executive officer
of PharMerica stated, "The Rights Agreement is not intended to and will not
prevent a takeover of PharMerica at a full and fair price. However, the Rights
may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that acquires 15 percent or
more of the Common Stock unless the Rights are first terminated by the board of
directors of the company. Nevertheless, the Rights should not interfere with a
transaction that is in the best interests of the company and its stockholders
because the Rights can be terminated prior to a triggering event.
--more--
<PAGE>
PharMerica Adopts Agreement
Page 3
"The Rights Agreement does not in any way weaken PharMerica's financial
strength or interfere with its business plans. The issuance of the Rights has no
dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings per share, is not taxable to
PharMerica or its stockholders and will not change the way in which PharMerica
shares are traded."
A letter to stockholders regarding the Rights Agreement and a summary of
certain terms of the Rights Agreement will be mailed to stockholders.
In addition, the company amended and restated its bylaws to provide for an
advance notice provision for stockholder proposals and to conform other
provisions to its Certificate of Incorporation.
PharMerica is one of the nation's foremost providers of quality,
cost-effective pharmacy products and services to the long-term care, assisted
living, subacute and skilled nursing industries (servicing appropriately 366,000
beds), as well as online pharmacy (serving approximately 165,000 patients); and
mail-service workers' compensation (serving approximately 82,000 patients),
including the catastrophically injured population.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., PharMerica operates more than 160 pharmacy
facilities located in 37 states. The company was created by the combination of
Capstone Pharmacy Services and Pharmacy Corporation of America in December 1997.
For more information about PharMerica, please call 1-800-237-7676, ext. 6788, or
visit PharMerica's corporate site at www.pharmerica.com
# # #
