SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Wisconsin 39-1382325
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(State of incorporation (IRS Employer
or organization) Identification No.)
3700 West Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered each class is to be registered
Preferred Share Purchase Rights New York Stock Exchange
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c), please check the following box. [X]
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(d), please check the following box. [ ]
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates:
Not applicable
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
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Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.
On February 17, 2000, the Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson, Inc.
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, $.01 par value (the "Common
Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable upon the close of business on
August 20, 2000 to the shareholders of record on that date (the "Record Date").
The Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date will include the Common Shares
the Company will issue in connection with the two-for-one split of the Common
Shares (the "Stock Split") effective for shareholders of record on March 22,
2000 and payable on April 7, 2000. Each Right will entitle the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one ten-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the
Company at a price of $175 per one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject
to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights
are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company
and Firstar Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). The Preferred
Stock Purchase Rights that are currently outstanding under the Company's
existing rights agreement expire upon the close of business on August 20, 2000.
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other
than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee benefit plan of the
Company or a subsidiary) (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the "Shares
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors prior to such time as
any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or
announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or
group (other than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee
benefit plan of the Company or a subsidiary) of 25% or more of such outstanding
Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share
certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share
certificate.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred
with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued
after the Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares, will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares, outstanding as of
the Record Date, even without such notation, will also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.
As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and
such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on August 20, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Rights
are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, or the Rights Agreement is
amended, in each case as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
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Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price,
less than the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends or dividends payable in
Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one ten-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
after the Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend of 10,000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 10,000 times the payment made per Common
Share. Each Preferred Share will have 10,000 votes, voting together with the
Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other
transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be
entitled to receive 10,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, voting and
liquidation rights, the value of the one ten-thousandth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share as of the Record Date.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (a "Flip-In
Event"), each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided in the Rights
Agreement) will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number
of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances cash, property or other
securities of the Company or a reduction in the Purchase Price) having a market
value of two times the then current Purchase Price. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of a Flip-In Event all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, or
subsequently become beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, related persons
and transferees will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or (ii) 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are
sold (the events described in clauses (i) and (ii) are herein referred to as
"Flip-Over Events"), proper provision will be made so that each holder of a
Right (except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement) will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company
which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the
then current Purchase Price.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth
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of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts). In lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based
on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the
date of exercise.
The Purchase Price is payable by certified check, cashier's check,
bank draft or money order or, if so provided by the Company, the Purchase Price
following the occurrence of a Flip-In Event and until the first occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event may be paid in Common Shares having an equivalent value.
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by any Acquiring Person which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the
Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges),
per Right (subject to adjustment).
At any time prior to a person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board
of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as
the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon
any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption
Price.
Other than amendments that would change the Redemption Price or move
to an earlier date the final expiration date of the Rights, the terms of the
Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the
consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment to lower the
threshold for exercisability of the Rights from 25% or 15%, as the case may be,
to not less than 10%, with appropriate exceptions for any person then
beneficially owning a percentage of the number of Common Shares then outstanding
equal to or in excess of the new threshold, except that from and after the later
of the Record Date and such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no
such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
While distribution of the Rights will not constitute a taxable event
to the shareholders or the Company, the shareholders may, depending on the
circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Preferred Shares (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company, as set forth above.
As of February 17, 2000 (prior to the Stock Split discussed above),
there were 151,571,374 Common Shares issued and outstanding. Each outstanding
Common Share upon the close of business on August 20, 2000 will receive one
Right. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will
issue one Right for each Common Share which becomes outstanding between the
Record Date and the Distribution Date so that all such shares will have attached
Rights. The Company's Board of Directors has initially reserved 100,000
Preferred Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, effective on the
Record Date.
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The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
without conditioning the offer on redemption of the Rights or on a substantial
number of Rights being acquired. The Rights should not interfere with any merger
or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors of the Company
prior to the time that the Rights may not be redeemed (as described above) since
the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time until the Shares
Acquisition Date redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
$.01 per Right. The Rights are designed to provide additional protection against
abusive takeover tactics such as offers for all shares at less than full value
or at an inappropriate time (in terms of maximizing long-term shareholder
value), partial tender offers and selective open-market purchases. The Rights
are intended to assure that the Company's Board of Directors has the ability to
protect shareholders and the Company if efforts are made to gain control of the
Company in a manner that is not in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders.
The Rights Agreement between the Company and the Rights Agent
specifying the terms of the Rights, which includes as Exhibit B the Form of
Right Certificate, is attached hereto as an exhibit. The foregoing description
of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such exhibit.
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Item 2. Exhibits.
(4.1) Rights Agreement, dated as of February 17, 2000, between
Harley-Davidson, Inc. and Firstar Bank, N. A., which includes
as Exhibit A thereto the Terms of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, as Exhibit B thereto the Form
of Right Certificate and as Exhibit C thereto the Summary of
Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares.
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<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
Date: February 18, 2000 By: /s/ Gail A. Lione
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Gail A. Lione
Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
FORM 8-A
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
(4.1) Rights Agreement, dated as of February 17, 2000, between
Harley-Davidson, Inc. and Firstar Bank, N. A., which includes as
Exhibit A thereto the Terms of the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, as Exhibit B thereto the Form of Right Certificate
and as Exhibit C thereto the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares.
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
and
FIRSTAR BANK, N. A.
Rights Agent
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of February 17, 2000
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Certain Definitions...............................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.......................................3
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.......................................3
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates........................................5
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.................................5
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost
or Stolen Right Certificates......................................6
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights....................................................6
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates................8
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares..................8
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date......................................8
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights..................................................9
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares........................................................16
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange or Sale or
Transfer of Assets or Earning Power..............................16
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..........................18
Section 15. Rights of Action.................................................19
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.......................................19
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder................20
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent......................................20
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent............................................................21
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent...........................................21
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent...........................................23
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates...............................23
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Section 23. Redemption.......................................................24
Section 24. Exchange.........................................................24
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.........................................26
Section 26. Notices..........................................................26
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.......................................27
Section 28. Successors.......................................................27
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.......................................28
Section 30. Severability.....................................................28
Section 31. Governing Law....................................................28
Section 32. Counterparts.....................................................28
Section 33. Descriptive Headings.............................................28
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.............28
Exhibit A - Terms of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
ii
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of February 17, 2000, between
HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC., a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"), and FIRSTAR
BANK, N. A. (the "Rights Agent").
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share of the Company outstanding upon the close of business on August 20,
2000 (the "Record Date") payable upon the close of business on such date, and
has authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each
Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right representing the right
to purchase one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined) of
the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any trustee,
administrator or fiduciary of such a plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as a result of an acquisition of
Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by
such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding;
provided, however, that if a Person would, but for the foregoing, become an
Acquiring Person by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after
such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Shares of the Company at any time that the Person is or
thereby becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding (other than Common Shares acquired solely as a result
of corporate action of the Company not caused, directly or indirectly, by such
Person), then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no
longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the
Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of, or with respect to, acquiring, holding, voting (except to the
extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of
any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Wisconsin are authorized
or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Milwaukee, Wisconsin time, on the
next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the shares of common stock, par value $.01, of the Company, or shares
having equivalent rights, privileges and preferences to common stock. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equivalent equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons that ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other
entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(j) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00, of the Company having the
preferences and rights set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Agreement.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Shares of the Company) in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors prior to such time as
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement of,
or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person to commence,
a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the
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Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any trustee, administrator, or
fiduciary of such a plan) becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares of the
Company aggregating 25% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including
in either case any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior
to the Record Date; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"; provided, however, that if the tenth day or Business Day,
as the case may be, after the pertinent date occurs before the Record Date,
"Distribution Date" shall mean the Record Date), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates
for Common Shares of the Company registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares of
the Company. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company
will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company
will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares of the Company as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at
the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right
Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right
Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share of the Company so
held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Right Certificates.
(b) On or prior to the Record Date, or as soon as practicable
thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase
Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of
Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares of the Company, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares of the Company
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders
thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or
Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares of the Company outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of
the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares of the Company that become
outstanding (including, without limitation, certificates for reacquired Common
Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c) and certificates
issued on the transfer of Common Shares) after the Record Date but prior to the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to
them a legend in substantially the following form (provided, however, that
certificates for Common Shares of the Company in existence on the Record Date
may bear the legend required by the Company's predecessor rights agreement):
This certificate also evidences and entitles the
holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights
Agreement between Harley-Davidson, Inc. and Firstar Bank, N.
A., dated as of February 17, 2000, and as such agreement may
be amended (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which
is on file at the principal executive offices of
Harley-Davidson, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced
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by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by
this certificate. Harley-Davidson, Inc. will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, an Acquiring Person
or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), whether held by such
person or any subsequent holder, shall become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one ten-thousandths
of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"),
but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon exercise of each Right
and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice
President either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates
shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for
any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
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(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after
the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of
business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any
Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates
representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the close of business on August 20, 2010, subject to extension
(the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), and (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
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(b) The Purchase Price for each one ten-thousandth of a Preferred
Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $175.00, shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof
and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, as set forth below, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one ten-thousandths of a
Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depositary agent), (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares
in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates
or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of
the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after
receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be
reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made by certified check,
cashier's check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company,
except that, if so provided by the Board of Directors of the Company, the
payment of the Purchase Price following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event (as hereinafter defined) and until the first occurrence of a Section 13
Event (as hereinafter defined) may be made wholly or in part by delivery of a
certificate or certificates (with appropriate stock powers executed in blank
attached thereto) evidencing a number of Common Shares of the Company equal to
the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the Trading Day (as such term is
hereinafter defined) immediately preceding the date of such exercise. If the
Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or
distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will
make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other
property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
with respect to a registered holder of a Right Certificate upon the occurrence
of any purported transfer, assignment or exercise as set forth in this Section 7
unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the
certificate following the form of assignment or election to purchase set forth
on the reverse of the Right Certificate surrendered for such transfer,
assignment or exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
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Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in its treasury the number
of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of
Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use
its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all Preferred Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on
such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares (except as
otherwise provided by any corporation law applicable to the Company).
(d) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates for the Preferred Shares in a name other
than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates for
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at
the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the
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Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares
transfer books of the Company are open.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date
of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a),
the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock
issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder
of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right
had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an
event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event
any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, other than pursuant to any
transaction set forth in Section 13(a), each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one ten-
thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred
Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is
then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current
per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the date the Person became an Acquiring
Person (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
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From and after such time as a Person becomes an Acquiring Person
(a "Section 11(a)(ii) Event"), any Rights that are or were acquired or
beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate
of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of
this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3
that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon
the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be
void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate;
and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an
Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding
sentence shall be cancelled. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts
to ensure that the provisions of this paragraph are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person
as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an
Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares of the Company issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued
(and not reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the
Rights) to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of
(1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a
Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the
"Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable
Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share or shares, or units of shares, of
preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to
have the same value as Common Shares of the Company (such one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share or shares of preferred stock,
hereinafter referred to as "common stock equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the
Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking
firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however,
if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days
following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of
any portion of the Purchase Price, Common Shares of the Company (to the
extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash
have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of
the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional Common Shares of the Company might be authorized for issuance
for exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth
above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety
(90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that
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the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need
be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to the last paragraph of
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights
until the expiration of the Substitution Period to seek any authorization
of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution
to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value
thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the value of the Common Shares of the Company shall be the current per
share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the
Common Shares of the Company on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the
value of any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same
value as the Common Shares of the Company on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares at a price per
Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per
share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred
shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred
Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to
be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate
offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent
preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price
of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred
Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred
Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a
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consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)),
the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market
price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date,
less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the
Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (ii) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each Trading Day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Securities are not listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System
("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share
market price of the Common Shares of the Company as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the Record Date),
multiplied by 10,000. If neither the Common Shares of the Company nor the
Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per
share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share as
the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such
adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a),
the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive
any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Preferred Shares
(calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share covered by
a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the
product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the
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number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be
registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one ten-thousandths
of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates
issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares issuable
upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which
may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable (except as otherwise
provided by any corporation law applicable to the Company) Preferred Shares at
such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock
or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall
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determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the
Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than
the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Common Shares shall not be
taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Shares Acquisition Date, (i)
consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any
Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) or
(iv) consummate a share exchange with any other Person, if at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or share exchange (A) there
are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (B) prior to, simultaneously
with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or share exchange the
shareholders of the Person who constitute, or would constitute, the "Principal
Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution
of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and
Associates or (C) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party
would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 27
hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish
substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the Record Date and prior to
the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding Common Shares
payable in Common Shares, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each Common Share following any such event shall equal the result obtained by
multiplying the number of Rights associated with each Common Share immediately
prior to such event by a fraction the numerator which shall be the total number
of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event
and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts
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accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each
transfer agent for the Common Shares of the Company a copy of such certificate
and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 25 hereof.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y)
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, or any Person or Persons (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section
11(o) hereof) shall consummate a share exchange with the Company, and, in
connection with such consolidation, merger or share exchange, all or part of the
outstanding Common Shares of the Company shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction
or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more
than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall
be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided
herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable (or,
if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of any
of the events described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) above (a "Section 13 Event"),
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event multiplied by the number of one ten-thousandths of a
Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
first occurrence), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number
of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable (except as otherwise
required by any corporation law applicable to the Principal Party (as such term
is hereinafter defined)) and freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal
Party, not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other
adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price by the number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to
the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such
shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which,
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as
the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by
(2) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per Common Share of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer
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to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of
Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction
as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence
of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
(y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer
of any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted in
such merger, consolidation or share exchange, and if no securities are so
issued, (A) the Person that is the other party to the merger, consolidation
or share exchange and that survives such merger or consolidation, or, if
there is more than one such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which
have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (B) if
the Person that is the other party to the merger or consolidation does not
survive the merger or consolidation, the Person that does survive the
merger or consolidation (including the Company if it survives); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Shares of such
Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding
twelve (12) month-period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer
to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate
market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
share exchange, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized Common Shares which have not been issued or
reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal
Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger, share exchange or sale of assets mentioned in
paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and will use its
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best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Final Expiration Date; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply
in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers,
consolidations, share exchanges, sales or other transfers. In the event that a
Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall
thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or
to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of
such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise
be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred
Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of
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<PAGE>
one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Preferred Share. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current
market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred
Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof)
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right 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.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer;
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in
whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
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<PAGE>
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a
court or competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided,
however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or
ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or other distributions or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the stock transfer or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties
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hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned;
and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
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 Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full
force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, 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 shall be full
authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith
by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any
other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due authorization,
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execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity
or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof)
provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual
notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act
hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or other securities to be
issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any
Preferred Shares or other securities will, when issued, be validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of
any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those
instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in, or act as the transfer
agent for, any of the Rights, Common Shares or other securities of the Company
or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be
interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as
fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement.
Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity
for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each
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transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall
resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company
shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal
or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by
the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right
Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or of the State of New York or the State of Wisconsin
(or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is
authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York or
the State of Wisconsin), in good standing, having an office or agency in the
State of Wisconsin or the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws
to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50 million, or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a)
of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested
with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been
originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in
this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption.
(a) The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 23 and shall not be redeemed in any
other manner.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all
but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01
per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the Record Date (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such basis and
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Notwithstanding anything
23
<PAGE>
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the
Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired.
(c) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to
subsection (b) of this Section 23, and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not
affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after the effectiveness
of the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights
pursuant to subsection (b), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all
the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire
or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for
Common Shares of the Company at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the Record Date (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any
time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any
trustee, administrator or fiduciary of such a plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or
more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares of the Company
equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the
24
<PAGE>
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method
by which the exchange of the Common Shares of the Company for Rights will be
effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which
will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the
number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as such
term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the Common Shares of
the Company exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one ten-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share of
the Company, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting
rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the
fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share of the
Company shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share of the Company.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares of
the Company or Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares of the Company or Preferred Shares for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares of the Company or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Common Shares of the Company. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares of the
Company, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares of the Company
would otherwise be issued an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Common Share of the Company. For the purposes of
this paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole Common Share of the
Company shall be the closing price of a Common Share of the Company (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, after the Distribution Date,
(i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the
holders of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase
any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other
securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of Preferred
Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with (other than a merger of a Subsidiary into or with the Company), to
effect any share exchange with or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to
permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in
one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, or (v) to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each
such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the
25
<PAGE>
purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, share exchange,
sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the
date of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in
the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event shall
occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
include a brief summary of the Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event, as
the case may be, and the consequences thereof to holders of Rights, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Shares shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices.
(a) Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the
Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights
Agent) as follows:
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
3700 West Juneau Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208
Attention: Secretary
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or
demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Firstar Bank, N. A.
1555 RiverCenter Drive, Suite 301
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
(c) Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate
shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the later of the
Record Date and such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and subject
to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company may and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of
this Agreement without the approval of any holders
26
<PAGE>
of certificates representing Common Shares of the Company. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to the later of the Record Date and
such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to
lower the thresholds set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) hereof from 25% or 15%,
as the case may be, to not less than 10%, with appropriate exceptions for
persons then beneficially owning Common Shares of the Company constituting a
percentage of the number of Common Shares then outstanding equal to or in excess
of the new threshold. From and after the later of the Record Date and such time
as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Right Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provision herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder
in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall
not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person);
provided, that from and after the later of the Record Date and such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights
are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is
for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the
benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent
shall execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding anything contained
in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall be made
which changes the Redemption Price or moves to an earlier date the then
effective Final Expiration Date. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests
of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Shares of the Company.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares of the Company) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common Shares of the Company).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
27
<PAGE>
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Wisconsin 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.
Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares
of the Company outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which
any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive
power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and
powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or to the Company, or as
may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the right and power to (a) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement, and (b) make all determinations deemed necessary
or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination
to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and any
determination as to whether actions or any Person shall be such as to cause such
Person to beneficially own shares held by another Person). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (ii) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done
or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (i) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of
the Rights and all other parties, and (ii) not subject the Board of Directors of
the Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
28
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
Attest:
/s/ Tonit M. Calaway /s/ Gail A. Lione
- ------------------------------ ------------------------------
By: Tonit M. Calaway By: Gail A. Lione
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President,
General Counsel
FIRSTAR BANK, N. A.
Attest:
/s/ Janice Grezinski /s/ Nikhat Quryshi
- ------------------------------ ------------------------------
By: Janice Grezinski By: Nikhat Quryshi
Title: Senior Trust Officer Title: Trust Officer
29
<PAGE>
=====================
EXHIBIT A
=====================
Terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
$1.00 par value, of
Harley-Davidson, Inc.,
As Amended
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting such series shall be
500,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference
to the holders of shares of Common Stock and of any other junior stock, shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of
funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the first business days of January, April, July and October in each year (each
such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"),
commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per
share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 or (ii)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 10,000 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 10,000 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all noncash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Payment
Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A
Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the close
of business on August 20, 2000 (the "Record Date") (a) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (b) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (c) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number
of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under
clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that are outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period
between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of
A-1
<PAGE>
$1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on
such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled
to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed
for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
10,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record
Date declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other resolution of
the Board of Directors creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the
holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required
(except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as
set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
A-2
<PAGE>
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions
on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred
Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in
arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with (both as to
dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) the Series A
Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity
with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes,
shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment
among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any corporation of which an
amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority of the
directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
the Corporation or otherwise controlled by the Corporation to purchase or
otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation
unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or
otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
A-3
<PAGE>
5. Reacquired Shares. All shares of Series A Preferred Stock that
shall at any time have been reacquired by the Corporation shall, after such
reacquisition, have the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred
Stock of the Corporation, without designation as to series, and may be reissued
as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or
resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (A)
to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends
and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment,
provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount to
be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (B) to the
holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all other
such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Date declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso
in clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter
into any consolidation, merger, combination, share exchange or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other
stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the
shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged
or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 10,000 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Date (A) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock, or (C) combine the outstanding shares of Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
A-4
<PAGE>
8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not
be redeemable.
9. Amendment. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
prior to such time as shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and
outstanding, the Board of Directors may modify, amend, alter or revoke any of
the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the powers, preferences or
special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock or the other terms of the Series
A Preferred Stock. From and after such time as shares of Series A Preferred
Stock are issued and outstanding, the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner that would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class.
10. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
A-5
<PAGE>
=====================
EXHIBIT B
=====================
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 20, 2010 (SUBJECT TO
EXTENSION) OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND
TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
This certifies that ________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of February 17, 2000, and as such agreement may be amended
(the "Rights Agreement"), between Harley-Davidson, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation
(the "Company"), and Firstar Bank, N. A. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Milwaukee, Wisconsin time, on
August 20, 2010, subject to extension, at the principal office of the Rights
Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one ten-thousandth of
one fully paid nonassessable (except as otherwise provided by any corporation
law applicable to the Company) share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, par value $1.00 ("Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price
of $175.00 per one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"),
upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of
Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one ten-thousandths of a Preferred Share which
may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price
set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of August 20, 2000, based
on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights
Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one ten-thousandths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
This Right 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
B-1
<PAGE>
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 Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on
file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned
offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right.
The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, but prior to such Person's
acquisition of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, par value
$.01 ("Common Stock"), of the Company, exchange the Rights evidenced by the
certificates for Preferred Shares or shares of Common Stock, at an exchange
ratio of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share or one share of Common Stock,
as the case may be, per Right, subject to adjustment, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of ____________, ____.
ATTEST: HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
By:
- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------
Countersigned:
FIRSTAR BANK, N. A.
By:
------------------------------
Authorized Signature
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<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells,
--------------------------------
assigns and transfers unto (Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right
- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to
----------------------
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ,
---------------- -----
----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued]
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
__________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the
Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: ,
------------------ -----
----------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
B-5
<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
<PAGE>
=====================
EXHIBIT C
=====================
HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On February 17, 2000, the Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson, Inc.
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, $.01 par value ("Common
Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable upon the close of business on
August 20, 2000 to the shareholders of record upon the close of business on
August 20, 2000 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one ten-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, $.1.00 par value ("Preferred Shares"), of the
Company, at a price of $175 per one ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject
to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The description and terms of the Rights
are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company
and Firstar Bank, N. A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other
than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee benefit plan of the
Company or a subsidiary) (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the "Shares
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors prior to such time as
any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or
announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or
group (other than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee
benefit plan of the Company or a subsidiary) of 25% or more of such outstanding
Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share
certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share
certificate.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation,
will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right
Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on August 20, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), subject to
extension, unless the Rights are
C-1
<PAGE>
earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, or the Rights Agreement is
amended, in each case as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends or dividends payable in
Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one ten-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
after the Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend of 10,000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 10,000 times the payment made per Common
Share. Each Preferred Share will have 10,000 votes, voting together with the
Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other
transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be
entitled to receive 10,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These
rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, voting and
liquidation rights, the value of the one ten-thousandth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (a "Flip-In
Event"), each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided in the Rights
Agreement) will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number
of Common Shares (or, in certain circumstances cash, property or other
securities of the Company or a reduction in the Purchase Price) having a market
value of two times the then current Purchase Price. Notwithstanding any of the
foregoing, following the occurrence of a Flip-In Event all Rights that are, or
(under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, or
subsequently become beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, related persons
and transferees will be null and void.
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<PAGE>
In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or (ii) 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are
sold (the events described in clauses (i) and (ii) are herein referred to as
"Flip-Over Events"), proper provision will be made so that each holder of a
Right (except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement) will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company
which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the
then current Purchase Price.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company be evidenced by depositary
receipts). In lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
The Purchase Price is payable by certified check, cashier's check,
bank draft or money order or, if so provided by the Company, the Purchase Price
following the occurrence of a Flip-In Event and until the first occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event may be paid in Common Shares having an equivalent value.
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by any Acquiring Person which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the
Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges),
per Right (subject to adjustment).
At any time prior to a person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board
of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as
the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon
any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate
and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption
Price.
Other than amendments that would change the Redemption Price or move
to an earlier date the final expiration date of the Rights, the terms of the
Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the
consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment to lower the
threshold for exercisability of the Rights from 25% or 15%, as the case may be,
to not less than 10%, with appropriate exceptions for any person then
beneficially owning a percentage of the number of Common Shares then outstanding
equal to or in excess of the new threshold, except that from and after the later
of the Record Date and such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no
such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
with respect to the Rights. A copy of the Rights Agreement is also available
free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-3
