SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
---------------
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 22, 1999
SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Mississippi
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
0-16567 64-0615843
(Commission File No.) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
225 North 13th Ave. 39441-0988
Laurel, Mississippi (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (601) 649-3040
<PAGE>
ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On April 22, 1999, the Board of Directors of Sanderson Farms, Inc., a
Mississippi corporation (the "Company"), declared a regular quarterly cash
dividend of $0.05 per each outstanding share of common stock of the Company, par
value $1.00 per share (the "Common Shares"), payable on May 18, 1999 to
shareholders of record on May 4, 1999.
Also on April 22, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Company declared
a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
outstanding Common Share. The dividend is payable on May 18, 1999 to the
shareholders of record on May 4, 1999 (the "Record Date"). The description and
terms of the Rights are set forth in the Agreement between the Company and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent, dated as of April 22,
1999 (the "Agreement"). A copy of the press release announcing the declaration
of the dividends is attached as an exhibit hereto.
Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of
the Company, par value $100 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of
$75 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject
to adjustment.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares (an "Acquiring Person"), each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be null and
void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of
Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. Members of the Sanderson Family are not beneficial owner(s) for purposes
of the Agreement of any security that constitutes a "Family Share" as such terms
are defined in the Agreement.
If the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold
after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right
(other than Rights beneficially owned by Acquiring Person, which will be null
and void) will thereafter have the right to receive that number of shares of
common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will
have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
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The "Distribution Date" is the earlier of (i) 10 days following a
public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
have acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common
Shares; or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any person
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
Until 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 with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached
thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares,
and transfer of those certificates will also constitute transfer of these
Rights.
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 thereafter
evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on May 4, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of stock
dividends, stock splits, reclassifications, or certain distributions with
respect to the Preferred Shares. The number of outstanding Rights and the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right
are also subject to adjustment if, prior to the Distribution Date, there is 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. 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 one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate
dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to
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a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 100 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 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.
The value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred Share
purchasable upon exercise of each Right should, because of the nature of the
Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, approximate the value
of one Common Share.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group 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 the Acquiring Person, which will have
become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (subject to adjustment) per
Right.
At any time prior to any person or group 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 $0.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions
as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
The 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 certain thresholds described above to not less than the greater of (i)
the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares
then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group of
affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except that from and after such
time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons 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.
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ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS
(c) Exhibits.
4.1 Agreement, dated as of April 22, 1999, between
Sanderson Farms, Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder
Services, L.L.C.
99.1 Press Release issued by Sanderson Farms, Inc. on April
22, 1999.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: April 30, 1999
SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
By: /s/ D. Michael Cockrell
---------------------------------
Name: D. Michael Cockrell
Title: Treasurer & CFO
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT LIST
Exhibit
No. Description
- ------- -----------
4.1 Agreement, dated as of April 22, 1999, between Sanderson Farms,
Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
99.1 Press Release issued by Sanderson Farms, Inc. on April 22, 1999.
EXHIBIT 4.1
_________________________________________________________________________
SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
And
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
Rights Agent
Agreement
Dated as of April 22, 1999
_________________________________________________________________________
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------
Page
Number
------
Section 1. Definitions................................................. 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................. 9
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates................................. 10
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.................................. 12
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration........................... 13
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates................................................ 14
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights...................................................... 15
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.......... 17
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares............................ 18
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date................................ 18
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights................................................... 19
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.. 30
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power............................................... 30
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..................... 32
Section 15. Rights of Action............................................ 34
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.................................. 35
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder........... 35
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................. 36
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent... 37
-i-
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Page
Number
------
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent...................................... 38
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent...................................... 41
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.......................... 43
Section 23. Redemption.................................................. 43
Section 24. Exchange.................................................... 44
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.................................... 46
Section 26. Notices..................................................... 48
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.................................. 48
Section 28. Successors.................................................. 49
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.................................. 50
Section 30. Severability................................................ 50
Section 31. Governing Law............................................... 50
Section 32. Counterparts................................................ 50
Section 33. Descriptive Headings........................................ 51
Signatures ............................................................ 52
Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
-ii-
<PAGE>
Agreement, dated as of April 22, 1999, between Sanderson
Farms, Inc., a Mississippi corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company, as rights
agent (the "Rights Agent").
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 (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on May 4, 1999
(the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each 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).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth and other valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
(including, without limitation, the Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust
Agree-
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ment of Sanderson Farms, Inc. and Affiliates) or any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of
Common Shares of the Company outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that, if a
Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional Common Shares of the Company, 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. Further,
notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of receiving a gift or testamentary bequest of Common Shares of the
Company from any member of the Sanderson Family which gift or bequest increases
the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or
more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided however,
that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common
Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of any such gift or bequest and
shall, after such gift or bequest, become the Beneficial Owner of any greater
pro-
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portion of Common Shares other than by virtue of further such gifts or bequests
or further purchases by the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person."
(b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) 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 be-
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half 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
promulgated under 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 acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section
1(d)(ii)(B) hereof) 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.
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Further notwithstanding the foregoing, in determining as of
any particular time whether any member of the Sanderson Family beneficially owns
securities of the Company, such member shall not be considered to be the
beneficial owner of any security that constitutes a Family Share at that time. A
"Family Share" is a security that meets the description set forth in any of
clauses (i) through (iv) below and that, at the time as of which a determination
of beneficial ownership is to be made continues to be a Family Share pursuant to
the provisions that follow those clauses. A security initially is a "Family
Share" if: (i) on the date this Agreement becomes effective ("Effective Date"),
all or substantially all of the economic benefit of owning such security is
enjoyed by one or more members of the Sanderson Family; or (ii) such security is
distributed after the Effective Date with respect to a security that is a Family
Share on the date of such distribution in connection with any stock dividend,
stock split, recapitalization or similar transaction affecting all securities of
the same class or series as the security with respect to which such distributed
share is distribute; or (iii) such security is issued after the Effective Date
upon exercise of any warrant, right or option that is distributed with respect
to a security that is a Family Share on the date of such distribution, provided
that at all times after such distribution of such warrant, right or option
through the date of issuance of the share all or substantially all of the
economic benefit of ownership of such warrant, right or option continues to be
enjoyed, without interruption, by any one or more members of the Sanderson
Family (regardless of any transfer of economic enjoyment from any such member to
any other such member); or (iv) all or substantially all of the economic benefit
of ownership is acquired at any time by a member of the Sanderson Family
pursuant to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust Agreement of Sanderson
Farms, Inc. and Affiliates (the "ESOP") or pursuant to any employee benefit plan
of the Company approved by the Board of Directors. A security that is a "Family
Share" initially,
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in accordance with the preceding sentence, continues to be a "Family Share" only
for so long as all or substantially all of the economic benefit of ownership
continues, without interruption, to be enjoyed by any one or more members of the
Sanderson Family (regardless of any transfer of economic benefit from any such
member to any other such member). A security ceases to be a "Family Share" if
all or substantially all of the economic benefit of ownership is transferred to
or becomes held by a person who or which is not a member of the Sanderson
Family. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a security shall not cease to be a Family
Share if such security is transferred to a limited liability company or to a
partnership that is and continues to be owned and controlled solely by and
economic benefits are and continue to be enjoyed solely by descendants of D.R.
Sanderson and Wilma W. Sanderson and the spouses of such descendants. Further
notwithstanding the foregoing, a pledge of a Family Share shall not be deemed to
interrupt the pledgor's beneficial ownership of such Family Share unless and
until beneficial ownership changes by reason of the exercise of the pledgee's
rights. Once a security ceases to be a "Family Share" it does not thereafter
become a "Family Share" even if the economic benefit of its ownership is
reacquired by a member of the Sanderson Family, unless such reacquisition is
pursuant to a distribution or exercise of the type described in clause (ii) or
(iii) above, or is from the ESOP or any employee benefit plan of the type
described in clause (iv) above. For all purposes of determining whether a
security is or remains a "Family Share", securities shall not be considered to
be fungible. The economic benefit of ownership of a security is deemed to be
enjoyed by the person or persons who are the principal beneficiaries of
dividends and other distributions made with respect to such security and of the
proceeds of any sale of such security. The beneficiary of a trust, and not the
trustee, enjoys the economic benefit of a security owned by the trust.
Similarly, the participant in any employee benefit plan that owns a security
allocated to that participant, and not
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the trustee or plan administrator, enjoys the economic benefit of ownership of
that security. The economic benefit of a security held by a corporation is
enjoyed by that corporation and not by its stockholders. Notwithstanding the
manner of determining beneficial ownership with respect to members of the
Sanderson Family as provided in this paragraph, after such time as a member of
the Sanderson Family is deemed to be an Acquiring Person, then all of the
securities owned by such member (without regard to manner or time of
acquisition) shall be deemed to be beneficially owned by such member. Securities
that, pursuant to the foregoing, are not deemed beneficially owned by a member
of the Sanderson Family shall nevertheless be considered to be outstanding for
purposes of calculating beneficial ownership percentages by such member, and for
purposes of calculating beneficial ownership of other persons.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Mississippi or
New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York, New York time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such
date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York, New York time, on
the next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the
Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest
voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a
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Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control
such first-mentioned Person.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(j) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 24(a) hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.
(l) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(n) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $100 per share, of the Company having
the rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations.
(o) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4 hereof.
(p) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
second paragraph hereof.
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(q) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(r) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23(a) hereof.
(s) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second
paragraph hereof.
(t) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.
(u) "Sanderson Family" shall mean the children and
grandchildren of D.R. Sanderson and Wilma W. Sanderson and the spouses of such
children and grandchildren, and shall also mean the estate of any of the
foregoing persons.
(v) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(w) "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.
(x) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b) hereof.
(y) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d) hereof.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions
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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. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event
shall be liable for the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
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 Board of
Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange
offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares of the Company aggregating 20% or more of the
then outstanding Common Shares of the Company (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution 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
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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 and provided with the necessary
information, 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 A hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for 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 together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the 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 of the Company represented thereby.
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(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) 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 the
following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain rights as set forth in an Agreement between Sanderson Farms,
Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as rights agent,
dated as of April 22, 1999, as it may be amended from time to time (the
"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 Sanderson Farms, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Agreement, such Rights (as defined in the Agreement) will
be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced
by this certificate. Sanderson Farms, Inc. will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Agreement without charge after receipt
of a written request therefor. As set forth in the Agreement, Rights
beneficially owned by any Person (as defined in the Agreement) who
becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Agreement) become null
and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
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 of the Company
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be
deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company 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)
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shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A 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 applicable rule or regulation made pursuant thereto
or with any applicable rule or regulation of any stock exchange or the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 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 one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject
to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents or
its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The 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 individual who signed such Right Certifi-
13
<PAGE>
cates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any individual 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 Agreement any such individual was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, and receipt by the Rights
Agent of all necessary information, 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.
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 one-hundredths
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
14
<PAGE>
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. If such payment has been required by the Company, the Rights
Agent shall have no duty or obligation under this Section 6 unless and until it
is reasonably satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges have been paid.
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 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
properly and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights
Agent desig-
15
<PAGE>
nated for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or
prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on May 4, 2009 (the "Final
Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such
Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $75, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 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 properly and duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be
paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof
by certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company, 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 any such
transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-hundredths 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 of the Preferred Shares with such depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such
request; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of
16
<PAGE>
cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 14 hereof; (iii) promptly 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,
promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate.
(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 such holder's duly authorized assigns, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
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 canceled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and, in such case,
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
17
<PAGE>
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. 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 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 hereof.
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 Preferred Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
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 tax or charge 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 or depositary receipts 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 or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax or
charge being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of
surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Preferred 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
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<PAGE>
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 tax or charge) was made; provided, however, that, if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the 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. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of
Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to
exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice
of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number 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
19
<PAGE>
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.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, 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 one-hundredths 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 (A) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
20
<PAGE>
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that
are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any 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 hereof 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
null and 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 null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence
shall be canceled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise
of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the
current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number
or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share
as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.
21
<PAGE>
(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 or
equivalent 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 and shall be binding on the
22
<PAGE>
Rights Agent and holders of the Rights. 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 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) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares 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 and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and holders of the Rights) 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
then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date;
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;
23
<PAGE>
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 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 (A) a dividend or
distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or Securities
convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 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 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 Security is 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
24
<PAGE>
market, as reported by 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.
(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 as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If
neither the Common Shares 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 and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(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
25
<PAGE>
this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or
security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section
11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than
the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires
such adjustment or (ii) the 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) hereof, 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) hereof, inclusive, and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof 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 one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share 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) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
26
<PAGE>
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) 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 one-hundredths 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 number of
one one-hundredths 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
27
<PAGE>
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 in the number of one one-hundredths 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
one-hundredths 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 one one-hundredth of the then 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 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, with prompt notice thereof to
the Rights Agent, until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder
of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and
28
<PAGE>
other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the Preferred Shares 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
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 the Preferred Shares shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then, in any such case, (A)
the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such
event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one one-hundredths of a Pre-
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ferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before
such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had
issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n)
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such
a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth the
amount of the adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment (including, without limitation, the record date for the adjustment),
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Shares or the Preferred Shares and the Securities and Exchange Commission a copy
of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment occurs at any time after the
Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained and shall have no duty with respect to and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, (b)
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any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the
Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares
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 (c) the Company shall
sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or
otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or
one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, 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 one-hundredths 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 such other Person (including
the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal
the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be
liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this
Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such
issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited
to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance
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with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary
to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly
as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares of the Company thereafter
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate
any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless, prior thereto, the
Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any
transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such
transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities
outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the
consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the
benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section
13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or
other transfers.
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
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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
one-hundredth 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 one-hundredth of a Preferred Share).
Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth 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 one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered
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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 the 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 such holder's right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action expressly given to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement, 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 such
holder's own behalf and for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder's right to exercise the
Rights evidenced by such 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,
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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 office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(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 Certificate 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.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at
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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
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 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. 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, preparation, delivery, amendment 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, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement,
cost or expense incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction on the part of the
Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance, amendment and administration of this Agreement,
including without limitation the costs and expenses of defending against any
claim of liability arising therefrom directly or indirectly in the premises. The
indemnity provided herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement and
the termination and the expiration of the Rights.
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The Rights Agent shall be authorized and 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. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the
shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,
shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the
execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the
time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this
Agreement, any of the 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
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Rights Agent; and, in all such cases, such Right Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
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 expressly 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 written advice or opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent as to any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such written advice or 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, suffering or
omitting any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in
respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclu-
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sively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman
of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President,
the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent;
and such certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered or omitted in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Anything to the
contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for
special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.
(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 liability or
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible or liable 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 or liable for any change in
the exercisability of the Rights
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(including the Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner,
method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, 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 to be
issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any
Preferred Shares 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 or the 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 or omitted
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for
any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.
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(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, affiliate,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided that reasonable care was exercised
in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if it reasonably believes that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
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 or Preferred 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
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upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred 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
(which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder's 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 Person organized and doing business and
in good standing under the laws of the United States, the State of Mississippi
or of any other state of the United States, so long as such Person is authorized
under such laws to exercise all of the duties of the Rights Agent under this
Agreement 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. 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 or Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in
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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 the Board of Directors of
the Company 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 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 $0.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the
"Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of
the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion, may
establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
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right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the
Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to the Rights Agent and 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 null and void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio
of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any adjustment
in the number of Rights pursuant to Section 11(i) (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
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Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such
Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (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 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 the Rights Agent and 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 holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares 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 null and
void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder
of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
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
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<PAGE>
authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In
the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the
Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable
upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such
that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by
such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one
Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction
thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) 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, at any time after the Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend
payable in stock of any class to the holders of the Preferred Shares or to make
any other distribution to the holders of the Preferred Shares (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of the 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 reclassifi-
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cation of the Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation
or merger into or 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, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or 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 the 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 Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to
each holder of a Right Certificate and the Rights Agent, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event,
47
<PAGE>
which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to
holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any 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:
Sanderson Farms, Inc.
225 North 13th Avenue
Laurel, Mississippi 39440
Attention: Corporate Secretary
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:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
4 Station Square
Commerce Court, Suite 301
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
Attention: Jerry D. Curtin
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. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certifi-
48
<PAGE>
cates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that, from and after such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which
would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without limiting
the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to 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 to not less 10% (provided that no Person
shall become an Acquiring Person solely by reason of any such lowering of the
thresholds set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) hereof unless and until such
Person shall thereafter become, together with all Affiliates and Associates of
such Person, the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the
Company, whereupon such Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person if such
Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, would
otherwise be an Acquiring Person under such thresholds as modified). The Company
shall also deliver to the Rights Agent 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.
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.
49
<PAGE>
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) 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).
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.
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 Mississippi and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such state; provided, however, that all
provisions regarding the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such
state.
Section 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.
50
<PAGE>
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.
51
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first
above written.
Attest: Sanderson Farms, Inc.
By: /s/ James A. Grimes By: /s/ D. Michael Cockrell
-------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: James A. Grimes Name: D. Michael Cockrell
Title: Corporate Secretary Title: Treasurer & CFO
Attest: ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
By: /s/ Kathleen Kennelly By: /s/ Marilyn Spisak
-------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: Kathleen Kennelly Name: Marilyn Spisak
Title: Vice President Title: Vice President
52
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
---------
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- __ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 4, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT
$0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE
AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
SANDERSON FARMS, 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 Agreement, dated as of April 22, 1999 (the "Agreement"), between Sanderson
Farms, Inc., a Mississippi corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution
Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New
York, New York time, on May 4, 2009 at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully
paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par
value $100 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred Shares"), at a purchase
price of $75 per one one-hundredth 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 one-hundredths 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 May 4, 1999, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Agreement, the
Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths 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 Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which 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 Agreement are on
<PAGE>
file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, 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 Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value
$1.00 per share.
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 one-hundredth 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 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 Agreement
or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
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 Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of __________, _____.
ATTEST: Sanderson Farms, Inc.
By _____________________________ By _____________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned:
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
By _____________________________
Name:
Title:
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
A-3
<PAGE>
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.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Agreement).
________________________________
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: SANDERSON FARMS, 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:
A-4
<PAGE>
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.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Agreement).
________________________________
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, 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 Agreement) and such Assignment
or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-5
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
---------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO
PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES
Set forth is a summary of the Rights Plan:
PURCHASE PRICE
Each preferred share purchase right (a "Right") entitles the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company, par value $100 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $75 per one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
FLIP-IN
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding shares (an "Acquiring Person") of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share, of the Company (the "Common Shares"), each holder of a Right, other than
Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be null
and void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number
of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. Members of the Sanderson Family are not beneficial owner(s) for purposes
of the Agreement of any security that constitutes a "Family Share" as such terms
are defined in the Agreement.
FLIP-OVER
If the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, each
holder of a Right (other than Rights beneficially owned by Acquiring Person,
which will be null and void) will thereafter have the right to receive that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right.
TRANSFER AND DETACHMENT
Until 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 with a copy of this Summary of
Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the
Common Shares, and transfer of those certificates will also constitute transfer
of these Rights.
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
<PAGE>
Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate
Right Certificates alone will thereafter evidence the Rights.
The "Distribution Date" is the earlier of
(i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons have acquired beneficial ownership of
20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares; or
(ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined
by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any
person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares.
EXERCISABILITY
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on May 4, 2009 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
ADJUSTMENTS
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 in the event of
stock dividends, stock splits, reclassifications, or certain distributions with
respect to the Preferred Shares. The number of outstanding Rights and the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right
are also subject to adjustment if, prior to the Distribution Date, there is 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. 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 one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
PREFERRED SHARES
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate dividend of 100 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 aggre-
<PAGE>
gate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred
Share will have 100 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 100 times
the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary
antidilution provisions.
The value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should, because of the nature of
the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, approximate the
value of one Common Share.
EXCHANGE
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person, and prior to the acquisition by such person or group 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 the Acquiring Person, which will
have become null and void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (subject to adjustment)
per Right.
REDEMPTION
At any time prior to any person or group 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 $0.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with
such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company 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.
AMENDMENTS
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 certain thresholds described above to not less
than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by
any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except
that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
RIGHTS AND HOLDERS
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.
B-3
CONTACT: Mike Cockrell
Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer
601/649-4030
Sanderson Farms, Inc. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
----------------------------------
Declares Dividend Distribution of Preferred Share
Purchase Rights
Laurel, Miss. (April 22, 1999) -- Sanderson Farms, Inc.
(NASDAQ/NM: SAFM) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a
regular quarterly cash dividend of $.05 (five cents) per share payable May 18,
1999, to stockholders of record on May 4, 1999.
The Board of Directors also declared a dividend distribution
of one Preferred Share Purchase Right on each outstanding share of Sanderson
Farms, Inc. common stock, replacing similar rights that expired on April 21,
1999.
Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Sanderson
Farms, Inc., stated, "Like our prior Rights Plan, the Rights Plan adopted today
is designed to assure that all of Sanderson Farms' stockholders receive fair and
equal treatment in the event of any proposed takeover of the Company and to
guard against partial tender offers, squeeze-cuts, open market accumulations and
other abusive tactics to gain control of Sanderson Farms without paying all
stockholders a control premium."
The Rights will be exercisable only if a person or group
acquires 20% or more of Sanderson Farms' common stock or announces a tender
offer the consummation of which would result in ownership by a person or group
of 20% or more of the common stock. Each Right will entitle stockholders (other
than the 20% or more acquiror) to buy one one-hundredth of a share of Sanderson
Farms' Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock at an exercise price of
$75.
<PAGE>
If a person or group acquires 20% or more of Sanderson Farms'
outstanding common stock, each Right will entitle its holder (other than such
person or members of such group) to purchase, at the Right's then-current
exercise price, a number of Sanderson Farms' common shares having a market value
of twice such price. The rights agreement exempts certain transactions involving
the Sanderson family. In addition, if Sanderson Farms is acquired in a merger or
other business combination transaction after a person has acquired 20% or more
of the Company's outstanding common stock, each Right will entitle its holder to
purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a number of the acquiring
company's common shares having a market value of twice such price. The acquiring
person will not be entitled to exercise these Rights.
Prior to the acquisition by a person or group of beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of the Company's common stock, the Rights are
redeemable for $0.001 per Right at the option of Sanderson Farms' Board of
Directors.
Sanderson Farms' Board of Directors is also authorized to
reduce the 20% thresholds referred to above to not less than 10%.
The Rights are intended to enable all Sanderson Farms
stockholders to realize the long-term value of their investment in the Company.
The Rights will not necessarily prevent a takeover, but should encourage anyone
seeking to acquire the Company to negotiate with Sanderson Farms' Board of
Directors prior to attempting a takeover. The issuance of the Rights was not
made in response to any threatened takeover.
The dividend distribution of the Rights will be made on May
18, 1999, payable to stockholders of record on May 4, 1999. The Rights will
expire on May 4, 2009. The Rights distribution is not taxable to stockholders.
Sanderson Farms, Inc. is engaged in the production,
processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other
prepared food items. Its shares trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the
symbol SAFM.
