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UNITED STATES
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): June 30, 1997
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
0-17885 71-0455756
(Commission File No.) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
ONE POST STREET
SUITE 2500
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (415) 956-4477
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Item 5. Other Events.
------------
On June 30, 1997 the Board of Directors of BEI Electronics, Inc. (the
"Company") approved the adoption of a Share Purchase Rights Plan (the "Plan").
Terms of the Plan provide for a dividend distribution of one preferred share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value
$.001 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable
on July 18, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date.
Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-
hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $60 per one one-
hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
Each one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Shares has designations and
powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions which make its value approximately equal to the value of a Common
Share. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of June 30, 1997 entered into
between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. as rights agent
(the "Rights Agent").
Initially, the Rights will be evidenced by the stock certificates
representing the Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right
Certificates, as defined, will be distributed. Until the earlier to occur of
(i) the date of a public announcement that a person, entity or group of
affiliated or associated persons has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares (an "Acquiring Person") or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or entity becomes an Acquiring
Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to
commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would
result in any person or entity becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of such
dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with
respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record
Date, by such Common Share certificate with or without a copy of the Summary of
Rights, which is included in the Rights Agreement as Exhibit C thereof (the
"Summary of Rights").
Until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable with and
only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption
or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the
Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares, will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender or transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of
the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of the Summary of Rights
being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on June 30, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), 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 other property, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). The exercise of Rights
for Preferred Shares is at all times subject to the availability of a sufficient
number of authorized but unissued 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 in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidation or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any case, prior
to the Distribution Date.
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 $1.00 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 would be entitled to a minimum
preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share, but would be entitled to
receive an aggregate payment equal to 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 of consideration received per Common Share. These
rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. Because of the
nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend and liquidation rights, the value of
one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share should approximate the value of one
Common Share. The Preferred Shares would rank junior to any other series of the
Company's preferred stock.
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each
holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person
and its associates and affiliates (which will thereafter be void), will for a
60-day period 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 (or,
if such number of shares is not and cannot be authorized, the Company may issue
Preferred Shares, cash, debt, stock or a combination thereof in exchange for the
Rights). This right will
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terminate 60 days after the date on which the Rights become nonredeemable (as
described below), unless there is an injunction or similar obstacle to exercise
of the Rights, in which event this right will terminate 60 days after the date
on which the Rights again become exercisable.
Generally, under the Plan, an "Acquiring Person" shall not be deemed
to include (i) the Company, (ii) a subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit or compensation plan of the Company, (iv) any entity holding Common
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit or compensation
plan, or (v) an Excluded Person (as such term is hereinafter defined). In
addition, except under limited circumstances, no person or entity shall become
an Acquiring Person as the result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such person or entity to
15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
In the event that 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 to an Acquiring Person, its associates or affiliates or
certain other persons in which such persons have an interest, proper provision
will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, 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.
At any time after an Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become
void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, per Right (or, at the election of the
Company, the Company may issue cash, debt, stock or a combination thereof in
exchange for the Rights), subject to adjustment.
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 the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of one Right, 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.
At any time prior to the earliest of (i) the day of the first public
announcement that a person has become an Acquiring Person or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in
whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price").
In addition, the Rights may not be redeemed during the 180 days following
certain changes in a majority of the members of the Board of Directors.
Following the expiration of the above periods, the Rights become nonredeemable.
Immediately
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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, except that from
and after such time as the rights are distributed no such amendment may
adversely affect the interest of the holders of the Rights excluding the
interests of an Acquiring Person.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The Rights should
not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the
Board of Directors since the Rights may be amended to permit such acquisition or
redeemed by the Company at $.001 per Right prior to the earliest of (i) the time
that a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
Common Shares or (ii) the final expiration date of the rights.
The Company also made certain amendments to its Bylaws.
Item 7. Exhibits.
--------
99.1 Press Release, dated as of July 2, 1997 entitled "BEI
Electronics, Inc. Plans Separation of Sensors and Medical
Businesses; Will Distribute Shares in New Company to Existing
Shareholders; Adopts Rights Plan."
99.2 Rights Agreement dated as of June 30, 1997 among BEI
Electronics, Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
99.3 Registrant's Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
99.4 Form of Right Certificate.
99.5 Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
99.6 Amended and Restated Bylaws.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
Dated: July 10, 1997 By: /s/ Gary D. Wrench
---------------------
Gary D. Wrench
Senior Vice President and Financial
Officer
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
-----------------
99.1 Press Release, dated as of July 2, 1997 entitled "BEI
Electronics, Inc. Plans Separation of Sensors and Medical
Businesses; Will Distribute Shares in New Company to Existing
Shareholders; Adopts Rights Plan."
99.2 Rights Agreement dated as of June 30, 1997 among BEI
Electronics, Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
99.3 Registrant's Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
99.4 Form of Right Certificate.
99.5 Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
99.6 Amended and Restated Bylaws.
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EXHIBIT 99.1
For further information,
please contact:
Gary Wrench
Senior Vice President & CFO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC. PLANS SEPARATION OF SENSORS AND
MEDICAL BUSINESSES; WILL DISTRIBUTE SHARES IN NEW COMPANY
TO EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS; ADOPTS RIGHTS PLAN
SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 2, 1997 -- BEI Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BEII)
announced that it plans to form a new company called BEI Technologies, Inc.
which will principally operate BEI's established sensors and systems business.
The Company will distribute all of the outstanding shares in the new company pro
rata to all holders of BEI Electronics, Inc. common stock. The Company, as a
condition to the spinoff, expects to receive an opinion from counsel that the
distribution should be tax free. BEI Electronics, Inc. will retain and operate
its medical device business and plans to change its name to BEI Medical Systems
Company after the spinoff. Following the distribution, which is expected at the
end of September, both companies would be immediately eligible for trading in
the public market. The symbol "BEIQ" has been reserved for BEI Technologies on
the Nasdaq National Market.
Charles Crocker, chairman, president and chief executive officer of BEI
Electronics stated, "We believe this planned separation will allow the positive
but different attributes of each company to be seen and understood more clearly,
and should allow the capital markets to evaluate each company according to its
unique characteristics. Our goal, overall, is to ensure that the ongoing
development of each of these businesses is not compromised by conflicting
strategies or requirements. Also, the availability of separate, publicly traded
securities should aid the future ability of both companies independently to
acquire capital on more favorable terms than they could as a consolidated
enterprise, to make acquisitions using stock as consideration and to attract and
retain key employees."
The newly formed company, BEI Technologies, will concentrate on engineered
components and value-added subsystems for industrial, automotive, aerospace and
automation markets. Its principal operating unit will be BEI Sensors & Systems
Company, a well established technology based manufacturing business which
designs, manufactures and sells proprietary intelligent electronic sensors for
motion control and pressure measurement, products complementary to these
sensors, and value-added subsystems which utilize the company's core products
and know-how.
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Commenting on the makeup of the new company, Mr. Crocker noted that BEI's
former defense systems business segment would be formally discontinued within
the next year and that financial reporting for BEI Technologies is expected to
reflect the defense systems segment as a discontinued operation. BEI previously
announced that the company had ended production of military rockets which had
been a major product line of the defense systems segment. On a pro forma basis,
the continuing business of BEI Technologies had sales in fiscal 1996 of $96.5
million.
BEI Electronics, Inc. will concentrate on medical products and is expected
to adopt the name of its subsidiary, BEI Medical Systems Company, following the
distribution. It will continue to develop the company's emerging medical device
business which focuses on global marketing of diagnostic and therapeutic
instruments and proprietary disposal products used by gynecologists and women's
physicians. According to Mr. Crocker, BEI Medical Systems Company foresees
continued active development of products that provide alternatives to
hysterectomy and products that allow fertility planning. The management of BEI
Medical Systems also believes there are opportunities for consolidating, through
selective acquisitions and alliances, the product offerings of other companies
focused on the women's healthcare market. The symbol "BMED" has been reserved
for BEI Medical Systems Company on the Nasdaq National Market.
The distribution of the common stock of BEI Technologies, Inc. will be
subject to regulatory review, and a registration statement on Form 10 is being
filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Crocker stated
that management's goal is to make the distribution effective at the end of
September, 1997, adding that the distribution would be on the basis of one share
of BEI Technologies, Inc. common stock for each common share of BEI Electronics,
Inc.
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
In a related announcement BEI Electronics, Inc. announced that its Board of
Directors approved the adoption of a Shareholder Rights Plan under which all
shareholders of record as of July 18, 1997 will receive rights to purchase
shares of a new series of Preferred Stock.
Mr. Crocker stated that the adoption of the Rights Plan is not in reaction
to an unsolicited offer, but is designed to enable all BEI Electronics
shareholders to realize the full value of their investment and to provide for
fair and equal treatment for all stockholders in the event that an unsolicited
attempt is made to acquire BEI Electronics. The adoption of the Rights Plan is
intended as a means to guard against abusive takeover tactics.
The rights will be distributed as a non-taxable dividend and will expire in
ten years from the Record Date. The rights will be exercisable only if a person
or group acquires 15 percent or more of the BEI Electronics Common Stock or
announces a tender offer for 15 percent or more of the Common Stock. If a
person acquires 15 percent or more of BEI Electronics' Common Stock, all
rightsholders except the buyer will be entitled to acquire BEI Electronics
Common Stock at a discount. The effect will be to discourage acquisitions of
more than 15 percent of BEI Electronics' Common Stock without negotiations with
the Board.
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The rights will trade with BEI Electronics Common Stock, unless and until
they are separated upon the occurrence of certain future events. The rights
distribution is not taxable to the stockholders. BEI Electronics' Board of
Directors may terminate the Plan at any time or redeem the rights prior to the
time a person acquires more than 15 percent of the BEI Electronics Common Stock.
Additional details regarding the Rights Plan will be outlined in a summary to be
mailed to all stockholders following the Record Date.
Except for historical information, this news release may be deemed to
contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including timely development, acceptance and pricing of new products; impact of
competitive products and pricing; the ability to manufacture products in
sufficient volume on an efficient and timely basis; general economic conditions
as they affect the Company's customers, as well as other risks detailed from
time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for
the year ended September 28, 1996, and the registration statement on Form 10 to
be filed by BEI Technologies.
BEI Electronics, Inc. is a diversified technology based manufacturing
company focused on two operating businesses: 1) BEI Sensors and Systems
Company, an established manufacturer of technically advanced electronic
components and systems used in industrial automation and automotive, military,
aviation and space systems and 2) BEI Medical Systems Company, an emerging
manufacturer of diagnostic and therapeutic products focused on gynecology and
women's health issues.
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EXHIBIT 99.2
___________________________________________________________
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
AND
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.,
AS RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JUNE 30, 1997
___________________________________________________________
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
<S> <C> <C>
Section 1. Certain Definitions............................... 1.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent....................... 4.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates....................... 4.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates........................ 6.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration................. 7.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange
of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Right Certificates................. 7.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration
Date of Rights.................................... 8.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right
Certificates...................................... 9.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares.................. 10.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date...................... 11.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares or Number of Rights........................ 11.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares.................................. 18.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power........................ 18.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........... 21.
Section 15. Rights of Action.................................. 22.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders........................ 23.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed
a Stockholder..................................... 23.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent....................... 23.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name
of Rights Agent................................... 24.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent............................ 25.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent............................ 27.
</TABLE>
i.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates............... 27.
Section 23. Redemption....................................... 28.
Section 24. Exchange......................................... 29.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events......................... 31.
Section 26. Notices.......................................... 32.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments....................... 32.
Section 28. Determination and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc................................... 33.
Section 29. Successors....................................... 33.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement....................... 34.
Section 31. Severability..................................... 34.
Section 32. Governing Law.................................... 34.
Section 33. Counterparts..................................... 34.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings............................. 34.
Exhibit A - Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
</TABLE>
ii.
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT"), dated as of June 30, 1997, between BEI
ELECTRONICS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and CHASEMELLON
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C. ("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 such
term is hereinafter defined) outstanding at the close of business on July 18,
1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-
hundredth of a Preferred Share (as such term is 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 to occur of
the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as
such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be
issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 hereof.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein
set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term Acquiring Person shall
not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter
defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit or compensation plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit or compensation plan,
or (v) an Excluded Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) and (B) no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" either (x) as the result of an
acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of
shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding;
provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the
Company and shall, following written notice from, or public disclosure by the
Company of such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional Common Shares without the prior consent of the Company and shall
then Beneficially Own more than 15% of the Common Shares then outstanding, then
such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person," or (y) if the Board of
Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring
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Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests, as promptly as
practicable (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors), but in any
event within five Business Days, following receipt of written notice from the
Company of such event, of 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.
(b) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to
such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect
on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the limited partners of a
limited partnership shall not be deemed to be Associates of such limited
partnership solely by virtue of their limited partnership interests.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and shall be deemed to
"beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates is
deemed to beneficially own, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of
this Rights Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately
or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement
or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
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
(ii) 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
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contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(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.
(d) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of California are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time,
on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it
shall mean 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) "COMMON SHARES" shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.001 per
share, of the Company; provided, however, that, "Common Shares," when used in
this Agreement in connection with a specific 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 Subsidiary of
another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-
mentioned Person.
(g) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(h) "EXCLUDED PERSON" shall mean Charles Crocker so long as he beneficially
owns 30% or less of the outstanding Common Shares; provided, however, that
Charles Crocker shall not be an Excluded Person if he beneficially owns more
than 30% of the outstanding Common Shares without the prior approval of the
Board of Directors of the Company.
(i) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(j) "INTERESTED STOCKHOLDER" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other Person
acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such Acquiring
Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(k) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and
shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(l) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company having the
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
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(m) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
(n) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(o) "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;
provided, however, that, if such Person is determined not to have become an
Acquiring Person pursuant to clause (z) of Subsection 1(a)(B) hereof, then no
Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(p) "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.
(q) "TRANSACTION" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of assets
described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares which
would result in a Person becoming an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party (as
such term is hereinafter defined).
(r) "TRANSACTION PERSON" with respect to a Transaction shall mean (i) any
Person who (x) is or will become an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party (as
such term is hereinafter defined) if the Transaction were to be consummated and
(y) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director of the Company which
director is in office at the time of consideration of the Transaction, or (ii)
an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person.
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 hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date of the commencement (determined in accordance with Rule 14d-2 under the
Exchange Act) 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 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 for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer (which intention to commence remains in
effect for five Business Days after such announcement), the consummation of
which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (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 by the
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certificates for Common Shares 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 Rights (and the right to receive Right
Certificates therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer
of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the
Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the
Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested,
send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of
Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate,
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"),
evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to the adjustment
provisions of Section 11 of this Rights Agreement. 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 (directly or through the Rights Agent or its transfer agent) a copy of a
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of
Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Shares 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 outstanding as of the Record
Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(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 a Rights Agreement between BEI
Electronics, Inc. (the "Company") and ChaseMellon Shareholder
Services, L.L.C. as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as of
June 30, 1997, as amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a
copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As
described in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
becomes an
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Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
the Rights Agreement) and certain related persons, whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, shall
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not
be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are
no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a
legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights Agreement
or the rights of any holder of the Rights.
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Right Certificates (and the form of election to purchase Preferred
Shares, the form of assignment and the form of certification to be printed on
the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and may
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Sections 7,11 and 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.
(b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof
that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Right
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible)
the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Right Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby are null and void.
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The provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be operative whether or not the
foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
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, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Financial Officer, or any of its Vice Presidents, 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 person who signed such Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office designated for such purpose, 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 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 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 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 delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse
side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and
Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the person entitled
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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.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will issue, execute and deliver
a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature
and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent
may amend this Rights Agreement to provide for uncertificated Rights in addition
to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates.
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at
any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate,
with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed,
to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share (or such other number of shares or other securities) as to
which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of
Business on June 30, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii the time at which
the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption
Date"), or (ii the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in
Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $60,
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and
13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America
in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with
the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the
Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent for
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion,
shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise
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of the Rights hereunder into a depository, 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 with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary
agent to comply with such request, (ii when appropriate, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares
in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (ii after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as
may be designated by such holder and (iv when appropriate, after receipt,
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities of
the Company other than Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of the Company
pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements
necessary so that such other securities are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights Agent shall return such Right Certificate
to the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise
indicating thereon that the rights represented by such Right Certificate no
longer include the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and, if fewer
than all the Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so exercised, the
Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number of Rights
represented thereby which continue to include the rights provided by Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) 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 this Section 7.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certification following the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise and (ii provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF 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
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cancellation or in canceled form, or, if delivered or 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.
SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES. The Company covenants and
agrees that so long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, Common Shares or any other securities) issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities
exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quotation system upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and other
securities, as the case may be) 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 or other securities.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable
any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in
respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however,
be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any
transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates 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 shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax is due.
As soon as practicable after the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company shall
use its best efforts to:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, will use
its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective
as soon as practicable after such filing and will use its best efforts to
cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at
all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration
Date; and
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(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate.
SECTION 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of the Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing
such Rights was duly surrendered with the forms of election and certification
duly executed and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares or other securities 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 or other securities
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as such, 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 for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
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(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof and the provisions of the next paragraph
of this Section 11(a)(ii), in the event any Person shall become an Acquiring
Person, each holder of a Right shall, for a period of 60 days after the later of
such time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or the effective date of an
appropriate registration statement under the Act pursuant to Section 9 hereof
(provided, however, that, if at any time prior to the expiration or termination
of the Rights there shall be a temporary restraining order, a preliminary
injunction, an injunction, or temporary suspension by the Board of Directors, or
similar obstacle to exercise of the Rights (the "Injunction") which prevents
exercise of the Rights, a new 60-day period shall commence on the date the
Injunction is removed), 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 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 (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person
became an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that if the transaction that
would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the
provisions of Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13 hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
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.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the
time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially owned by
(i) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person,
(ii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person became such, or
(iii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person's becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section
11(a)(ii), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder
of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights,
whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall
use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability
to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure
to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right Certificate shall be
issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered
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to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be
void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be canceled.
(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board of Directors then in office
determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the
interests of holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that the Board of
Directors has not exercised the exchange right contained in Section 24(c) hereof
and there are not sufficient treasury shares and authorized but unissued Common
Shares to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall) take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize, issue or pay, upon the exercise of the Rights, cash
(including by way of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property, Common
Shares, other securities or any combination thereof having an aggregate value
equal to the value of the Common Shares which otherwise would have been issuable
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, which aggregate value shall be determined
by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by a majority of the
Board of Directors then in office. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the
value of the Common Shares shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof.
Any such election by the Board of Directors must be made within 60 days
following the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall have occurred. Following the occurrence of the event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following
the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have
occurred to the extent that such directors have not determined whether to
exercise their rights of election under this Section 11(a)(iii). In the event
of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
(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 designations and the
powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions 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 such term is hereinafter defined) 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
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the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a 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 (as
such term is hereinafter defined) on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share
market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued
upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share
market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section
11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing
prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such
term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Security of (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 or securities
convertible into such shares, or (C) 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
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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 as reported on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market, the last quoted price or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-
counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotations System ("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use,
or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company or, if on any such date no professional market maker is making a
market in the Security, the price as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors. 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) hereof. 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.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such
adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11
shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-hundredth 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
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manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11(a) through 11(c)
hereof, inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 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 Section 11(b) and Section 11(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 number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-
millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of
one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior to
this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one 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 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
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and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one 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 until the occurrence of such event the issuing to
the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of 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) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if at
the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights. Any such action taken by the Company during any period
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date
shall be null and void unless such action could be taken under this Section
11(m) from and after the Distribution Date.
(n) 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
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
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(o) 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 Preferred 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(o) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is
declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is
effected.
(iii) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall only result
in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof to the extent so exercised
and shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13 hereof.
SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date or, if a
Transaction is proposed, the Distribution Date, directly or indirectly (x) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any Interested
Stockholder, or if in such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock
are not treated alike, any other Person, (y) any Interested Person, or if in
such merger or consolidation all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike,
any other 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 (other than, in the case of either transaction described in (x) or
(y), a merger or consolidation which would result in all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the voting power
represented by the securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation
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<PAGE>
and the holders of such securities not having changed as a result of such merger
or consolidation), or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50%
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any Interested Stockholder or Stockholders, or if in such transaction
all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike, any other Person, (other than
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of
which individually and the aggregate does not violate Section 13(d) hereof)
then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each
holder of a Right, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, shall 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 freely tradeable Common Shares
of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), free and clear of
liens, rights of call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as
shall be equal to 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 (without taking into account any adjustment
previously made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing that product
by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of
such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii such
Principal Party 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; (ii the term "Company" shall thereafter
be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that
the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply to such Principal Party; and (iv
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Shares in accordance
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 its Common Shares thereafter deliverable
upon the exercise of the Rights.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the issuer of
any securities into which Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the
other party to the merger or consolidation (or, if applicable, the Company,
if it is the surviving corporation); and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the first
sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any case, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are
not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect subsidiary or Affiliate
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of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) if such Person is a
subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or Affiliate of more than one Person, the
Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) if such Person
is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more
Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the
rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a
"subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in
each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the
total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized
Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless
prior thereto the Company and each Principal Party and each other Person who may
become a Principal Party as a result of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer shall have (i) executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and (ii) prepared, filed and had declared and remain
effective a registration statement under the Act on the appropriate form with
respect to the Rights and the securities exercisable upon exercise of the Rights
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of
this Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense will:
(i) cause the registration statement under the Act with respect to the
Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate;
(iii) list the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of
the Rights on each national securities exchange on which the Common Shares
were listed prior to the consummation of the Business Combination or on the
Nasdaq National Market if the Common Shares were listed on the Nasdaq
National Market or, if the Common Shares were not listed on a national
securities exchange or the Nasdaq National Market prior to the consummation
of the Business Combination, on a national securities exchange or the
Nasdaq National Market; and
(iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all
material respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
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The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.
(d) After the Distribution Date, the Company covenants and agrees that it
shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii merge with or into, or (ii sell or transfer
to, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as
a whole, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which does not violate Section 11(m) hereof), if (x) at the time of
or after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any charter or bylaw
provisions or any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities
outstanding, agreements in effect or any other action taken which would diminish
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y)
prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or
sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the
"Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a
distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such other Person
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
evidencing compliance with this Section 13(d).
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or as reported on the
Nasdaq National Market or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market,
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.
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(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; provided,
however, that holders of such depositary receipts shall have all of the
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions 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 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 current per share market price of the Preferred
Shares (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 (or,
if not publicly traded, in accordance with Section 11(d)(ii) hereof).
(c) Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events specified in
Section 11 hereof giving rise to the right to receive Common Shares, capital
stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other securities upon the
exercise of a Right, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or units of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other
securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other
securities. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or
other securities, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common
Share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock equivalents or other
securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value shall
be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise and, if such capital stock equivalent is not traded, each such capital
stock equivalent shall have the value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his
right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of
a Right (except as provided above).
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Sections 18 and 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares) and any registered holder of any Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent
of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for
his own benefit, enforce, and
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may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement. Holders of Rights
shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including
attorneys fees, incurred by them in any action to enforce the provisions of 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
(subject to the provisions of this Rights Agreement) only on the registry books
of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; 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 Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary.
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 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,
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on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises. The indemnity provided herein shall survive the
expiration of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement. In no case will
the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental or consequential
loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility of such
loss or damage.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT. Any
corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder
services or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without
the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of
the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.
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.
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SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties
and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel of its choice (who may be
legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights
Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other
Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the
validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due
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 for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained
in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for
any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming
void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the
Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Sections
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 receipt of a certificate
pursuant to Section 12 hereof describing such change or adjustment); 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,
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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, the Chief
Financial Officer, 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 by
it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any
delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the
Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the
Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by
the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement
and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or omitted and the
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted in accordance
with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified
therein (which date shall not be less than three business days after the date
indicated in such application unless any such officer shall have consented in
writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action,
the Rights Agent has received written instructions in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the
Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of
the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the
Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or
risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance
of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall
be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent
for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or
form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been executed, the
Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested
exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
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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 for 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 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 for 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 (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be either (a) a corporation
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any other
state of the United States which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million or (b) an affiliate of such a corporation. 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 for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities
or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier
of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall with
respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement in existence prior to the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities,
notes or debentures issued by the Company and in existence prior to the
Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
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appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be obligated to issue
any such Right Certificates if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be
advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of
material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no Right Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been
made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
SECTION 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors pursuant to
Section 23(b) hereof and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.
(b) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of such time as any Person becoming an Acquiring
Person or the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of 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"), and the Company may, at its option, pay
the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based on the "current per share market
price," as such term is defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Shares at
the time of redemption), cash or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject
to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof prior to the expiration or termination of the Company's right of
redemption under this Section 23(b)(i).
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and the
expiration of any period during which the holder of Rights may exercise the
rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof but prior to any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of the first sentence of Section 13 hereof, redeem all but not
less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (x) in
connection with any merger, consolidation or sale or other transfer (in one
transaction or in a series of related transactions) of assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of Common Shares are
treated alike and not involving (other than as a holder of Common Shares being
treated like all other such holders) an Interested Stockholder or a Transaction
Person or (y)(A) if and for so long as the Acquiring Person is not thereafter
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares, and
(B) at the time of redemption no other Persons are Acquiring Persons.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement,
including, without limitation, the provisions of Section 23(b)(i) and (ii), in
the event that a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company is comprised
of (i) persons elected at a
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meeting of stockholders who were not nominated by the Board of Directors in
office immediately prior to such meeting, and/or (ii) persons elected to the
Board of Directors for the purpose of either facilitating a Transaction with a
Transaction Person or circumventing directly or indirectly the provisions of
this Section 23(b)(iii) or the last sentence of Section 27, then the Rights may
not be redeemed for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such
election if such redemption is reasonably likely to have the purpose or effect
of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction Person.
(c) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof, and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give
public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) hereof, the Company shall
mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Shares, provided, however, that failure to give, or any defect
in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. 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.
(d) The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with
respect to any redemption of the Rights by (i) issuing a press release
announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights and (ii mailing payment of the
Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their last addresses
as they appear on 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, and upon such action, all outstanding Right Certificates shall be null
and void without any further action by the Company.
SECTION 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common
Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any
Person (other than the Company, any
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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 Section 24(a) hereof 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
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. 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 void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section 24(a) hereof,
the Company may, if a majority of the Board of Directors then in office
determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the
interests of the holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that there are
not sufficient treasury shares and authorized but unissued Common Shares to
permit any exchange of the Rights in accordance with Section 24(a) hereof, the
Company shall) take all such action as may be necessary to authorize, issue or
pay, upon the exchange of the Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of
the Purchase Price), property, Common Shares, other securities or any
combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common
Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 24(a)
hereof, which aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in
office. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Shares
shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any election pursuant to
this Section 24(c) by the Board of Directors must be made within 60 days
following the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall have occurred. Following the occurrence on the event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following
the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have
occurred to the extent that such directors have not determined whether to
exercise their rights of election under this Section 24(c). In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.
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(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 Section
24(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 after the date of the
first public announcement by the Company that an exchange is to be effected
pursuant to this Section 24.
(e) 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 exchange 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; provided,
however, that holders of such depositary receipts shall have all of the
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions 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 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 24(e), the current market value of a
Preferred Share shall be one hundred (100) times 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 after the date of the first public announcement
by the Company that an exchange is to be effected pursuant to this Section 24.
SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock
of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other
distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred
Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or
options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its 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, in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purpose of such stock dividend, or distribution of
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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
the Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be
so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least
10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of 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 the 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, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the
consequences of the 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:
BEI Electronics, Inc.
One Post Street, Suite 2500
San Francisco, CA 94104
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.
50 California Street
10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111-4624
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
SECTION 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of the
Rights. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent
shall, if the Company so directs, from time to time supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions
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herein, or (iii) change any other provisions with respect to the Rights which
the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such
supplement or amendment shall be made which would adversely affect the interests
of the holders of Rights (other than the interests of an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates or Associates). Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period
after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution
Date shall become null and void unless such supplement or amendment could have
been adopted by the Company from and after the Distribution Date. Any such
supplement or amendment shall be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company
and the Rights Agent. Upon delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer
of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment unless the Rights Agent shall have determined in
good faith that such supplement or amendment would adversely affect its interest
under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the
holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders
of Common Shares. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in
the event that a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company is comprised
of (i) persons elected at a meeting of stockholders who were not nominated by
the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such meeting, and/or (ii)
persons elected to the Board of Directors for the purpose of either facilitating
a Transaction with a Transaction Person or circumventing directly or indirectly
the provisions of Section 23(b)(iii) or this provision of this Section 27, then
for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such election, this
Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented in any manner reasonably likely
to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction
Person.
SECTION 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares
outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the
particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares or any other securities
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. The Board of
Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board, or the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of the Rights, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
SECTION 29. 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.
33
<PAGE>
SECTION 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) 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 31. 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 32. 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
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed
entirely within such State.
SECTION 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
SECTION 34. 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.
34
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, parties whereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
- ----------------------------------- --------------------------------------
Robert R. Corr Charles Crocker
Secretary, Treasurer and Controller President, Chief Executive Officer
and Chairman of the Board of Directors
ATTEST: CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES, L.L.C.
By: By:
------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Title: Title:
---------------------------- ------------------------------
35
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99.3
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the
"Company"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on June 30, 1997:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the provisions of its
Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company and
hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof (in addition to the
provisions set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company,
which are applicable to the Preferred Stock of all classes and series), as
follows:
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. Two Hundred Thousand (200,000)
shares of Preferred Stock, $.001 par value, are designated "Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock" with the designations and the powers, preferences
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<PAGE>
and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions specified
herein (the "Junior Preferred Stock"). Such number of shares may be increased
or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease
shall reduce the number of shares of Junior Preferred Stock to a number less
than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved
for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or
upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company
convertible into Junior Preferred Stock.
SECTION 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the
Junior Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Junior Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par
value $.0001 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company, and of any
other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of April, July,
October and January in each year (each such date being referred to herein
as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
share of Junior Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $l.00 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share
amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions,
other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise),
declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share
of Junior Preferred Stock. In the event the Company shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or
lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount
to which holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence
shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Junior
Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately
after it
A-2
<PAGE>
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no
dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share
on the Junior Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Junior Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue
of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue
from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock entitled to
receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Junior
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends
at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata
on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
SECTION 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Junior Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Junior Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Company. In the event the Company shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per
share to which holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such
number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding
immediately prior to such event.
A-3
<PAGE>
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of
Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or
by law, the holders of shares of Junior Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Company having
general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law,
holders of Junior Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled
to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any
corporate action.
SECTION 4. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Junior Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Junior Preferred Stock
outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock,
except dividends paid ratably on the Junior Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to
the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock,
provided that the Company may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock
of the Company ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Junior Preferred Stock; or
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Junior Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a
parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
up) with the Junior Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of
A-4
<PAGE>
the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good
faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective
series or classes.
(B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
SECTION 5. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Junior Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All
such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set
forth herein, in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other
Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
SECTION 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution
shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Junior Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of
Junior Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount
equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or
not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of
shares of Junior Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share
to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Preferred Stock, except
distributions made ratably on the Junior Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
In the event the Company shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision
or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock,
then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of
Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under
the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
A-5
<PAGE>
SECTION 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Company shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other
stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case
each share of Junior Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount
of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as
the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is
changed or exchanged. In the event the Company shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the
preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of
Junior Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
SECTION 8. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Junior Preferred Stock shall
not be redeemable.
SECTION 9. RANK. The Junior Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect
to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all
series of any other class of the Company's Preferred Stock.
SECTION 10. AMENDMENT. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Company shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter
or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Junior Preferred
Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the
holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Junior
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
A-6
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this certificate as of
____________, 1997.
----------------------------------------
Charles Crocker
President, Chief Executive Officer
and Chairman of the Board of Directors
----------------------------------------
Robert R. Corr
Secretary, Treasurer and Controller
A-7
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99.4
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE NO. R- _____ RIGHTS
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JUNE 30, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT AND TO
EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
This certifies that ___________________ or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of June 30, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), between BEI
ELECTRONICS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and CHASEMELLON
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company
at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Pacific Time, on June 30, 2007 at the office
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, 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 $.001 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $60 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 June 30, 1997, based on the Preferred
Shares as constituted at such date.
From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate who
becomes a transferee prior
B-1
<PAGE>
to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such, such Rights shall
become null and void without any further action and no holder hereof shall have
any right with respect to such Rights from and after the time any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person.
As provided in the Rights 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 Rights Agreement, as amended from time to time, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights
Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the 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 Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, or Preferred Stock.
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 Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
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<PAGE>
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal. Dated as of __________.
ATTEST: BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
- ---------------------------- ----------------------------
Robert D. Corr Charles Crocker
Secretary, Treasurer President, Chief Executive Officer
and Controller and Chairman of the Board
COUNTERSIGNED:
CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
as Rights Agent
By:
----------------------------
Authorized Signature
B-3
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto
______________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________ this Right
Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________________
________________________________
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
B-4
<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as
defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
- ------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf of
a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement); and (2) after due inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested
Stockholder, or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.
________________________________
Signature
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<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To ChaseMellon Shareholder Services
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ___________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________
______________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number: ______________
______________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________
Dated: _________________
________________________________
Signature
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
B-6
<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as
defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
- ---------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by nor are they being exercised on
behalf of an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement); and (2)
after due inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder, or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof.
________________________________
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 Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or
Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-7
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99.5
EXHIBIT C
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On June 30, 1997, the Board of Directors of BEI ELECTRONICS, INC. (the
"Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right")
for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.001 per share (the
"Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is effective as of July 18, 1997
(the "Record Date") with respect to the stockholders of record on that date.
The Rights will also attach to new Common Shares issued after the Record Date.
Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-
hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $60 per
one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. Each Preferred Share is designed to be the economic equivalent of
100 Common Shares. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a
Rights Agreement dated as of June 30, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), between the
Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent").
DETACHMENT AND TRANSFER OF RIGHTS
Initially, the Rights will be evidenced by the stock certificates
representing Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates
will be distributed. Until the earlier to occur of (i) a public announcement
that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, has become an
"Acquiring Person" (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as the Board may determine) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer which would result in the beneficial ownership by an Acquiring
Person of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such
dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with
respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record
Date, by such Common Share certificate. In general, an "Acquiring Person" is a
person, the affiliates or associates of such person, or a group, which has
acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares;
provided that certain "Excluded Stockholders" as defined in the Rights Agreement
may have greater beneficial ownership without becoming an "Acquiring Person."
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferable with
and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued
after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until
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the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) the
surrender or transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of
the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights
being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
EXERCISABILITY OF RIGHTS
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on June 30, 2007 (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. Until a Right is
exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of
the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive
dividends.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable or payable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution. 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 in the event
of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares
payable in Common Shares, or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the
Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date. 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.
TERMS OF 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 $l 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
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 anti-dilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred
Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-
hundredth
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interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should
approximate the value of one Common Share. The Preferred Shares would rank
junior to any other series of the Company's preferred stock.
TRIGGER OF FLIP-IN AND FLIP-OVER RIGHTS
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder
of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person or any
affiliate or associate thereof (which will thereafter be 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. This right will
commence on the date of public announcement that a person has become an
Acquiring Person (or the effective date of a registration statement relating to
distribution of the rights, if later) and terminate 60 days later (subject to
adjustment in the event exercise of the rights is enjoined).
In the event that 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 to an Acquiring Person, its affiliates or associates or certain
other persons in which such persons have an interest, proper provision will be
made so that each such holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
Right, 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.
REDEMPTION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS
At any time prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on the day
of the first public announcement that a person has become an Acquiring Person,
or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of the Company may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"). In addition, the Rights may not be redeemed during the 180
days following certain changes in a majority of the members of the Board of
Directors. In general, the redemption of the Rights may be made effective at
such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its
sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
At any time after any Person 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 such person or group which will have become void), in whole
or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred
stock having equivalent designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and
the qualifications, limitations and restrictions), per Right (subject to
adjustment).
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AMENDMENT OF RIGHTS
The terms of the Rights generally may be amended by the Board of Directors
of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that
from and after such time as the Rights are distributed no such amendment may
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (excluding the
interest of any Acquiring Person).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 30,
1997. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available from the Company by writing
to: Investor Relations, BEI ELECTRONICS, INC., One Post Street, Suite 2500, San
Francisco, CA 94104. This summary description of the Rights is not intended to
be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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EXHIBIT 99.6
BY-LAWS
OF
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
(AS AMENDED THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997)
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I Offices...................................................... 1
Section 1. Registered Office............................................ 1
Section 2. Other Offices................................................ 1
ARTICLE II Corporate Seal............................................... 1
Section 3. Corporate Seal............................................... 1
ARTICLE III Stockholders' Meetings....................................... 1
Section 4. Place of Meetings............................................ 1
Section 5. Annual Meeting............................................... 1
Section 6. Special Meetings............................................. 3
Section 7. Notice of Meetings........................................... 3
Section 8. Quorum....................................................... 4
Section 9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings................. 4
Section 10. Voting Rights................................................ 4
Section 11. Beneficial Owners of Stock................................... 5
Section 12. List of Stockholders......................................... 5
Section 13. Action without Meeting....................................... 6
Section 14. Organization................................................. 6
ARTICLE IV Directors.................................................... 6
Section 15. Number and Term of Office.................................... 6
Section 16. Powers....................................................... 7
Section 17. Classes Of Directors......................................... 7
Section 18. Vacancies.................................................... 7
Section 19. Resignation.................................................. 7
Section 20. Removal...................................................... 8
Section 21. Meetings..................................................... 8
(e) Notice Of Meetings........................................... 8
Section 22. Quorum and Voting............................................ 9
Section 23. Action without Meeting....................................... 9
Section 24. Fees and Compensation........................................ 9
Section 25. Committees................................................... 10
(a) Executive Committee.......................................... 10
</TABLE>
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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(continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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Section 26. Organization.................................................. 11
ARTICLE V Officers...................................................... 11
Section 27. Officers Designated........................................... 11
Section 28. Tenure and Duties of Officers................................. 12
Section 29. Delegation of Authority....................................... 13
Section 30. Resignations.................................................. 13
Section 31. Removal....................................................... 13
ARTICLE VI Execution of Corporate Instruments and Voting of Securities
Owned by the Corporation...................................... 13
Section 32. Execution of Corporate Instruments............................ 13
Section 33. Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation................. 14
ARTICLE VII Shares of Stock............................................... 14
Section 34. Form and Execution of Certificates............................ 14
Section 35. Lost Certificates............................................. 15
Section 36. Transfers..................................................... 15
Section 37. Fixing Record Dates........................................... 15
Section 38. Registered Stockholders....................................... 16
ARTICLE VIII Other Securities of the Corporation........................... 16
Section 39. Execution of Other Securities................................. 16
ARTICLE IX Dividends..................................................... 17
Section 40. Declaration of Dividends...................................... 17
Section 41. Dividend Reserve.............................................. 17
ARTICLE X Fiscal Year................................................... 17
Section 42. Fiscal Year................................................... 17
ARTICLE XI Indemnification............................................... 18
</TABLE>
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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(continued)
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Section 43. Indemnification of............................................ 18
(a) Directors and Executive Officers.............................. 18
(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents.................... 18
(c) Expenses...................................................... 18
(d) Enforcement................................................... 19
(e) Non-Exclusivity Of Rights..................................... 19
(f) Survival Of Rights............................................ 20
(g) Insurance..................................................... 20
(h) Amendments.................................................... 20
(i) Saving Clause................................................. 20
(j) Certain Definitions........................................... 20
ARTICLE XII Notices....................................................... 21
Section 44. Notices....................................................... 21
ARTICLE XIII Amendments.................................................... 23
Section 45. Amendments.................................................... 23
ARTICLE XIV Loans to Officers............................................. 23
Section 46. Loans to Officers............................................. 23
</TABLE>
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BY-LAWS
OF
BEI ELECTRONICS, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
SECTION 1. REGISTERED OFFICE. The registered office of the corporation
in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Dover, County of Kent. (Del.
Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 131)
SECTION 2. OTHER OFFICES. The corporation shall also have and maintain
an office or principal place of business in San Francisco, California, at such
place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at
such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of
Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may
require. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 122(8))
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE SEAL
SECTION 3. CORPORATE SEAL. The corporate seal shall consist of a die
bearing the name of the corporation and the inscription, "Corporate Seal-
Delaware." Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be
impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
STOCKHOLDERS' MEETINGS
SECTION 4. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the stockholders of the
corporation shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of
Delaware, as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors, or,
if not so designated, then at the office of the corporation required to be
maintained pursuant to Section 2 hereof. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 211(a))
SECTION 5. ANNUAL MEETING. (A) The annual meeting of the stockholders of
the corporation, for the purpose of election of Directors and for such other
business as may lawfully
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come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated
from time to time by the Board of Directors.
(B) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall
be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be
properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be: (A) specified in
the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction
of the Board of Directors, (B) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by
or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (C) otherwise properly brought
before the meeting by a stockholder. For business to be properly brought before
an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely
notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation. To be timely, a
stockholder's notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the
principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of
business on the sixtieth (60th) day nor earlier than the close of business on
the ninetieth (90th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's
annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was
held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting has been changed by
more than thirty (30) days from the date contemplated at the time of the
previous year's proxy statement, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be
so received not earlier than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day
prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the
later of the sixtieth (60th) day prior to such annual meeting or, in the event
public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made by the
corporation fewer than seventy (70) days prior to the date of such annual
meeting, the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on
which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the
corporation. A stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth as to each
matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting: (i) a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and
the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii) the name
and address, as they appear on the corporation's books, of the stockholder
proposing such business, (iii) the class and number of shares of the corporation
which are beneficially owned by the stockholder, (iv) any material interest of
the stockholder in such business and (v) any other information that is required
to be provided by the stockholder pursuant to Regulation 14A under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in his capacity as a proponent to a
stockholder proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in order to include
information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and
form of proxy for a stockholders' meeting, stockholders must provide notice as
required by the regulations promulgated under the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no
business shall be conducted at any annual meeting except in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this paragraph (b). The chairman of the annual meeting
shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the meeting that business
was not properly brought before the meeting and in accordance with the
provisions of this paragraph (b), and, if he should so determine, he shall so
declare at the meeting that any such business not properly brought before the
meeting shall not be transacted. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8: (P)211(b))
(C) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this paragraph (c) shall be eligible for election as Directors.
Nominations of persons
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for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation may be made at a
meeting of stockholders by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by
any stockholder of the corporation entitled to vote in the election of Directors
at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this
paragraph (c). Such nominations, other than those made by or at the direction of
the Board of Directors, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to
the Secretary of the corporation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph
(b) of this Section 5. Such stockholder's notice shall set forth (i) as to each
person, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-
election as a Director: (A) the name, age, business address and residence
address of such person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of such
person, (C) the class and number of shares of the corporation which are
beneficially owned by such person, (D) a description of all arrangements or
understandings between the stockholder and each nominee and any other person or
persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nominations are to
be made by the stockholder, and (E) any other information relating to such
person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election
of Directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including without
limitation such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement,
if any, as a nominee and to serving as a Director if elected); and (ii) as to
such stockholder giving notice, the information required to be provided pursuant
to paragraph (b) of this Section 5. At the request of the Board of Directors,
any person nominated by a stockholder for election as a Director shall furnish
to the Secretary of the corporation that information required to be set forth in
the stockholder's notice of nomination which pertains to the nominee. No person
shall be eligible for election as a Director of the corporation unless nominated
in accordance with the procedures set forth in this paragraph (c). The chairman
of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare at the meeting
that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by
these Bylaws, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare at the meeting
and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8,
(S)(S) 212, 214).
(D) For purposes of this Section 5, "public announcement" shall mean
disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated
Press or comparable national news service or in a document filed by the
corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13,
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
SECTION 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. (A) Special meetings of the stockholders of
the corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by the Board of
Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of
authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously
authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the
Board for adoption), and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such
time as the Board of Directors shall fix.
SECTION 7. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Except as otherwise provided by law or
the Certificate of Incorporation, written notice of each meeting of stockholders
shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the
date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, such
notice to specify the place, date and hour and purpose or purposes
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<PAGE>
of the meeting. Notice of the time, place and purpose of any meeting of
stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice
thereof, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any
stockholder by his attendance thereat in person or by proxy, except when the
stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the
beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting
is not lawfully called or convened. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such
meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as
if due notice thereof had been given. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 222, 229)
SECTION 8. QUORUM. At all meetings of stockholders, except where
otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by
these Bylaws, the presence, in person or by proxy duly authorized, of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any shares, the voting of
which at said meeting has been enjoined, or which for any reason cannot be
lawfully voted at such meeting, shall not be counted to determine a quorum at
such meeting. In the absence of a quorum any meeting of stockholders may be
adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or by vote
of the holders of a majority of the shares represented thereat, but no other
business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a
duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to
transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough
stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law,
the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, all action taken by the
holders of a majority of the voting power represented at any meeting at which a
quorum is present shall be valid and binding upon the corporation; provided,
however, that Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the
shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to
vote on the election of Directors. Where a separate vote by a class or classes
is required, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes,
present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to
take action with respect to that vote on that matter and the affirmative vote of
the majority (plurality, in the case of the election of Directors) of shares of
such class or classes present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting
shall be the act of such class. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 216)
SECTION 9. ADJOURNMENT AND NOTICE OF ADJOURNED MEETINGS. Any meeting of
stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time
either by the chairman of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of the shares
represented thereat. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place,
notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof
are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the
adjourned meeting the corporation may transact any business which might have
been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than
thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the
adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each
stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8,
(S) 222(c))
SECTION 10. VOTING RIGHTS. For the purpose of determining those
stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as
otherwise provided by law, only persons
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<PAGE>
in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the corporation on the
record date, as provided in Section 12 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to
vote at any meeting of stockholders. Except as may be otherwise provided in the
Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled
to one vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder. Every
person entitled to vote or execute consents shall have the right to do so either
in person or by an agent or agents authorized by a written proxy executed by
such person or his duly authorized agent, which proxy shall be filed with the
Secretary at or before the meeting at which it is to be used. An agent so
appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3)
years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
All elections of Directors shall be by written ballot, unless otherwise provided
in the Certificate of Incorporation. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 211(e),
212(b))
SECTION 11. BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF STOCK. (A) If shares or other
securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more
persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants
in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons
have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the
Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy
of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein
it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following
effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1)
votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1)
votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may
vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware
Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the General Corporation Law of
Delaware, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that
any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the
purpose of this subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 217(b))
(B) Persons holding stock in a fiduciary capacity shall be entitled to
vote the shares so held. Persons whose stock is pledged shall be entitled to
vote, unless in the transfer by the pledgor on the books of the corporation he
has expressly empowered the pledgee to vote thereon, in which case only the
pledgee, or his proxy, may represent such stock and vote thereon. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 217(a)).
SECTION 12. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. The Secretary shall prepare and make,
at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of
the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical
order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares
registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the
examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during
ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the
meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held,
which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not
specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall be
produced and kept at the time and place of meeting during the whole time
thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 219(a))
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SECTION 13. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.
(A) No action shall be taken by the stockholders except at an annual
or special meeting of stockholders called in accordance with these Bylaws, and
no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent.
SECTION 14. ORGANIZATION. (A) At every meeting of stockholders, the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or
is absent, the President, or, if the President is absent, the most senior Vice
President present, or in the absence of any such officer, a chairman of the
meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote,
present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his
absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as
secretary of the meeting.
(B) The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be entitled to
make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it
shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and
regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall
have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures
and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary,
appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including,
without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting,
rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of
those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of
record of the corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies, and
such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the
meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the
time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the
opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted
on by ballot. Unless, and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or
the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to
be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
SECTION 15. NUMBER AND TERM OF OFFICE. The authorized number of
directors of the corporation shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of
Directors either by a resolution or a bylaw duly adopted by the Board of
Directors. The number of directors presently authorized is eight (8).
Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Certificate of
Incorporation. If for any cause, the Directors shall not have been elected at
an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient at a
special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in the manner
provided in these Bylaws. No reduction of the authorized number of Directors
shall have the effect of removing any Director before the Director's term of
office expires, unless such removal is made pursuant to the provisions of
Section 20 hereof. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 141(b), 211(b), (c))
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SECTION 16. POWERS. The powers of the corporation shall be exercised,
its business conducted and its property controlled by the Board of Directors,
except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of
Incorporation (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(a))
SECTION 17. CLASSES OF DIRECTORS. Subject to the rights of the holders
of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified
circumstances, the directors shall be divided into three classes designated as
Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively, and the number of directors in
each class shall be as nearly equal as possible. Each director shall serve for a
term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following
the annual meeting at which the director was elected; provided, however, that
each initial director in Class I shall hold office until the annual meeting of
stockholders in 1990; and each initial director in Class II shall hold office
until the annual meeting of stockholders in 1991; and each initial director in
Class III shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in 1992. At
each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a
full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms
expire at such annual meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, each director
shall serve until his successor is duly elected and qualified or until his
death, resignation or removal.
SECTION 18. VACANCIES. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate
of Incorporation, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death,
resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created
directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors, shall
unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies
or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even
though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors. Any director elected in
accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of
the full term of the class of directors in which the new directorship was
created or the vacancy occurred and until such director's successor shall have
been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed
to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of
any director. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 223(a), (b))
SECTION 19. RESIGNATION. Any director may resign at any time by
delivering his written resignation to the Secretary, such resignation to specify
whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary
or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such specification is made,
it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. When
one or more Directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a
future date, a majority of the Directors then in office, including those who
have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote
thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become
effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office for the unexpired
portion of the term of the Director whose place shall be vacated and until his
successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8,
(S)(S) 141(b), 223(d))
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SECTION 20. REMOVAL. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series
of Preferred Stock, no director shall be removed without cause. Subject to any
limitations imposed by law, the Board of Directors or any individual director
may be removed from office at any time with cause by the affirmative vote of the
holders of eighty percent (80%) of the voting power of all the then-outstanding
shares of voting stock of the corporation, entitled to vote at an election of
directors (the "Voting Stock").
SECTION 21. MEETINGS.
(A) ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meeting of the Board of Directors
shall be held immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders and at the
place where such meeting is held. No notice of an annual meeting of the Board
of Directors shall be necessary and such meeting shall be held for the purpose
of electing officers and transacting such other business as may lawfully come
before it.
(B) REGULAR MEETINGS. Except as hereinafter otherwise provided,
regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the office of the
corporation required to be maintained pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Unless
otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of
the Board of Directors may also be held at any place within or without the State
of Delaware which has been determined by the Board of Directors. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(g))
(C) SPECIAL MEETINGS. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate
of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any
time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the
President or a majority of the Directors. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(g))
(D) TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of
any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting
by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(i))
(E) NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Notice of the time and place of all special
meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone,
facsimile, telegraph or telex, during normal business hours, at least twenty-
four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting, or sent in writing to
each director by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least three (3) days
before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing
at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by
attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express
purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any
business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 229)
(F) WAIVER OF NOTICE. The transaction of all business at any meeting
of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed,
or wherever held,
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shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and
notice, if a quorum is present and if, either before or after the meeting, each
of the Directors not present signs a written waiver of notice, or a consent to
holding such meeting, or an approval of the minutes thereof. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting
of the Board of Directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice or
consent unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
All such waivers, consents or approvals shall be filed with the corporate
records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8,
(S) 229)
SECTION 22. QUORUM AND VOTING.
(A) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number
and except with respect to indemnification questions arising under Section 43
hereof, for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact number of Directors
fixed from time to time in accordance with Section 15 hereof, but not less than
one (1), a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the
exact number of Directors fixed from time to time in accordance with Section 15
of these Bylaws, but not less than one (1); provided, however, at any meeting
whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the Directors present
may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting
of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the
meeting. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(b))
(B) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is
present all questions and business shall be determined by a vote of a majority
of the Directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the
Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)
141(b))
SECTION 23. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Unless otherwise restricted by the
Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted
to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof
may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or
committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and such writing or
writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or
committee. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(f))
SECTION 24. FEES AND COMPENSATION. Directors shall be entitled to such
compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors,
including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum
and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special
meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board
of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any
Director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an officer,
agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(h))
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SECTION 25. COMMITTEES.
(A) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors may by resolution
passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors appoint an Executive
Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The
Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the
resolution of the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers
and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and
affairs of the corporation, including without limitation the power or authority
to declare a dividend, to authorize the issuance of stock and to adopt a
certificate of ownership and merger, and may authorize the seal of the
corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such
committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the
Certificate of Incorporation (except that a committee may, to the extent
authorized in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of shares
of stock adopted by the Board of Directors fix the designations and any of the
preferences or rights of such shares relating to dividends, redemption,
dissolution, any distribution of assets of the corporation or the conversion
into, or the exchange of such shares for, shares of any other class or classes
or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the
corporation or fix the number of shares of any series of stock or authorize the
increase or decrease of the shares of any series), adopting an agreement of
merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or
exchange of all or substantially all of the corporation's property and assets,
recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the corporation or a
revocation of a dissolution, or amending the bylaws of the corporation. (Del.
Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(c))
(B) OTHER COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may, by resolution
passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, from time to time appoint
such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees
appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of
the Board of Directors, and shall have such powers and perform such duties as
may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees, but
in no event shall such committee have the powers denied to the Executive
Committee in these Bylaws. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(c))
(C) TERM. The members of all committees of the Board of Directors
shall serve a one (1) year term. The Board of Directors, subject to the
provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 25, may at any time
increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the
existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate
on the date of his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the
Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason
remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any
committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the
number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or
more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent
or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the
absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members
thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not
he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the
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Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or
disqualified member. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)141(c))
(D) MEETINGS. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide,
regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee appointed
pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and places as are
determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice
thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of
such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such
committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time
by such committee, and may be called by any Director who is a member of such
committee, upon written notice to the members of such committee of the time and
place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of
written notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of
special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of
any committee may be waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting
and will be waived by any Director by attendance thereat, except when the
Director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at
the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the
meeting is not lawfully called or convened. A majority of the authorized number
of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction
of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which
a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee. (Del. Code Ann., tit.
8, (S)(S) 141(c), 229)
SECTION 26. ORGANIZATION. At every meeting of the Directors, the
Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or
is absent, the President, or if the President is absent, the most senior Vice
President, or, in the absence of any such officer, a chairman of the meeting
chosen by a majority of the Directors present, shall preside over the meeting.
The Secretary, or in his absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by
the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
SECTION 27. OFFICERS DESIGNATED. The officers of the corporation shall
be the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, one or more Vice
Presidents, the Secretary and the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer, all of
whom shall be elected at the annual organizational meeting of the Board of
Directors. The order of the seniority of the Vice Presidents shall be in the
order of their nomination, unless otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant
Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and such other officers and agents with such
powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign
such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem
appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the corporation
at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries
and other compensation
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of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated
by the Board of Directors. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 122(5), 142(a), (b))
SECTION 28. TENURE AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
(A) GENERAL. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the
Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and
qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board
of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the
office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled
by the Board of Directors. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 141(b), (e))
(B) DUTIES OF CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Chairman of the
Board of Directors, if appointed and present, shall preside at all meetings of
the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of
Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall
also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of
Directors shall designate from time to time. If there is no President, then the
Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also serve as the Chief Executive
Officer of the corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in
paragraph (c) of this Section 28. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 142(a))
(C) DUTIES OF PRESIDENT. The President shall preside at all meetings
of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the
Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. The
President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation and shall,
subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision,
direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. The
President shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall
also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of
Directors shall designate from time to time. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)
142(a))
(D) DUTIES OF VICE PRESIDENTS. The Vice Presidents, in the order of
their seniority, may assume and perform the duties of the President in the
absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is
vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to
their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers
as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 142(a))
(E) DUTIES OF SECRETARY. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of
the stockholders and of the Board of Directors, and shall record all acts and
proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The Secretary may
give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders,
and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof
requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties given him in
these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also
perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors
shall designate from time to time. The President may direct any Assistant
Secretary to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or
disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform
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other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other
duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President
shall designate from time to time. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 142(a))
(F) DUTIES OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OR TREASURER. The Chief
Financial Officer or Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of
account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner, and shall render
statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often
as required by the Board of Directors or the President. The Chief Financial
Officer or Treasurer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have
the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial
Officer or Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office
and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board
of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time. The President
may direct any Assistant Treasurer to assume and perform the duties of the Chief
Financial Officer or Treasurer in the absence or disability of the Chief
Financial Officer or Treasurer, and each Assistant Treasurer shall perform other
duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties
and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall
designate from time to time. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 142(a))
SECTION 29. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY. The Board of Directors may from
time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer
or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
SECTION 30. RESIGNATIONS. Any officer may resign at any time by giving
written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the
Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person
or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified
therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later
time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall
be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any
contract with the resigning officer. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 142(b))
SECTION 31. REMOVAL. Any officer may be removed from office at any time,
either with or without cause, by the vote or written consent of a majority of
the Directors in office at the time, or by any committee or superior officers
upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of
Directors.
ARTICLE VI
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING
OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION
SECTION 32. EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS. The Board of Directors
may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer
or officers, or other person
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or persons, to execute on behalf of the corporation any corporate instrument or
document, or to sign on behalf of the corporation the corporate name without
limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except
where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature
shall be binding upon the corporation. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 103(a),
142(a), 158)
Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or
otherwise required by law, promissory notes, deeds of trust, mortgages and other
evidences of indebtedness of the corporation, and other corporate instruments or
documents requiring the corporate seal, and certificates of shares of stock
owned by the corporation, shall be executed, signed or endorsed by the Chairman
of the Board of Directors, or the President or any Vice President, and by the
Secretary or Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary or
Assistant Treasurer. All other instruments and documents requiring the
corporate signature, but not requiring the corporate seal, may be executed as
aforesaid or in such other manner as may be directed by the Board of Directors.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 103(a), 142(a), 158)
All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to
the credit of the corporation or in special accounts of the corporation shall be
signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to
do.
Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the
agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power
or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge
its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount. (Del. Code
Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 103(a), 142(a), 158).
SECTION 33. VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION. All stock and
other securities of other corporations owned or held by the corporation for
itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies
with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by
resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization,
by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, or any Vice President.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 123)
ARTICLE VII
SHARES OF STOCK
SECTION 34. FORM AND EXECUTION OF CERTIFICATES. Certificates for the
shares of stock of the corporation shall be in such form as is consistent with
the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock in
the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name
of the corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President
or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him
in the corporation. Where such certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent
other than the corporation or its employee,
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or by a registrar other than the corporation or its employee, any other
signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer
agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed
upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or
registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same
effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of
issue. Each certificate shall state upon the face or back thereof, in full or in
summary, all of the designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions on
transfer and relative rights of the shares authorized to be issued. Within a
reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated stock, the
corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice
containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates
pursuant to this section or otherwise required by law or with respect to this
section a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each
stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative
participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series
thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences
and/or rights. Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and
obligations of the holders of certificates representing stock of the same class
and series shall be identical. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 158)
SECTION 35. LOST CERTIFICATES. A new certificate or certificates may be
issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the
corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of
an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be
lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition
precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of
such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal
representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require or to
give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with
respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 167)
SECTION 36. TRANSFERS.
(A) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be
made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly
authorized, and upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or
certificates for a like number of shares. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 201,
tit. 6, (S) 8-401(1))
(B) The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any
agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of
the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation
of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not
prohibited by the General Corporation Law of Delaware. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8,
(S) 160 (a))
SECTION 37. FIXING RECORD DATES.
(A) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any
adjournment thereof, the Board of
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Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not
precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by
the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60)
nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date
is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the
close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or
if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day
on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled
to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any
adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may
fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(B) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders
entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment
of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of
any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other
lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which
record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the
record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60)
days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for
determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business
on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating
thereto. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 213)
SECTION 38. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS. The corporation shall be entitled
to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the
owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not
be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share
or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express
or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
(Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 213(a), 219)
ARTICLE VIII
OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION
SECTION 39. EXECUTION OF OTHER SECURITIES. All bonds, debentures and
other corporate securities of the corporation, other than stock certificates
(covered in Section 34), may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of
Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person as may be
authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal impressed thereon
or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by the signature of
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Chief Financial Officer or
Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer; provided, however, that where any such
bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual
signature of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture
or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons
signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other
corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such
persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other
corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, shall be
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signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation or such
other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted
thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer who shall
have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or
whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon,
shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other
corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond,
debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the
corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or
whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such
officer of the corporation.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
SECTION 40. DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS. Dividends upon the capital stock
of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to law
at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property,
or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 170, 173)
SECTION 41. DIVIDEND RESERVE. Before payment of any dividend, there may
be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for dividends such
sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute
discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for
equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the
corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think
conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the Board of Directors may
modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created. (Del.
Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 171)
ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR
SECTION 42. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the corporation shall end on
the nearest Saturday to the 30th day of September of each year and begin on the
following day or at such other times as may be fixed by resolution of the Board
of directors.
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ARTICLE XI
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 43. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, OTHER
OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS.
(A) DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. The corporation shall indemnify
its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this Article XI,
"executive officers shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated
under the 1934 Act) to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Delaware General
Corporation Law; provided, however, that the corporation may modify the extent
of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and executive
officers; and, provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to
indemnify any director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding
(or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is
expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the
Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by
the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the
corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) such
indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).
(B) OTHER OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS. The corporation shall
have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and other agents as set
forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law.
(C) EXPENSES. The corporation shall advance to any person who was or
is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or executive
officer, of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director or executive officer of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final
disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses
incurred by any director or executive officer in connection with such proceeding
upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay said
amounts if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled
to be indemnified under this Bylaw or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph
(e) of this Bylaw, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an executive
officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such executive
officer is or was a director of the corporation in which event this paragraph
shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly
made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of
directors who were not parties to the proceeding, or (ii) if such quorum is not
obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so
directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known
to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made
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demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a
manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation.
(D) ENFORCEMENT. Without the necessity of entering into an express
contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and executive
officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be
effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the
corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to indemnification
or advances granted by this Bylaw to a director or executive officer shall be
enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of
competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is
denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within
ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such enforcement action,
if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense
of prosecuting his claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the
corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the
claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the
Delaware General Corporation Law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant
for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an executive officer of
the corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such
executive officer is or was a director of the corporation) for advances, the
corporation shall be entitled to raise a defense as to any such action clear and
convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such
person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such
person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was lawful.
Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors,
independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination
prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is
proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of
conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual
determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption
that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit
brought by a director or executive officer to enforce a right to indemnification
or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, the burden of proving that the
director or executive officer is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such
advancement of expenses, under this Article XI or otherwise shall be on the
corporation.
(E) NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on any person by
this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have
or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of
Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested
directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding office. The corporation is
specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of
its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and
advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Delaware General
Corporation Law.
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(F) SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on any person by this
Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer,
employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors
and administrators of such a person.
(G) INSURANCE. To the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware
General Corporation Law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of
Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted
to be indemnified pursuant to this Bylaw.
(H) AMENDMENTS. Any repeal or modification of this Bylaw shall only
be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the
time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the
cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.
(I) SAVING CLAUSE. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be
invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the
corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive officer to
the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Bylaw that
shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law.
(J) CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Bylaw, the
following definitions shall apply:
(I) The term "proceeding" shall be broadly construed and shall
include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution,
defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in,
any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative.
(II) The term "expenses" shall be broadly construed and shall
include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys' fees, witness fees, fines,
amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any
nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(III) The term the "corporation" shall include, in addition to the
resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of
a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate
existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or
was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions
of this Bylaw with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would
have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had
continued.
(IV) References to a "director," "executive officer," "officer,"
"employee," or "agent" of the corporation shall include, without limitation,
situations where
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such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a
director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(V) References to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit
plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person
with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the
request of the corporation" shall include any service as a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves
services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an
employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who
acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest
of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be
deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the
corporation" as referred to in this Bylaw.
ARTICLE XII
NOTICES
SECTION 44. NOTICES.
(A) NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS. Whenever, under any provisions of these
Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any stockholder, it shall be given in
writing, timely and duly deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid,
and addressed to his last known post office address as shown by the stock record
of the corporation or its transfer agent. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 222)
(B) NOTICE TO DIRECTORS. Any notice required to be given to any
Director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), or by facsimile,
telex or telegram, except that such notice other than one which is delivered
personally shall be sent to such address as such Director shall have filed in
writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known
post office address of such Director.
(C) ADDRESS UNKNOWN. If no address of a stockholder or Director be
known, notice may be sent to the office of the corporation required to be
maintained pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
(D) AFFIDAVIT OF MAILING. An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly
authorized and competent employee of the corporation or its transfer agent
appointed with respect to the class of stock affected, specifying the name and
address or the names and addresses of the stock- holder or stockholders, or
Director or Directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and
the time and method of giving the same, shall be conclusive evidence of the
statements therein contained. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S) 222)
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(E) TIME NOTICES DEEMED GIVEN. All notices given by mail, as above
provided, shall be deemed to have been given as at the time of mailing and all
notices given by facsimile, telex or telegram shall be deemed to have been given
as of the sending time recorded at time of transmission.
(F) METHODS OF NOTICE. It shall not be necessary that the same method
of giving notice be employed in respect of all Directors, but one permissible
method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible
method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.
(G) FAILURE TO RECEIVE NOTICE. The period or limitation of time
within which any stockholder may exercise any option or right, or enjoy any
privilege or benefit, or be required to act, or within which any Director may
exercise any power or right, or enjoy any privilege, pursuant to any notice sent
him in the manner above provided, shall not be affected or extended in any
manner by the failure of such stockholder or such Director to receive such
notice.
(H) NOTICE TO PERSON WITH WHOM COMMUNICATION IS UNLAWFUL. Whenever
notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Certificate
of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any person with whom
communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be
required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or
agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or
meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom
communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice
had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is
such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, the certificate shall state, if such is the
fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to
receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.
(I) NOTICE TO PERSON WITH UNDELIVERABLE ADDRESS. Whenever notice is
required to be given, under any provision of law or the Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any stockholder to whom (i)
notice of two consecutive annual meetings, and all notices of meetings or of the
taking of action by written consent without a meeting to such person during the
period between such two consecutive annual meetings, or (ii) all, and at least
two, payments (if sent by first class mail) of dividends or interest on
securities during a twelve month period, have been mailed addressed to such
person at his address as shown on the records of the Corporation and have been
returned undeliverable, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be
required. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to
such person shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly
given. If any such person shall deliver to the corporation a written notice
setting forth his then current address, the requirement that notice be given to
such person shall be reinstated. In the event that the action taken by the
corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any
provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the certificate need not
state that notice was not given to persons to whom notice was not required to be
given pursuant to this paragraph. (Del. Code Ann, tit. 8, (S) 230)
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ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 45. AMENDMENTS. Subject to paragraph (h) of Section 43 of
the Bylaws, (i) the affirmative vote of at least eighty percent (80%) of the
voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the Voting Stock, shall be
required to alter, amend or repeal Sections 5, 6, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 43 and
45 of the Bylaws or to adopt any provision inconsistent with the Bylaws, and
(ii) the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%)
of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the Voting Stock
shall be required to alter, amend or repeal any other Section of the Bylaws.
The Board of Directors shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal
Bylaws. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)(S) 109(a), 122(6)).
ARTICLE XIV
LOANS TO OFFICERS
SECTION 46. LOANS TO OFFICERS. The corporation may lend money to, or
guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee
of the corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who
is a Director of the corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment
of the Board of Directors, such loan, guarantee or assistance may reasonably be
expected to benefit the corporation. The loan, guarantee or other assistance
may be with or without interest and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner
as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge
of shares of stock of the corporation. Nothing in this Section 46 shall be
deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the
corporation at common law or under any statute. (Del. Code Ann., tit. 8, (S)
143)
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