LEGATO SYSTEMS INC
8-A12G, 1997-05-30
PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE
Previous: CANDIES INC, 10KSB/A, 1997-05-30
Next: PIPER GLOBAL FUNDS INC /MN, N-30D, 1997-05-30




                                  May 30, 1997
VIA EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission
Attn:  Filing Desk
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

Re:      LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC. (the "Registrant")
         Commission File No. 0-26130
         Registration Statement on Form 8-A

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  On behalf of the Registrant,  transmitted herewith please find
the Registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A (the "Form 8-A"). The Form
8-A is submitted  herewith for the purpose of registering under Section 12(g) of
the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  the Preferred  Share Purchase
Rights of the Registrant (the "Rights")  pursuant to the Rights  Agreement dated
May 23, 1997 between the  Registrant  and Harris Trust and Savings  Bank,  which
agreement is filed as an exhibit to the Form 8-A.

                  On  behalf  of the  Registrant,  we  hereby  request  that the
Commission  accelerate  the  effectiveness  of the  Form  8-A so that it will be
declared  effective  as soon as  possible,  and in any event prior to the record
date for the dividend of the Rights on June 27, 1997.

                  Concurrently herewith, we are also transmitting to The Nasdaq 
Stock Market, Inc. a copy of the Form 8-A.

                  Please  contact Daniel E. O'Connor or Paul G. Martino at (415)
321-2400 if you have any questions regarding the enclosures herein.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   /s/ [Rick Ruiz]

                                   [Rick Ruiz]

Enclosures

cc:      The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
         Daniel E. O'Connor, Esq.
         Paul G. Martino, Esq.

<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    Form 8-A


                For Registration of Certain Classes of Securities
                     Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                              LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


              Delaware                                      94-3077394
- -----------------------------------------     ----------------------------------
(State of Incorporation or Organization)                 (I.R.S. Employer
                                                        Identification No.)
        3210 Porter Drive
      Palo Alto, California                                    94304
- -----------------------------------------     ----------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                     (Zip Code)

     If this Form relates to the  registration  of a If this Form relates to the
registration  of a class of debt  securities and is effective upon class of debt
securities  and is to become  filing  pursuant  to General  Instruction  A(c)(1)
effective  simultaneously with the effectiveness please check the following box.
of a concurrent registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant
to General Instruction A(c)(2) please check the following box.

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

      Title of Each Class                         Name of Each Exchange on Which
      to be so Registered                         Each Class is to be Registered
         Not Applicable                                   Not Applicable
- --------------------------------            ------------------------------------


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                         Preferred Share Purchase Rights
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)


<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item 1.           Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

                  On May 23, 1997,  the Board of  Directors  of Legato  Systems,
Inc. (the  "Company")  declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each  outstanding  share of common stock,  par value $0.0001 per
share (the "Common Shares")  outstanding on June 27, 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-thousandth  of a share of Series A
Junior  Participating   Preferred  Stock,  par  value  $0.0001  per  share  (the
"Preferred   Shares"),   of  the  Company,   at  a  price  of  $115.00  per  one
one-thousandth  of  a  Preferred  Share  (the  "Purchase  Price"),   subject  to
adjustment.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement  (the  "Rights  Agreement")  between the Company and Harris  Trust and
Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                  Until the  earlier to occur of (i) 10 days  following a public
announcement  that a person or group of  affiliated  or  associated  persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial  ownership of 15% (or in the case of
certain Exempt Persons, 20%) or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors  prior  to such  time  as any  Person  becomes  an  Acquiring  Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of such outstanding  Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being  called the  "Distribution  Date"),  the Rights
will  be  evidenced,  with  respect  to  any of the  Common  Share  certificates
outstanding  as of the Record Date,  by such Common Share  certificate  together
with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached to the Rights Agreement as Exhibit
C.

                  The Rights  Agreement  provides that,  until the  Distribution
Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until
the Distribution Date (or earlier  redemption or expiration of the Rights),  new
Common Share  certificates  issued after the Record Date or upon transfer or new
issuance  of Common  Shares  will  contain a notation  incorporating  the Rights
Agreement by reference.  Until the Distribution  Date (or earlier  redemption or
expiration of the Rights),  the surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation 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.

                  The Rights are not exercisable  until the  Distribution  Date.
The Rights will expire on May 23, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final  Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier  redeemed by
the Company, in each case, as described below.

                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other  securities  or  property  issuable,  upon  exercise  of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent  dilution (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  number  of  outstanding  Rights  and  the  number  of one
one-thousandths  of a Preferred  Share  issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or  subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
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 quarterly dividend
payment of 1000 times the dividend  declared per Common  Share.  In the event of
liquidation,  the  holders  of the  Preferred  Shares  will  be  entitled  to an
aggregate  payment of 1000 times the  aggregate  payment made per Common  Share.
Each  Preferred  Share will have 1000  votes,  voting  together  with the Common
Shares. In the event of any merger,  consolidation or other transaction in which
Common Shares are exchanged,  each  Preferred  Share will be entitled to receive
1000 times the amount  received per Common Share.  These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because  of the  nature  of the  Preferred  Shares'  dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a
Preferred Share  purchasable upon exercise of each Right should  approximate the
value of one Common Share.

                  From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii)  of the  Rights  Agreement,  if the  Rights  evidenced  by this  Right
Certificate  are or were at any time on or after the  earlier of (x) the date of
such event and (y) the Distribution  Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or  Affiliate  of an  Acquiring  Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement),  such Rights shall become void,  and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.

                  In the  event  that,  at any time  after a Person  becomes  an
Acquiring  Person,  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,  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. In the event that any person
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
Affiliates and Associates  (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. If the Company does not have
sufficient  Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares,  or
if the Board of Directors so elects,  the Company  shall deliver upon payment of
the  exercise  price of a Right an amount of cash or  securities  equivalent  in
value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right;  provided that, if
the Company fails to meet such obligation  within 30 days following the later of
(x) the first  occurrence of an event  triggering  the right to purchase  Common
Shares  and (y) the date on which  the  Company's  right to  redeem  the  Rights
expires,  the  Company  must  deliver,  upon  exercise  of a Right  but  without
requiring  payment of the exercise  price then in effect,  Common Shares (to the
extent available) and cash equal in value to the difference between the value of
the  Common  Shares  otherwise  issuable  upon the  exercise  of a Right and the
exercise  price then in  effect.  The Board of  Directors  may extend the 30-day
period  described  above for up to an additional 60 days to permit the taking of
action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional Common Shares to
permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.

                  At any time after any Person  becomes an Acquiring  Person and
prior to the acquisition by any person or group of a majority 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 per Right (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 one one-thousandth 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.

                  At any time prior to the time any Person  becomes an Acquiring
Person,  the Board of  Directors  of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part,  at a price of $0.01 per Right (the  "Redemption  Price").  The
redemption  of the Rights may be made  effective at such time, on such basis and
with  such  conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole  discretion  may
establish.  Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.

                  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 any person  becomes an Acquiring  Person
no such  amendment  may  adversely  affect the  interests  of the holders of the
Rights (other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).

                  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.

                  This summary  description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights  Agreement,
which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.




Item 2.           Exhibits.

Exhibit
Number              Description

1                   Rights  Agreement,  dated  as of May 23,  1997  between  the
                    Company and Harris  Trust and Savings  Bank,  including  the
                    Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior  Participating
                    Preferred  Stock,  Form of Right  Certificate and Summary of
                    Rights to  Purchase  Preferred  Shares  attached  thereto as
                    Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.


<PAGE>


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    SIGNATURE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                                 LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.



                                 Date:  May 28, 1997

                                 By:    /s/Stephen C. Wise

                                 Name:  Stephen C. Wise

                                 Title:   V.P. of Finance and Administration and
                                          Chief Financial Officer


<PAGE>


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    EXHIBITS



Exhibit
Number              Description

1                   Rights  Agreement,  dated  as of May 23,  1997  between  the
                    Company and Harris  Trust and Savings  Bank,  including  the
                    Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior  Participating
                    Preferred  Stock,  Form of Right  Certificate and Summary of
                    Rights to  Purchase  Preferred  Shares  attached  thereto as
                    Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                Agreement,  dated as of May 23, 1997,  between  Legato  Systems,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  and Harris Trust and Savings Bank
(the "Rights Agent").
                The  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  has  authorized  and
declared a dividend of one preferred  share  purchase right (a "Right") for each
share of Common Stock,  par value  $0.0001 per share,  of the Company (a "Common
Share")  outstanding  on the close of business June 27, 1997 (the "Record Date")
and has  authorized  the issuance of one Right with  respect to each  additional
Common  Share that shall  become  outstanding  between  the Record  Date and the
earlier of the  Distribution  Date, the Expiration Date or the Final  Expiration
Date (as such  terms  are  defined  in  Sections  3 and 7  hereof),  each  Right
representing the right to purchase one  one-thousandth  of a Preferred Share, as
hereinafter defined, or such different amount and/or kind of securities as shall
be hereinafter provided.
                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:
                "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,  together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15%, or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding,  but shall
not include (i) the  Company,  (ii) any  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  (iii) any
employee benefit 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 plan or (v) any Exempt Person.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  (1) no
Person shall become an  "Acquiring  Person" as the result of an  acquisition  of
Common  Shares  by  the  Company  which,   by  reducing  the  number  of  shares
outstanding,  increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by
such  Person to 15% (or, in the case of any Exempt  Person,  20%) or more of the
Common  Shares of the Company then  outstanding;  provided,  however,  that if a
Person  shall so  become  the  Beneficial  Owner of 15% (or,  in the case of any
Exempt Person, 20%) or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding
by reason of an  acquisition  of Common  Shares by the Company and shall,  after
such  share  purchases  by  the  Company,  become  the  Beneficial  Owner  of an
additional 1% of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company,  then such Person
shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring  Person";  and (2) if the Board of Directors
of the Company  determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring  Person," as defined  pursuant to the  foregoing  provisions  of this
paragraph, has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable  a sufficient  number of Common  Shares so that such Person would no
longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions
of this  paragraph,  then such  Person  shall  not be  deemed to have  become an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
                "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.
                A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial  Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
     (i) which such  Person or any of such  Person's  Affiliates  or  Associates
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
     (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has
(A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable  immediately or only
after  the  passage  of  time)  pursuant  to  any   agreement,   arrangement  or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling  group  members  with  respect  to  a  bona  fide  public   offering  of
securities),  written or otherwise,  or upon the exercise of conversion  rights,
exchange  rights,  rights  (other than the  Rights),  warrants  or  options,  or
otherwise;  provided,  however,  that a Person  shall  not be  deemed  to be the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own,  securities  tendered pursuant to a
tender  or  exchange  offer  made  pursuant  to,  and in  accordance  with,  the
applicable  rules and  regulations  promulgated  under the Exchange Act 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
     (iii) which are beneficially  owned,  directly or indirectly,  by any other
Person with which such Person or any of such  Person's  Affiliates or Associates
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between  underwriters  and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public  offering of securities),  written or otherwise,  for the purpose of
acquiring,  holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to
section (B) of the  immediately  preceding  paragraph  (ii)) 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.
                "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday,
holiday or a day on which  banking  institutions  in the State of  Illinois  are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
                "Close of  Business"  on any given  date  shall  mean 5:00 P.M.,
Chicago,  Illinois time, on such date; provided,  however,  that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago,  Illinois time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
                "Common  Shares" when used with  reference to the Company  shall
mean the shares of common stock,  par value  $0.0001 per share,  of the Company.
"Common  Shares"  when used with  reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
     "common stock equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 
11(a)(iii)(B)(3) hereof.
     "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 
11(a)(iii)(A)(1) hereof.
     "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
     "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 
11(b) hereof.
     "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
     "Exempt  Person" shall mean any Beneficial  Owner who is eligible to report
its  beneficial  ownership on Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule  13d-1(b)(1)  of the
Exchange Act and who has a Schedule 13G on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC");  provided,  however,  that such person shall immediately
and  thereafter  cease  to be an  Exempt  Person  if such  person  shall  be the
Beneficial  Owner of more  than 20% of the then  outstanding  shares  of  Common
Stock; and provided,  further, that such person shall immediately and thereafter
cease to be an Exempt Person if such person at any time is no longer eligible to
file or maintain a Schedule 13G in lieu of a Schedule 13D with the SEC.
     "Final Expiration Date" shall mean May 23, 2007.
     "Person"   shall  mean  any   individual,   firm,   corporation,
partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, business trust,
limited liability company, unincorporated association or other entity, and shall
include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
     "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
     "Preferred   Shares"  shall  mean  shares  of  Series  A  Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company.
     "Redemption  Date" shall mean the date on which the Rights are  redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof.
     "Right  Certificate"  shall  mean  a  certificate  evidencing  a  Right  in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
     "Section  11(a)(ii)  Trigger  Date"  shall  have the  meaning  set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
     "Shares  Acquisition  Date"  shall mean the  earlier of the date of (i) the
public  announcement  by the Company or an  Acquiring  Person that an  Acquiring
Person has become such or (ii) the public  disclosure of facts by the Company or
an  Acquiring  Person  indicating  that an  Acquiring  Person has  become  such.
"Spread"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section  11(a)(iii)(A)(2)  hereof.
"Subsidiary"  of any Person  shall  mean any  Person of which a majority  of the
voting  power of the  voting  equity  securities  or equity  interest  is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
     "Substitution   Period"  shall  have  the  meaning  set  forth  in  Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
     "Summary of Rights" shall mean the Summary of Rights to Purchase  Preferred
Shares in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
                Section 2.  Appointment  of Rights  Agent.  The  Company  hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights  (who,  in  accordance  with  Section  3  hereof,   shall  prior  to  the
Distribution  Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance  with
the terms and  conditions  hereof,  and the Rights  Agent  hereby  accepts  such
appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
                Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates.
     (a) Until the  earlier  of (i) the tenth day after the  Shares  Acquisition
Date or (ii) the tenth  Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the Board of  Directors  prior to such time as any  Person  becomes an
Acquiring  Person) after the date of the  commencement by any Person (other than
the Company,  any  Subsidiary of the Company,  any employee  benefit plan of the
Company or of any  Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
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 any of the  Persons
referred to in the preceding  parenthetical)  to commence,  a tender or exchange
offer  the  consummation  of which  would  result  in any  Person  becoming  the
Beneficial  Owner  of  Common  Shares  aggregating  15%  or  more  of  the  then
outstanding   Common  Shares  (such  date  being  herein   referred  to  as  the
"Distribution  Date"),  (x)  the  Rights  will  be  evidenced  (subject  to  the
provisions  of Section  3(b)  hereof)  by the  certificates  for  Common  Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y)
the right to receive Right  Certificates will be transferable only in connection
with  the  transfer  of  Common  Shares.   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,  at  the  cost  and  expense  of  the  Company)  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  evidencing
one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

     (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable  thereafter,  the Company
will send a copy of 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  together  with a copy of the
Summary of Rights attached thereto.  Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier
of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer
of any  certificate  for Common Shares  outstanding on the Record Date,  with or
without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto,  shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares evidenced 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
                Legato  Systems,  Inc.,  and Harris Trust and Savings  Bank,  as
                Rights Agent, dated as of May 23, 1997 (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 Legato Systems, Inc. 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.  Legato  Systems,  Inc.  will mail to the holder of
                this certificate a copy of the Rights  Agreement  without charge
                after  receipt  of a written  request  therefor.  Under  certain
                circumstances,  Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially
                owned by Acquiring  Persons (as defined in the Rights Agreement)
                may 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
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.
                Section 4. Form of Right  Certificates.  The Right  Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase  Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse  thereof)  shall be  substantially  the same as Exhibit B
hereto  and may  have  such  marks of  identification  or  designation  and such
legends,  summaries  or  endorsements  printed  thereon as the  Company may deem
appropriate and as are not  inconsistent  with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be  required  to comply  with any  applicable  law or with any rule or
regulation  made  pursuant  thereto or with any rule or  regulation of any stock
exchange  on which the Rights may from time to time be listed,  or to conform to
usage. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Right Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred  Share as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase  Price,  but
the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred  Share and the Purchase Price
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
                Section  5.   Countersignature   and  Registration.   The  Right
Certificates  shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its  Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer,  its President,  any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer,  either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof,  and shall be attested by the
Secretary  or any  Assistant  Secretary of the  Company,  either  manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any  purpose  unless so  countersigned,  either
manually  or by  facsimile.  In case any  officer of the  Company who shall have
signed  any of the Right  Certificates  shall  cease to be such  officer  of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Right Certificates,  nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights  Agent and issued and  delivered  by the Company  with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such  officer  of the  Company;  and any Right  Certificate  may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the  execution of
such Right  Certificate,  shall be a proper  officer of the Company to sign such
Right  Certificate,  although  at the  date  of the  execution  of  this  Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
                Following the  Distribution  Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be  kept,  at its  principal  office,  books  for  registration  of the
transfer of the Right Certificates  issued hereunder.  Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the  respective  holders of the Right  Certificates,  the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.
                Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates;  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.  Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof,  at any time after the Close of Business
on the  Distribution  Date,  and at or prior to the  Close  of  Business  on the
earlier  of the  Redemption  Date  or  the  Final  Expiration  Date,  any  Right
Certificate or Right Certificates  (other than Right  Certificates  representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof or that have
been  exchanged  pursuant  to Section 24 hereof) may be  transferred,  split up,
combined or  exchanged  for another  Right  Certificate  or Right  Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates  surrendered
then  entitled  such  holder to  purchase.  Any  registered  holder  desiring to
transfer,  split  up,  combine  or  exchange  any  Right  Certificate  or  Right
Certificates  shall make such request in writing  delivered to the Rights Agent,
and  shall  surrender  the  Right  Certificate  or  Right   Certificates  to  be
transferred,  split up,  combined or  exchanged at the  principal  office of the
Rights Agent.  Thereupon the Rights Agent shall  countersign  and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right  Certificates,  as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient for
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  or Rights
Agent's  request,  reimbursement  to the  Company  and the  Rights  Agent of all
reasonable expenses  incidental thereto,  and upon surrender to the Rights Agent
and  cancellation of the Right  Certificate if mutilated,  the Company will make
and  deliver a new  Right  Certificate  of like  tenor to the  Rights  Agent for
delivery  to the  registered  holder in lieu of the Right  Certificate  so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
                Section  7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
of Rights.
     (a) The  registered  holder of any Right  Certificate  (other than a holder
whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii) hereof or have been
exchanged  pursuant  to Section 24 hereof)  may  exercise  the Rights  evidenced
thereby  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 its principal office,
together  with payment of the Purchase  Price for each one  one-thousandth  of a
Preferred  Share  as to  which  the  Rights  are  exercised,  at or prior to the
earliest  of (i) the Close of Business on the Final  Expiration  Date,  (ii) the
Redemption  Date,  or (iii)  the time at which  such  Rights  are  exchanged  as
provided in Section 24 hereof.
     (b) The purchase price for each one  one-thousandth of a Preferred Share to
be  purchased  upon the  exercise of a Right shall  initially be one hundred and
fifteen dollars ($115.00) (the "Purchase Price"), 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 and certificate duly executed, accompanied
by payment of the  Purchase  Price for the  number of one  one-thousandths  of a
Preferred  Share 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 cash,  certified check,  cashier's check or money order
payable to the order of the Company,  the Rights Agent shall thereupon  promptly
(i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates
for the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share to be purchased and
the Company hereby irrevocably  authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests,  or (B) requisition  from any depositary  agent for the Preferred
Shares depositary receipts  representing such number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred  Share as are to be  purchased  (in which  case  certificates  for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the  depositary  agent) 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
Preferred  Shares in accordance  with Section 14 hereof,  (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary  receipts,  cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in
such  name  or  names  as may  be  designated  by  such  holder  and  (iv)  when
appropriate,  after  receipt,  deliver  such  cash to or upon  the  order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate.
     (d) In case the registered  holder of any Right  Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby,  a new Right Certificate  evidencing
Rights  equivalent to the Rights  remaining  unexercised  shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered  holder of such Right  Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
     (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company  shall be  obligated  to undertake  any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported  exercise as
set  forth in this  Section  7 unless  such  registered  holder  shall  have (i)
completed and signed the certificate  following the form of election to purchase
set forth on the  reverse  side of the Right  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  cancellation  or in canceled
form, or, if  surrendered  to the Rights Agent,  shall be canceled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.  The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement,  and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire,  any other  Right  Certificate  purchased  or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all 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. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares.
     (a) The Company  covenants  and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred  Shares delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall,  at the time of delivery of the  certificates  for such  Preferred
Shares  (subject  to  payment  of the  Purchase  Price),  be  duly  and  validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares.
     (b) 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.
     (c) The Company  covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept  available,  out of its  authorized  and unissued  Preferred  Shares or any
Preferred Shares held in its treasury,  the number of Preferred Shares that will
be  sufficient  to permit  the  exercise  in full of all  outstanding  Rights in
accordance with Section 7 hereof.
                Section 10.  Preferred  Shares Record Date. Each person in whose
name any certificate for Preferred  Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all  purposes  be deemed to have  become  the  holder of record of the
Preferred Shares  represented  thereby on, and such certificate  shall be dated,
the date upon  which the  Right  Certificate  evidencing  such  Rights  was duly
surrendered  and  payment of the  Purchase  Price (and any  applicable  transfer
taxes) was made.  Prior to the  exercise of the Rights  evidenced  thereby,  the
holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of
Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,  including,  without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to
exercise any preemptive  rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice
of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
                Section 11.  Adjustment of Purchase  Price,  Number of Shares or
Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights  outstanding  are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
     (a)(i) In the event the  Company  shall at any time  after the date of this
Agreement  (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred  Shares  payable in Preferred
Shares,  (B)  subdivide  the  outstanding  Preferred  Shares,  (C)  combine  the
outstanding  Preferred  Shares into a smaller number of Preferred  Shares or (D)
issue any shares of its capital  stock in a  reclassification  of the  Preferred
Shares (including any such  reclassification  in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the  Company is the  continuing  or  surviving  corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record  date 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,  he would have owned
upon such  exercise  and been  entitled  to receive by virtue of such  dividend,
subdivision,  combination or  reclassification;  provided,  however,  that in no
event shall the  consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the  aggregate  par value of the  shares of  capital  stock of the  Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.
     (ii) Subject to the following  paragraph of this  subparagraph  (ii) and to
Section 24 of this Agreement,  in the event any Person shall become an Acquiring
Person,  each holder of a Right shall  thereafter have a right to receive,  upon
exercise  thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied
by the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share for which a Right is
then exercisable,  in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of  one  one-thousandths  of a  Preferred  Share  for  which  a  Right  is  then
exercisable  and dividing  that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the  Company's  Common  Shares  (determined  pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) on the date such Person became an Acquiring  Person.  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  that would  eliminate  or
diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
                  From and after the  occurrence  of such an event,  any  Rights
that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring  Person) on or after the earlier of (x)
the  date of such  event  and (y) the  Distribution  Date  shall be void and any
holder of such Rights  shall  thereafter  have no right to exercise  such Rights
under any  provision of this  Agreement.  No Right  Certificate  shall be issued
pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights  beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person  whose  Rights would be void  pursuant to the  preceding  sentence or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time
upon the  transfer of any Rights to an  Acquiring  Person  whose Rights would be
void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or
to any nominee of such Acquiring Person,  Associate or Affiliate;  and any Right
Certificate  delivered to the Rights  Agent for transfer to an Acquiring  Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the  preceding  sentence or any Associate
or Affiliate thereof shall be canceled.
     (iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares which are authorized by
the Company's  certificate of  incorporation  and not  outstanding or subscribed
for, or reserved or otherwise  committed  for  issuance for purposes  other than
upon  exercise of the Rights,  are not  sufficient  to permit the holder of each
Right to purchase the number of Common Shares to which he would be entitled upon
the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of  paragraph  (a) of this  Section 11, or should the Board of Directors so
elect,  the  Company  shall:  (A)  determine  the excess of (1) the value of the
Common Shares  issuable upon the exercise of a Right  (calculated as provided in
the last  sentence of this  subparagraph  (iii))  pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof (the  "Current  Value") over (2) the  Purchase  Price (such  excess,  the
"Spread"),  and (B) with  respect to each  Right,  make  adequate  provision  to
substitute  for such Common  Shares,  upon  payment of the  applicable  Purchase
Price,  any one or more of the following having an aggregate value determined by
the  Board of  Directors  to be equal to the  Current  Value:  (1)  cash,  (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares or other equity securities of
the Company  (including,  without  limitation,  shares,  or units of shares,  of
preferred  stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has  determined  to
have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such  shares of preferred  stock,
"common stock  equivalents")),  (4) debt securities of the Company, or (5) other
assets; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision
to deliver value  pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following
the first occurrence of an event triggering the rights to purchase Common Shares
described in Section 11(a)(ii) the "Section  11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"),  then the
Company  shall be obligated  to deliver,  upon the  surrender  for exercise of a
Right and without  requiring  payment of the  Purchase  Price,  shares of Common
Stock (to the extent  available) and then, if necessary,  cash, which shares and
cash have an aggregate  value equal to the Spread.  If the Board of Directors of
the Company  shall  determine  in good faith that it is likely  that  sufficient
additional  Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full
of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger  Date, in order that the Company may seek  stockholder  approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the
"Substitution  Period").  To the extent  that the Company  determines  that some
action  need be taken  pursuant to the first  and/or  second  sentences  of this
Section  11(a)(iii),  the Company  (x) shall  provide,  subject to Section  7(e)
hereof and the last  paragraph  of Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof,  that such action
shall  apply  uniformly  to all  outstanding  Rights,  and (y) may  suspend  the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution  Period in
order to seek any  authorization  of  additional  shares  and/or to  decide  the
appropriate  form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and
to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company
shall  make a public  announcement,  and shall  deliver  to the  Rights  Agent a
statement,  stating that the  exercisability  of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended.  At such time as the  suspension is no longer in effect,  the Company
shall make  another  public  announcement,  and  deliver  to the Rights  Agent a
statement, so stating. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
Common  Shares  shall be the  current  per share  market  price  (as  determined
pursuant  to  Section  11(d)(i)  hereof)  of the  Common  Shares on the  Section
11(a)(ii)  Trigger  Date and the value of any common stock  equivalent  shall be
deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date
     (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of  Preferred  Shares  entitling  them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase  Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,  privileges and
preferences  as  the  Preferred  Shares  ("equivalent   preferred  shares"))  or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a
price per Preferred Share or equivalent  preferred share (or having a conversion
price per share, if a security  convertible  into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred  shares)  less than the then  current  per share  market  price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase
Price to be in effect  after such record  date shall be adjusted by  multiplying
the  Purchase  Price  in  effect  immediately  prior  to such  record  date by a
fraction,  the  numerator  of which  shall be the  number  of  Preferred  Shares
outstanding  on such record date plus the number of  Preferred  Shares which the
aggregate  offering  price  of the  total  number  of  Preferred  Shares  and/or
equivalent  preferred  shares so to be offered  (and/or  the  aggregate  initial
conversion price of the convertible  securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of
Preferred  Shares  outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional
Preferred  Shares  and/or   equivalent   preferred  shares  to  be  offered  for
subscription  or purchase  (or into which the  convertible  securities  so to be
offered are initially  convertible);  provided,  however, that in no event shall
the  consideration  to be paid upon the  exercise  of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company  issuable upon
exercise  of one  Right.  In  case  such  subscription  price  may be  paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such  consideration  shall be as  determined  in good  faith by the  Board of
Directors of the Company,  whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent.  Preferred  Shares owned by or held for the account
of the  Company  shall not be deemed  outstanding  for the  purpose  of any such
computation.  Such adjustment shall be made successively  whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued,  the  Purchase  Price shall be adjusted to be the  Purchase  Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
     (c) In case the  Company  shall  fix a  record  date  for the  making  of a
distribution  to all  holders  of  the  Preferred  Shares  (including  any  such
distribution  made in  connection  with a  consolidation  or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription  rights or warrants  (excluding those referred
to in Section  11(b)  hereof),  the  Purchase  Price to be in effect  after such
record date shall be  determined  by  multiplying  the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately  prior to such  record date by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record  date,  less the fair market  value (as  determined  in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company,  whose  determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) 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 and prior to the
expiration  of 30 Trading Days after the  ex-dividend  date for such dividend or
distribution,   or  the  record  date  for  such  subdivision,   combination  or
reclassification,  then,  and in each such case,  the current  per share  market
price shall be  appropriately  adjusted to reflect the current  market price per
share  equivalent of such Security.  The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price,  regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices,  regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities  listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange or,
if the  Security  is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national  securities exchange
on which the  Security is listed or  admitted to trading or, if the  Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,  the last
quoted  price or, if not so  quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the  over-the-counter  market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system  then in use,  or, if on any such date the  Security is not quoted by any
such organization,  the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional  market maker making a market in the Security  selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company.  The term  "Trading  Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed
or  admitted  to  trading is open for the  transaction  of  business  or, if the
Security  is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on any  national  securities
exchange, a Business Day.
     (ii) For the purpose of any computation  hereunder,  the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the
method set forth in Section  11(d)(i).  If the Preferred Shares are not publicly
traded,  the "current per share market price" of the  Preferred  Shares shall be
conclusively  deemed to be the  current  per share  market  price of the  Common
Shares as determined  pursuant to Section  11(d)(i)  (appropriately  adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar  transaction  occurring after
the date  hereof),  multiplied  by 1000.  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  ten-millionth  of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required  by this  Section 11 shall be made no later  than three  years from the
date of the transaction which requires such adjustment.
     (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,  the
number of such other  shares so  receivable  upon  exercise  of any Right  shall
thereafter be subject to  adjustment  from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly  equivalent  as  practicable  to the  provisions  with  respect to the
Preferred  Shares  contained in Section  11(a) through (c),  inclusive,  and the
provisions  of Sections  7, 9, 10 and 13 with  respect to the  Preferred  Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
     (g)  All  Rights  originally  issued  by  the  Company  subsequent  to  any
adjustment  made to the Purchase  Price  hereunder  shall  evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths 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),  upon each  adjustment of the Purchase  Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding  immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment  shall  thereafter  evidence the right to
purchase,  at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share  (calculated to the nearest one  ten-millionth  of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying  (x) the number of one  one-thousandths  of a
share  covered  by a  Right  immediately  prior  to this  adjustment  by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect  immediately  prior to such  adjustment of the Purchase
Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
     (i) The  Company  may elect on or after the date of any  adjustment  of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any adjustment
in the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred  Share  for which a Right was  exercisable  immediately  prior to such
adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights  shall  become  that  number of Rights  (calculated  to the  nearest  one
hundred-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  distributed,  shall be at least 10 days  later than the
date of the public  announcement.  If Right  Certificates have been distributed,
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 to be so distributed shall be issued,
executed  and  countersigned  in the  manner  provided  for  herein and shall be
registered  in the names of the holders of record of Right  Certificates  on the
record date specified in the public announcement.
     (j)  Irrespective  of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
the  Rights,  the Right  Certificates  theretofore  and  thereafter  issued  may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one  one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates  issued
hereunder.
     (k) Before  taking any action that would cause an  adjustment  reducing the
Purchase Price below one  one-thousandth  of the then par value 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  non-assessable
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  over and above the  Preferred  Shares  and other
capital stock or securities of the Company,  if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however,  that the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
     (m)  Anything  in this  Section  11 to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  the
Company  shall be entitled to make such  reductions  in the Purchase  Price,  in
addition to those adjustments  expressly  required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole  discretion  shall  determine  to be advisable in
order that any (i)  combination  or subdivision  of the Preferred  Shares,  (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible  into or  exchangeable  for Preferred  Shares,  (iv)
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or (v) issuance of any
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.
     (n) In the  event  that at any time  after the date of this  Agreement  and
prior to the  Distribution  Date,  the  Company  shall  (i)  declare  or pay any
dividend  on the  Common  Shares  payable  in  Common  Shares  or (ii)  effect a
subdivision,   combination   or   consolidation   of  the   Common   Shares  (by
reclassification  or  otherwise  other than by payment  of  dividends  in Common
Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares,  then in any such case
(i) the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share  purchasable  after
such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying
the  number  of  one   one-thousandths  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 (ii) each Common Share outstanding  immediately after such
event  shall have issued  with  respect to it that  number of Rights  which each
Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect
to it.  The  adjustments  provided  for in  this  Section  11(n)  shall  be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
                  Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment.  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  obligated  or  responsible  for  calculating  any
adjustment nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless
and until it shall have received such certificate.
                  Section  13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power.
     In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring  Person,
directly or indirectly,  (i) the Company shall  consolidate  with, or merge with
and into, any other Person,  (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company,
or merge with and into the Company and the Company  shall be the  continuing  or
surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or
part of the Common  Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities  of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other  property,
or (iii) the Company  shall sell or  otherwise  transfer  (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries  shall sell or otherwise  transfer),  in one or more  transactions,
assets or earning power  aggregating  50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other
than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned  Subsidiaries,  then, and in
each such  case,  proper  provision  shall be made so that (A) each  holder of a
Right (except as otherwise  provided  herein) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share for
which  a Right  is then  exercisable,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,  such number of Common Shares of such
other Person  (including  the Company as successor  thereto or as the  surviving
corporation)  as shall  equal the result  obtained by (x)  multiplying  the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then  exercisable  and dividing  that product by (y) 50% of
the then  current  per share  market  price of the  Common  Shares of such other
Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation
of such consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer;  (B) the issuer of such Common
Shares  shall  thereafter  be liable for,  and shall  assume,  by virtue of such
consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer,  all the obligations and duties of the
Company  pursuant to this Agreement;  (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such  issuer;  and (D) such  issuer  shall  take  such  steps
(including,  but not limited to, the  reservation of a sufficient  number 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 the
Common  Shares  thereafter  deliverable  upon the  exercise of the  Rights.  The
Company   covenants   and  agrees  that  it  shall  not   consummate   any  such
consolidation,  merger,  sale or transfer  unless prior  thereto the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing.  The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements  which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction,  would
eliminate or substantially  diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.  The provisions of this Section 13 shall  similarly  apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.  For purposes hereof, the
"earning power" of the Company and its Subsidiaries  shall be determined in good
faith by the Company's Board of Directors on the basis of the operating earnings
of each business  operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries  during the three
fiscal years  preceding the date of such  determination  (or, in the case of any
business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary  during three full fiscal
years  preceding such date,  during the period such business was operated by the
Company or any Subsidiary).
                  Section  14.      Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
     (a) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractions  of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence  fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional  Rights,  there shall be paid to the registered  holders of the Right
Certificates  with regard to which such  fractional  Rights  would  otherwise be
issuable,  an amount in cash equal to the same  fraction of the  current  market
value of a whole  Right.  For the purposes of this  Section  14(a),  the current
market  value of a whole Right shall be the closing  price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately  prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been  otherwise  issuable.  The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price,  regular  way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the  closing  bid and asked  prices,  regular  way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities  listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange or,
if the  Rights  are not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national  securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or  admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or  admitted to trading on any  national  securities  exchange,  the last
quoted  price or, if not so  quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the  over-the-counter  market,  as  reported  by NASDAQ or such  other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization,  the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the  Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
     (b) The  Company  shall not be  required to issue  fractions  of  Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral  multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute  certificates
which  evidence  fractional  Preferred  Shares (other than  fractions  which are
integral  multiples of one  one-thousandth of a Preferred  Share).  Fractions of
Preferred  Shares in integral  multiples  of one  one-thousandth  of a Preferred
Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary  receipts,
pursuant to an  appropriate  agreement  between  the  Company  and a  depositary
selected by it; provided,  that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary  receipts shall have all the rights,  privileges and preferences
to which  they  are  entitled  as  beneficial  owners  of the  Preferred  Shares
represented by such depositary receipts.  In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral  multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to each  registered  holder 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 as the fraction of
one Preferred Share that such holder would  otherwise  receive upon the exercise
of the aggregate number of rights exercised by such holder.  For the purposes of
this Section 14(b),  the current market value of a Preferred  Share shall be the
closing  price of a  Preferred  Share  (as  determined  pursuant  to the  second
sentence of Section  11(d)(i)  hereof) for the Trading Day immediately  prior to
the date of such exercise.
     (c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right  expressly  waives
any right to receive  fractional  Rights or fractional shares upon exercise of a
Right (except as provided above).
     Section  15.  Rights of  Action.  All  rights of action in  respect of this
Agreement,  excepting  the  rights of action  given to the  Rights  Agent  under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective  registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the  Distribution  Date, of the Common  Shares) may,  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),  on his own behalf and for his own
benefit,  enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against  the Company to enforce,  or  otherwise  act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights  evidenced by such Right  Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement.  Without limiting the foregoing
or  any  remedies  available  to  the  holders  of  Rights,  it is  specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of
the  obligations  under,  and  injunctive  relief  against  actual or threatened
violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
     Section  16.  Agreement  of Right  Holders.  Every  holder  of a Right,  by
accepting  the same,  consents  and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
     (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
     (b) after the  Distribution  Date, the Right  Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books  maintained by the Rights Agent if surrendered at the
principal  office of the Rights Agent,  duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer with a completed form of certification; 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, 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 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 or liability in connection  therewith.  The indemnity provided
for herein shall  survive the  expiration of the Rights and the  termination  of
this  Agreement.  The cost and  expenses  incurred  in  enforcing  this right of
indemnification shall be paid by the Company.
                  The  Rights  Agent  may  conclusively  rely  upon and 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 Preferred
Stock or for other  securities  of the  Company,  instrument  of  assignment  or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,  affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine  and  to  be  signed,   executed  and,  where  necessary,   verified  or
acknowledged, by the proper person or persons.
                  Section  19.  Merger  or  Consolidation  or  Change of Name of
Rights  Agent.  Any  corporation  into which the Rights  Agent or any  successor
Rights  Agent  may be  merged  or  with  which  it may be  consolidated,  or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust 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.
                  Section  20.  Duties  of  Rights   Agent.   The  Rights  Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations  expressly set forth in this Agreement and
no implied duties or obligations  shall be read into this Agreement  against the
Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent shall perform those duties and obligations  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) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains  from  acting,  it may consult
with legal counsel (who may be legal  counsel for the Company),  and the opinion
of such counsel shall be full and complete  authorization  and protection to the
Rights  Agent as to any  action  taken or  omitted  by it in good  faith  and in
accordance with such opinion.
     (b)  Whenever in the  performance  of its duties under this  Agreement  the
Rights Agent shall deem it  necessary  or  desirable  that any fact or matter be
proved or  established  by the Company  prior to taking or suffering  any action
hereunder,  such fact or matter  (unless  other  evidence in respect  thereof be
herein  specifically  prescribed)  may be deemed to be  conclusively  proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
President,  a 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 only for its own negligence
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 as to 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 adjustment  required under the provisions of Sections 11
or 13  hereof  or  responsible  for the  manner,  method  or  amount of any such
adjustment or the  ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such  adjustment  (except with  respect to the  exercise of Rights  evidenced by
Right Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);  nor shall it by
any act  hereunder  be deemed to make any  representation  or warranty as to the
authorization  or  reservation  of any  shares of  Preferred  Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right  Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
     (f) The  Company  agrees that it will  perform,  execute,  acknowledge  and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed,  acknowledged end delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying  out or  performing  by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
     (g)  The  Rights  Agent  is  hereby   authorized  and  directed  to  accept
instructions  with respect to the  performance of its duties  hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, a 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  to be taken by it in good faith in  accordance  with
instructions of any such officer.
     (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder,  director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other  securities
of the Company or become pecuniarily  interested in any transaction in which the
Company  may be  interested,  or  contract  with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise  act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement.  Nothing  herein  shall  preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any
other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
     (i) The Rights  Agent may execute and  exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its  attorneys  or  agents,  and the Rights  Agent  shall not be  answerable  or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the  Company  resulting  from any such  act,  default,
neglect or misconduct.
     (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) The Rights  Agent  shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to
have notice of any fact, event or determination (including,  without limitation,
any dates or events defined in this  Agreement or the  designation of any Person
as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate, Exempt Person, Associate or Subsidiary) under
the Rights  Agreement  unless and until the Rights  Agent shall be  specifically
notified in writing by the Company of such fact, event or determination.
                  Section 21.  Change of Rights  Agent.  The Rights Agent or any
successor  Rights Agent may resign and be discharged  from its duties under this
Agreement  upon 30 days'  notice in writing  mailed to the  Company  and to each
transfer  agent of the Common  Shares and the  Preferred  Stock by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders,  at the expense of the Company, 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
of the Common  Shares and the Preferred  Stock by registered or certified  mail,
and to the holders of the Right  Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise  become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.  If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment  within a period of 30 days after giving notice of
such  removal or after it has been  notified in writing of such  resignation  or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated  Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Company),  then the registered holder of any Right Certificate
may apply to any court of competent  jurisdiction  for the  appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws
of the United  States or of any state of the United  States,  in good  standing,
having an office in the State of California  which is authorized under such laws
to exercise  corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination
by federal or state  authority and which has at the time of its  appointment  as
Rights  Agent a combined  capital  and surplus of at least $100  million.  After
appointment,  the  successor  Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent  without  further  act or deed;  but the  predecessor  Rights  Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,  conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment   the  Company  shall  file  notice  thereof  in  writing  with  the
predecessor  Rights Agent and each  transfer  agent of the Common Shares and the
Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered  holders
of the Right  Certificates.  Failure  to give any  notice  provided  for in this
Section 21,  however,  or any defect  therein,  shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
                  Section   22.    Issuance    of   New   Right    Certificates.
Notwithstanding  any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary,  the  Company  may,  at  its  option,  issue  new  Right  Certificates
evidencing  Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of  Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other  securities  or  property  purchasable  under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
                  Section  23.      Redemption.
     (a) The Board of Directors  of the Company may, at its option,  at any time
prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not
less than all the then  outstanding  Rights at a  redemption  price of $0.01 per
Right,  appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock  split,  stock  dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
by the Board of Directors 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.
     (b)  Immediately  upon the action of the Board of  Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights  pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section
23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only 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 paragraph  (a), the Company  shall mail a
notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding  Rights at their
last  addresses as they appear upon the  registry  books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution  Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common  Shares.  Any notice  which is mailed in the manner  herein  provided
shall be deemed  given,  whether or not the holder  receives the notice.  If the
payment of the  Redemption  Price is not included  with such  notice,  each such
notice shall 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,  other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the  Distribution
Date.
                  Section  24.      Exchange.
     (a) The Board of Directors  of the Company may, at its option,  at any time
after any Person becomes an Acquiring  Person,  exchange all or part of the then
outstanding  and  exercisable  Rights (which shall not include  Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof) for Common
Shares  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  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 a
majority 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 subsection  (a) of this Section
24 and without any further action and without any notice,  the right to exercise
such Rights shall  terminate  and the only right  thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive  that number of Common  Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder  multiplied by the Exchange  Ratio.  The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;  provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange.  The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein  provided shall be deemed given,  whether or not the 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 any  exchange  pursuant  to this  Section  24, the  Company,  at its
option,  may substitute  Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents for Common
Shares  exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one  one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (or an appropriate  number of common stock equivalents) for each
Common Share,  as  appropriately  adjusted to reflect  adjustments in the voting
rights  of the  Preferred  Shares  pursuant  to the terms  thereof,  so that the
fraction of a Preferred  Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have
the same voting rights as one Common Share.
     (d) In  the  event  that  there  shall  not be  sufficient  Common  Shares,
Preferred  Shares  or  common  stock  equivalents  authorized  by the  Company's
certificate of incorporation  and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved
or otherwise  committed  for issuance for purposes  other than upon  exercise of
Rights, to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section  24, the  Company  shall  take all such  action as may be  necessary  to
authorize additional Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
     (e) 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 per share market value of a whole Common Share.  For the purposes
of this  paragraph  (e),  the current per share  market  value of a whole Common
Share shall be the closing  price of a Common Share (as  determined  pursuant to
the second sentence of Section  11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
                  Section  25.      Notice of Certain Events.
     (a) In case the Company  shall after the  Distribution  Date 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  purposes of such stock
dividend,  or  distribution  of rights or  warrants,  or the date on which  such
reclassification,    consolidation,   merger,   sale,   transfer,   liquidation,
dissolution,  or  winding  up is to take  place  and the  date of  participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause  (i) or (ii)  above at least 10 days prior to the record  date
for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action,  at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such  proposed  action  or the date of  participation  therein  by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or  Preferred  Shares,  whichever  shall be the
earlier.
     (b) In case any 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  such  event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
                  Section 26.  Notices.  Notices or demands  authorized  by this
Agreement  to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently  given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid,  addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:


                           Legato Systems, Inc.
                           3210 Porter Drive
                           Palo Alto, CA  94304

                           Attention:  Secretary

                           Copy to:


                           Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve
                             Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
                           155 Constitution Drive
                           Menlo Park, California  94025

                           Attention:  Daniel E. O'Connor

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 sent by  registered  or
certified  mail and shall be deemed  given upon  receipt  and  addressed  (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:


                           Harris Trust and Savings Bank
                           311 West Monroe Street
                           11th Floor
                           Chicago, IL  60606

                           Attention:  Susan M. Shadel, Corporate Trust

Notices  or  demands  authorized  by this  Agreement  to be given or made by the
Company or the  Rights  Agent to the  holder of any Right  Certificate  shall be
sufficiently  given  or  made  if sent by  first-class  mail,  postage  prepaid,
addressed  to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
                  Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments.  The Company may from
time to time, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,  supplement
or  amend  this  Agreement   without  the  approval  of  any  holders  of  Right
Certificates  in order to cure any  ambiguity,  to  correct  or  supplement  any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any change to or delete any provision hereof or to
adopt any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable;  provided, however, that from and after such time as any
Person  becomes an  Acquiring  Person,  this  Agreement  shall not be amended or
supplemented  in any manner which would  adversely  affect the  interests of the
holders  of Rights  (other  than an  Acquiring  Person  and its  Affiliates  and
Associates).  Any supplement or amendment  authorized by this Section 27 will be
evidenced   by  a  writing   signed  by  the  Company  and  the  Rights   Agent.
Notwithstanding  anything in this  Agreement to the  contrary,  no supplement or
amendment  that  changes  the rights and duties of the Rights  Agent  under this
Agreement shall be effective without the written consent of the Rights Agent.
                  Section  28.      Successors.  All the covenants and  
provisions  of this  Agreement  by or for the benefit of the Company or the
Rights  Agent  shall  bind and  inure to the  benefit  of their  respective
successors and assigns hereunder.

                  Section  29.  Benefits  of  this  Agreement.  Nothing  in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Company,  the Rights Agent and the registered  holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution  Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive  benefit of the Company,  the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right  Certificates  (and,  prior to the  Distribution  Date, the
Common Shares).
                  Section 30. Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction  of this Agreement is held by a court of competent  jurisdiction  or
other  authority  to be invalid,  void or  unenforceable,  the  remainder of the
terms, provisions,  covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
                  Section  31.  Governing  Law.  This  Agreement  and each Right
Certificate  issued  hereunder  shall be deemed to be a contract  made under the
laws of the State of  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 except as to Sections 18, 20
and 21 which shall be governed by and construed in  accordance  with the laws of
the State of Illinois.
                  Section  32.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be executed 
in any number of  counterparts and each of such counterparts  shall for all 
purposes be deemed to be an original,  and all such counterparts shall
together constitute but one and the same instrument.
                  Section 33.     Descriptive  Headings.  Descriptive  headings 
of the  several  Sections of this Agreement are inserted for  convenience  only 
and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the 
provisions hereof.
                  Section  34.  Administration.  The Board of  Directors  of the
Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer and interpret
the  provisions  of  this  Agreement  and to  exercise  all  rights  and  powers
specifically  granted  to the Board of  Directors  or the  Company  or as may be
necessary  or  advisable  in the  administration  of this  Agreement.  All  such
actions, calculations, determinations and interpretations which are done or made
by the Board of Directors in good faith shall be final,  conclusive  and binding
on the  Company,  the  Rights  Agent,  the  holders  of the Rights and all other
parties and shall not subject the Board of  Directors  to any  liability  to the
holders of the Rights.

<PAGE>





                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Rights
Agreement  to be duly  executed  and  their  respective  corporate  seals  to be
hereunder affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.


Attest:                                              LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.



/s/Stephen C. Wise                          By: /s/ Louis C. Cole
___________________________                 __________________________
Stephen C. Wise                             Louis C. Cole
Vice President and                          President and
Chief Financial Officer                     Chief Executive Officer



Attest:                                     HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK,
                                                    as Rights Agent


/s/Thomas D. Grady                          By: /s/Donald W. Koslow
___________________________                 __________________________
Thomas D. Grady                             Donald W. Koslow
Vice President                              Vice President



<PAGE>




                              LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.

                                       and


                          HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK

                                  Rights Agent


                                Rights Agreement



                            Dated as of May 23, 1997.




         --------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>





<TABLE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                                      Page
<S>                                                                                    <C>
Section 1.      Certain Definitions......................................................1

Section 2.      Appointment of Rights Agent..............................................7

Section 3.      Issue of Right Certificates..............................................7

Section 4.      Form of Right Certificates..............................................11

Section 5.      Countersignature and Registration.......................................11

Section 6.      Transfer,   Split  Up,  Combination  and  Exchange  of  Right
                Certificates;  Mutilated,  Destroyed,  Lost or  Stolen  Right
                Certificates............................................................13

Section 7.      Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...........14

Section 8.      Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates......................16

Section 9.      Status and Availability of Preferred Shares.............................17

Section 10.     Preferred Shares Record Date............................................18

Section 11.     Adjustment of Purchase  Price,  Number of Shares or Number of
                Rights..................................................................19

Section 12.     Certificate of Adjustment...............................................33

Section 13.     Consolidation,  Merger  or  Sale or  Transfer  of  Assets  or
                Earning Power...........................................................34

Section 14.     Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.................................36

Section 15.     Rights of Action........................................................38

Section 16.     Agreement of Right Holders..............................................39

Section 17.     Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.......................40

Section 18.     Concerning the Rights Agent.............................................40

Section 19.     Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...............41

Section 20.     Duties of Rights Agent..................................................42

Section 21.     Change of Rights Agent..................................................46

Section 22.     Issuance of New Right Certificates......................................47

Section 23.     Redemption..............................................................48

Section 24.     Exchange................................................................49

Section 25.     Notice of Certain Events................................................52

Section 26.     Notices.................................................................53

Section 27.     Supplements and Amendments..............................................54

Section 28.     Successors..............................................................55

Section 29.     Benefits of this Agreement..............................................55

Section 30.     Severability............................................................55

Section 31.     Governing Law...........................................................56

Section 32.     Counterparts............................................................56

Section 33.     Descriptive Headings....................................................56

Section 34.     Administration..........................................................56



Exhibit A       Certificate of Designations of Series A Junior  Participating
                Preferred Stock........................................................A-1

Exhibit B       Form of Right Certificate..............................................B-1

Exhibit C       Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares.........................C-1
</TABLE>



<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit A





                                      FORM

                                       of

                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

                                       of

                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       of

                              LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.
                 -----------------------------------------------

                         (Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                        Delaware General Corporation Law)

                ------------------------------------------------



                  Legato  Systems,  Inc., a  corporation  organized and existing
under the General  Corporation Law of the State of Delaware  (hereinafter called
the "Corporation"),  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 May 23, 1997:

                  RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested
in the Board of Directors of this Corporation  (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance  with the provisions of the Amended and
Restated   Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  the  Corporation  (the  "Restated
Certificate of  Incorporation"),  the Board of Directors hereby creates a series
of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Preferred  Stock"), of the
Corporation and hereby states the  designation  and number of shares,  and fixes
the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:



                  Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  The shares of this series
shall be  designated  as "Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock" (the
"Series A Preferred  Stock") and the number of shares  constituting the Series A
Preferred  Stock  shall be 30,000.  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 Series A 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  Corporation
convertible into Series A 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 other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A
Preferred  Stock with  respect to  dividends,  the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred  Stock shall be entitled to receive,  when,  as and if declared by the
Board of Directors  out of funds legally  available  for the purpose,  quarterly
dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December
in each year (each such date being  referred to herein as a "Quarterly  Dividend
Payment Date"),  commencing on the first Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date after
the first  issuance  of a share or  fraction  of a share of  Series A  Preferred
Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to
the  provision for  adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  equal to 1000 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash  dividends,  and 1000 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,  par
value  $0.0001  per  share  (the  "Common  Stock"),  of  the  Corporation  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
Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation 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 Series A
Preferred  Stock  were  entitled  immediately  prior  to such  event  under  the
preceding  sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying  such amount by a fraction,
the  numerator  of which is the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  outstanding
immediately  after  such  event and the  denominator  of which is the  number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     (B) The Corporation  shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after
it  declares a  dividend  or  distribution  on the Common  Stock  (other  than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).

     (C)  Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative on outstanding  shares of Series A Preferred Stock from
the  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date next  preceding the date of issue of such
shares,  unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment  Date,  in which case  dividends on such
shares  shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such  shares,  or unless
the date of issue is a Quarterly  Dividend  Payment  Date or is a date after the
record  date for the  determination  of holders of shares of Series A  Preferred
Stock  entitled  to  receive a  quarterly  dividend  and before  such  Quarterly
Dividend  Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends  shall begin to
accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series
A Preferred  Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such  dividends at
the time  accrued and payable on such shares  shall be  allocated  pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors  may fix a record date for the  determination  of holders of shares of
Series  A  Preferred  Stock  entitled  to  receive  payment  of  a  dividend  or
distribution declared thereon,  which record date shall be not more than 60 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

                  Section  3.       Voting  Rights.  The holders of shares of 
Series A  Preferred  Stock shall have the following voting rights:

     (A) Subject to the provision for  adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes
on all matters  submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the  Corporation.  In
the event the  Corporation  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 Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled  immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted
by multiplying  such number by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately  after  such  event and the
denominator  of  which is the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  that  were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
     (B)  Except  as  otherwise   provided  in  the  Restated   Certificate   of
Incorporation, including any other Certificate of Designations creating a series
of  Preferred  Stock or any similar  stock,  or by law, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other
capital  stock of the  Corporation  having  general  voting  rights  shall  vote
together as one class on all matters  submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.

     (C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise required by law, holders of
Series A Preferred  Stock shall have no special  voting rights and their consent
shall not be  required  (except to the  extent  they are  entitled  to vote with
holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
 
                 Section  4.       Certain Restrictions.

     (A)  Whenever  quarterly  dividends  or other  dividends  or  distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared,  on shares of Series A Preferred Stock  outstanding  shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

     (i)  declare  or pay  dividends,  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 Series A 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 Series A Preferred  Stock,  except dividends
paid ratably on the Series A Preferred  Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends  are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled; or

     (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 Series A Preferred  Stock,  provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem,  purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any
such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking
junior (as to dividends and upon dissolution,  liquidation or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock.

     (B) The  Corporation  shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase  or  otherwise  acquire  for  consideration  any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

                  Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred
Stock  purchased  or  otherwise  acquired  by  the  Corporation  in  any  manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled 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  or  in  the  Restated   Certificate  of  Incorporation,   including  any
Certificate of Designations  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 Corporation the holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per
share,  subject to the provision for adjustment  hereinafter set forth, equal to
1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares
of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends. In the
event the  Corporation  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 Series A Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under 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.

                  Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation,  merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are  exchanged  for or changed into other stock
or securities,  cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A 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 1000  times  the  aggregate  amount of stock,
securities,  cash and/or any other property  (payable in kind),  as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or  exchanged.
In the event the  Corporation  shall at any time  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 Series A  Preferred  Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying  such amount by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of
shares  of  Common  Stock  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.   Amendment.    The   Restated   Certificate   of
Incorporation  shall not be  amended  in any  manner,  including  in a merger or
consolidation,  which would alter, change, or repeal the powers,  preferences or
special  rights of the Series A Preferred  Stock so as to affect them  adversely
without  the  affirmative  vote of the  holders  of at least  two-thirds  of the
outstanding  shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock,  voting  together as a single
class.

                  Section 9.        Rank.   The Series A Preferred  Stock shall 
rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution
 and winding up, junior to all series of Preferred Stock.

                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this  Certificate of  Designations is 
executed on behalf of the Corporation by its                      
this ______ day of May, 1997.
     


                                                       LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.




                                                       By:
- -----------------------------


<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit B










                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-                                                _______ Rights


         NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 23, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
         OCCURS.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.01 PER RIGHT AND TO
         EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN
         CIRCUMSTANCES,  RIGHTS THAT ARE OR WERE ACQUIRED OR BENEFICIALLY  OWNED
         BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY ASSOCIATES OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH
         TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS  AGREEMENT) OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF
         SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.


                                Right Certificate
                              LEGATO SYSTEMS, 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 May 23, 1997 (the "Rights  Agreement"),  between  Legato
Systems,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),  and Harris Trust and
Savings  Bank (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.,  Chicago,  Illinois  time,  on May 23,  2007,  at the
principal  office of the  Rights  Agent,  or at the office of its  successor  as
Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable  share of Series
A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock,  par value  $0.0001  per  share  (the
"Preferred  Shares"),  of the  Company,  at a purchase  price of $115.00 per one
one-thousandth  of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase  Price"),  upon presentation
and surrender of this Right  Certificate with the  certification and the Form of
Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate  (and the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share which
may be purchased upon exercise  hereof) set forth above,  and the Purchase Price
set forth above,  are the number and Purchase Price as of May 23, 1997, based on
the  Preferred  Shares as  constituted  at such date.  As provided in the Rights
Agreement,  the  Purchase  Price  and the  number  of one  one-thousandths  of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced
by this Right  Certificate are subject to  modification  and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.

                  From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of the Rights  Agreement,  if the Rights are or were at any time on or
after the  earlier of (x) the date of such event and (y) the  Distribution  Date
(as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned
by an Acquiring  Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring  Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),  such Rights shall become void,
and any holder of such Rights shall  thereafter  have no right to exercise  such
Rights.

                  This  Right  Certificate  is  subject  to all  of  the  terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement,  which terms,  provisions and
conditions  are hereby  incorporated  herein by 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 offices of the Rights Agent.

                  This  Right   Certificate,   with  or  without   other   Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right  Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing  Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred  Shares as the Rights  evidenced by the Right  Certificate or Right
Certificates  surrendered  shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this
Right  Certificate  shall be exercised in part,  the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender  hereof another Right  Certificate or Right  Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

                  Subject  to the  provisions  of the Rights  Agreement,  at the
Company's  option,  the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed
by the Company at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged
in whole or in part for shares of the Company's  Common Stock, par value $0.0001
per share, or Preferred Shares.

                  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-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the  Company,  be  evidenced by  depositary  receipts),  but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  No holder of this Right  Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive  dividends  or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the  Preferred
Shares  or of any  other  securities  of the  Company  which  may at any time be
issuable on the  exercise  hereof,  nor shall  anything  contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof,  as such, any
of the  rights  of a  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.

                  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:                                       LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.



_____________________________                 By: _____________________________



Countersigned:

- --------------------------------
  Rights Agent



By: _________________________
    Authorized Signature


<PAGE>


                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
               holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
                  FOR VALUE  RECEIVED  _________________________________  hereby
sells,  assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________________
                  (Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby  irrevocably  constitute  and appoint  ____________________________,
Attorney,  to  transfer  the  within  Right  Certificate  on  the  books  of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.


Dated: _____________ ___, _____



                                              ---------------------------------
                                                        Signature


Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc.,  or a  commercial  bank or trust  company  having  an  office or
correspondent in the United States.

       -----------------------------------------------------------------

                  The undersigned  hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right  Certificate are not beneficially  owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).



                                              ---------------------------------
                                                        Signature

       -----------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>


             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                      (To be executed if holder desires to
                        exercise the Right Certificate.)
To LEGATO SYSTEMS, INC.:

                  The  undersigned   hereby   irrevocably   elects  to  exercise
________________  Rights  represented by this Right  Certificate to purchase the
Preferred  Shares  issuable  upon the exercise of such Rights and requests  that
certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

- -----------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

If such  number of Rights  shall not be all the Rights  evidenced  by this Right
Certificate,  a new Right  Certificate for the balance  remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

- -----------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

- -----------------------------------------------------------------


Dated: _____________ ___, _____



                                              ---------------------------------
                                                        Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc.,  or a  commercial  bank or trust  company  having  an  office or
correspondent in the United States.


                  The undersigned  hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right  Certificate are not beneficially  owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).



                                              ---------------------------------
                                                        Signature
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                     NOTICE
                  The  signature  in  the  foregoing  Forms  of  Assignment  and
Election  must  conform  to the name as  written  upon  the  face of this  Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.

                  In the event the  certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment  or the Form of  Election  to  Purchase,  as the case may be,  is not
completed,  the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the  beneficial  owner of
the Rights  evidenced by this Right  Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or  Associate  thereof (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)  and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.


<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit C


                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES


                  On May 23, 1997,  the Board of  Directors  of Legato  Systems,
Inc. (the  "Company")  declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each  outstanding  share of common stock,  par value $0.0001 per
share (the "Common Shares")  outstanding on June 27, 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-thousandth  of a share of Series A
Junior  Participating   Preferred  Stock,  par  value  $0.0001  per  share  (the
"Preferred   Shares"),   of  the  Company,   at  a  price  of  $115.00  per  one
one-thousandth  of  a  Preferred  Share  (the  "Purchase  Price"),   subject  to
adjustment.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement  (the  "Rights  Agreement")  between the Company and Harris  Trust and
Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                  Until the  earlier to occur of (i) 10 days  following a public
announcement  that a person or group of  affiliated  or  associated  persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial  ownership of 15% (or in the case of
certain Exempt Persons, 20%) or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors  prior  to such  time  as any  Person  becomes  an  Acquiring  Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of such outstanding  Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being  called the  "Distribution  Date"),  the Rights
will  be  evidenced,  with  respect  to  any of the  Common  Share  certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share  certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.

                  The Agreement  provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights  will be  transferred  with and only with the  Common  Shares.  Until the
Distribution  Date (or earlier  redemption  or  expiration  of the Rights),  new
Common Share  certificates  issued after the Record Date or upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Agreement by
reference.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier  redemption or expiration of
the Rights),  the surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date,  even without such notation 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.

                  The Rights are not exercisable  until the  Distribution  Date.
The Rights will expire on May 23, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the
Final  Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier  redeemed by
the Company, in each case, as described below.

                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other  securities  or  property  issuable,  upon  exercise  of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent  dilution (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  number  of  outstanding  Rights  and  the  number  of one
one-thousandths  of a Preferred  Share  issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or  subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
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 quarterly dividend
payment of 1000 times the dividend  declared per Common  Share.  In the event of
liquidation,  the  holders  of the  Preferred  Shares  will  be  entitled  to an
aggregate  payment of 1000 times the  aggregate  payment made per Common  Share.
Each  Preferred  Share will have 1000  votes,  voting  together  with the Common
Shares. In the event of any merger,  consolidation or other transaction in which
Common Shares are exchanged,  each  Preferred  Share will be entitled to receive
1000 times the amount  received per Common Share.  These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because  of the  nature  of the  Preferred  Shares'  dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a
Preferred Share  purchasable upon exercise of each Right should  approximate the
value of one Common Share.

                  From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii)  of the  Rights  Agreement,  if the  Rights  evidenced  by this  Right
Certificate  are or were at any time on or after the  earlier of (x) the date of
such event and (y) the Distribution  Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or  Affiliate  of an  Acquiring  Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement),  such Rights shall become void,  and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.

                  In the  event  that,  at any time  after a Person  becomes  an
Acquiring  Person,  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,  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. In the event that any person
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
Affiliates and Associates  (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. If the Company does not have
sufficient  Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares,  or
if the Board of Directors so elects,  the Company  shall deliver upon payment of
the  exercise  price of a Right an amount of cash or  securities  equivalent  in
value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right;  provided that, if
the Company fails to meet such obligation  within 30 days following the later of
(x) the first  occurrence of an event  triggering  the right to purchase  Common
Shares  and (y) the date on which  the  Company's  right to  redeem  the  Rights
expires,  the  Company  must  deliver,  upon  exercise  of a Right  but  without
requiring  payment of the exercise  price then in effect,  Common Shares (to the
extent available) and cash equal in value to the difference between the value of
the  Common  Shares  otherwise  issuable  upon the  exercise  of a Right and the
exercise  price then in  effect.  The Board of  Directors  may extend the 30-day
period  described  above for up to an additional 60 days to permit the taking of
action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional Common Shares to
permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.

                  At any time after any Person  becomes an Acquiring  Person and
prior to the acquisition by any person or group of a majority 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 per Right (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 one one-thousandth 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.

                  At any time prior to the time any Person  becomes an Acquiring
Person,  the Board of  Directors  of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part,  at a price of $0.01 per Right (the  "Redemption  Price").  The
redemption  of the Rights may be made  effective at such time, on such basis and
with  such  conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole  discretion  may
establish.  Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.

                  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 any person  becomes an Acquiring  Person
no such  amendment  may  adversely  affect the  interests  of the holders of the
Rights (other than the Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).

                  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.

                  A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration  Statement on Form 8-A dated
___________  __, 1997. A copy of the Agreement is available  free of charge from
the  Company.  This  summary  description  of the Rights  does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the  Agreement,  which
is hereby incorporated herein by reference.






© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission