SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
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FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Nevada 23-2577138
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(State of Incorporation or Organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification no.)
Landmark Building, P.O. Box 1349, Doylestown, P.A. 18901
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c), please check the following box. / /
If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General
Instruction A.(d), please check the following box. /X/
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates:
N/A
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
COMMON SHARE PURCHASE RIGHTS
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(Title of Class)
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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
On September 8, 1998, the Board of Directors of The Quigley
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend of one common share purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.0005
per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on
September 25, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the shareholders of record on that
date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
Common Share at a price of $45 per share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of September 15, 1998, between the
Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 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 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
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of the
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights (the "Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of
record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date
and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on September 28, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date,
separate certificates evidencing the Rights (the "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. All Common Shares issued prior to the Distribution Date will be
issued with the Rights. Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date will be
issued with the Rights if such shares are issued pursuant to the exercise of
stock options or under an employee benefit plan, or upon conversion of
securities issued after adoption of the Rights Agreement. Except as otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors, no other Common Shares issued after the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common 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 Common
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of Common Shares of certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or securities convertible
into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market
price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic
cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other
than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be
void), will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. However,
Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the events set forth
above until they are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's consolidated assets or earning
power are sold or transferred, 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
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acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will
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 Common Shares will be issued (and in
lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until 10 days following the acquisition by a
person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of
15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per
Right (the "Redemption Price"). Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights,
the Rights will terminate and the only right the holders of Rights will have is
to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution
Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company only to cure an ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to
make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or
lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no
amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at such
time as the Rights are not redeemable.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will
cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the
Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except
pursuant to an offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being
acquired. The existence of the Rights may deter certain acquirors from making
takeover proposals or tender offers. However, the Rights are not intended to
prevent a takeover, but rather are designed to enhance the ability of the Board
of Directors to negotiate with an acquiror on behalf of all of the shareholders.
The Rights should not
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interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of
Directors since the Rights may be redeemed by the Company at the Redemption
Price prior to the time that a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership
of 15% or more of the Common Stock.
The Rights Agreement, dated as of September 15, 1998 between
the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent,
specifying the terms of the Rights, which includes as Exhibit A the Rights
Certificate, is attached hereto as an exhibit and is incorporated herein by
reference. The foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such exhibit.
ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.
1. Rights Agreement, dated as of September 15, 1998
between The Quigley Corporation and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, which includes the form of
Right Certificate as Exhibit A and the Summary of
Common Share Purchase Rights as Exhibit B.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, printed Right
Certificates will not be mailed until as soon as
practicable after the earlier of the tenth day after
public announcement that a person or group has
acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
Common Shares or the tenth business day (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors) after a person commences, or
announces its intention to commence, 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 the Common Shares.
2. Form of Letter from the Board of Directors of The
Quigley Corporation to Shareholders to be mailed with
copies of the Summary of Rights.
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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.
Dated: September 18, 1998 The Quigley Corporation
By: /S/ GEORGE J. LONGO
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Name: George J. Longo
Title: Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
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THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, As
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of September 15, 1998
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Agreement, dated as of September 15, 1998, between The Quigley
Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer &
Trust Company (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one Common Share (as hereinafter defined) purchase right
(a "Right") for each Common Share of the Company outstanding on September 25,
1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
Common Share upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and
has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to
each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, after the date hereof,
shall become the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15%
or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not
include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter
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defined) 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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) 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 more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall
become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company
then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after
such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be
an "Acquiring Person" (ii) if the Board of Directors of the Company determines
in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person", as
defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become
such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"
for any purposes of this Agreement and (iii) Guy J. Quigley shall not be deemed
an "Acquiring Person" for any purpose of this Agreement with respect to
Beneficial Ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company's
Common Stock, it being understood that the
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exception provided in this clause (iii) shall not apply to any transferees who
may acquire any securities from Mr. Quigley.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to
a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
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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 pursuant to this clause (B)
if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the
Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule
13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of securities of
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the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and
outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued
and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.0005 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.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7 hereof.
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(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
(j) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4 hereof, as the same may be adjusted from time to time in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(n) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11 hereof.
Certain additional terms used wholly within a subsequent
Section of this Agreement shall have the meaning given to them in the relevant
Section of this Agreement for purposes of such Section.
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
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hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
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 the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
to commence, a tender or exchange offer 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 (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and
not by separate
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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) by first-class, insured,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common
Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely
by such Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares,
in substantially the form of EXHIBIT B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders
thereof. Until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the
Final Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with
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or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares 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
The Quigley Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, dated as of September 15, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
executive offices of The Quigley Corporation. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Quigley
Corporation 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, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) may become null and void. The Rights shall not be
exercisable by a holder in any jurisdiction where the
requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder of the
Rights in such jurisdiction, shall not have been obtained or
obtainable.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing
legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates
alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also
constitute the
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transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates
(and the forms of election to purchase Common Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as EXHIBIT A
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Common Shares as
shall be set forth therein at the price per Common Share set forth therein (the
"Purchase Price"), but the number of such Common Shares 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
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Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its
Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature,
shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall
be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any
of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights
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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 Common Shares 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 endorse and
surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split
up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon
the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a
Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of
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Right Certificates. Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE
OF RIGHTS. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each Common Share as to which
the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of
Business on September 25, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at
which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption
Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in
Section 24 hereof.
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(b) The Purchase Price for each Common Share purchasable
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $45.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof
and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Subject to the Company's rights under Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of
the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased (plus an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check 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
Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased and
the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all
such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the Common Shares represented by such receipts shall be
deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company
hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when
appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof or the
amount of cash,
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property or other securities paid or issued in lieu of the issuance of Common
Shares in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) 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, property or other securities to or upon the
order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) Subject to the Company's rights under Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof to otherwise fulfill its obligations, the Company covenants and agrees
that it will cause to be kept available out of its authorized and unissued
Common Shares, the number of Common Shares that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with this Section 7.
(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 of Rights upon the
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed a certificate contained in
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
Affiliated of Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
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(f) 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.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. AVAILABILITY OF COMMON SHARES. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Common Shares or any
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Common Shares held in its treasury, the number of Common Shares that will be
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in
accordance with Section 7. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take
all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares delivered
upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for
such Common Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and
validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Common 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 Common
Shares (or other securities which may become or be issuable under the terms of
this Agreement) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for transfer, delivery or exercise or
to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Common 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
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established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
The Company covenants and agrees to, so long as Common Shares
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed on any
national securities exchange or quotation system, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
Shares reserved for issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice
of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company shall (i) prepare and file, as soon as possible
following the Distribution Date, a registration statement under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Act") with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise
of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as possible after such filing, and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until no longer required to do so under the
Act with respect to securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights. The
Company will also take all such action as may be required as is appropriate
under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary
or appropriate with respect to the securities purchasable upon the exercise of
the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend for a period not to exceed 90
days following the Distribution Date, the exercisability of the Rights in order
to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to
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become effective. Upon any such suspension of exercisability of Rights referred
to in this paragraph, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that
the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a
public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable by a holder in any jurisdiction
where the requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder, or the
exercise by such holder of the Rights in such jurisdiction, shall not have been
obtained or be obtainable, or the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under
applicable law or a registration statement shall not have been declared
effective.
Section 10. COMMON SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose
name any certificate for Common Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Common Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Common Shares transfer books of the Company are
closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day
on which the Common Shares transfer books of the Company are open.
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Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR
NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Common 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 Common Shares payable in
Common Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the
outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue
any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or
merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the
time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares
of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the
Common Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which would
require an
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adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the
adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and
shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 23 and 24 of this Agreement, in the
event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to
the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Common Shares for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, 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
Common Shares 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 (such resulting number of shares, the "Adjustment
Shares"). In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the
Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which
would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, from and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
any Rights that are to be or were acquired or beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall
be null and
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void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right whatsoever
with respect to such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.
No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents
Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no
Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to
an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding
sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such
Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii), the Board of Directors shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law
and any material agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party (A)
determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) the
("Current Value") over, (2) the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the
number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
the time that the Acquiring Person became such (such excess is hereinafter
referred to as the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right (other than
Rights
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which have been void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)), make adequate provision to
substitute for the Adjustment Shares issuable in accordance with subparagraph
(ii) upon exercise of the Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price,
(1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of
the Company (including, without limitation, shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation
rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Shares, are deemed in
good faith by the Board of Directors to have substantially the same value as the
Common Shares, (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any
combination of the foregoing, having a value which, when added to the value of
the Common Shares actually issued upon exercise of such Right, shall have an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been
determined by the Board of Directors upon the advice of an investment banking
firm selected by the Board of Directors; provided however,if the Company shall
not make adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within
thirty (30) days following the date that any Person shall have become an
Acquiring Person than the Company shall be obliged to deliver, to the extent
permitted by applicable law and any material agreements then in effect to which
the Company is a party, upon the surrender for excise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent
available), and then, if necessary, cash which shares and/or cash have an
aggregate value equal to the Spread. If, upon the date any
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Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors 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, then, if the Board
of Directors so elects, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be
extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, in order that the Company may seek
shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such
thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is hereinafter referred to as the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some
action is required pursuant to the first and/or second sentence of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
and the last sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii) 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 issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of the Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
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on the date the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) hereof
expires and the per share or fractional value of any other equity security of
the Company with substantially the same value as the Common Shares shall be
deemed to equal the current per share market price of the Common Shares. The
Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, establish
procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares upon the exercise of
the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Common Shares) or securities
convertible into Common Shares at a price per Common Share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares) less
than the then current per share market price of the Common Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of Common Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number
of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price
of the convertible securities so
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to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). 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. Common 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 Common 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
Common 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
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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 Common 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 Common Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Common
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
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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 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
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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 Common Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Common Shares
are not publicly traded, the "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-
thousandth interest in a Common Share. Notwithstanding the first sentence of
this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no
later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which
requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to
exercise any Rights.
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(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) or Section 13 hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than
Common Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Common Shares contained in Sections 13, 11(a) through (c),
inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the
Common 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 Common Shares
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in 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
Common Shares (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a Common Share)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Common Shares covered by a Right
immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in
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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 Common Shares 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 Common Shares for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten- thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates
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evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein
and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of Common Shares 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 Common Shares which were expressed in the
initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Common
Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any
corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order
that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable
Common Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
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(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 Common Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Common Shares and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine
to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Common
Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Common Shares at less than the current
market price, issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, dividends on
Common Shares payable in Common Shares or issuance of rights, options or
warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the
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Company to holders of its Common Shares shall not be taxable to such
shareholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of Common Shares purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of
each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of Common Shares so
purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event
and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding
immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately
after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights
which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued
with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be
made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a
subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER
OF SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of
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the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and
with each transfer agent for the Common 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.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF
ASSETS OR EARNING POWER. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with
the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Common Shares for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Common
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Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company
as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by
(B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such
other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of
consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of
such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue
of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties
of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" as used in
this Agreement shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such
issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with this Agreement) 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 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
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agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such
transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly
apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed 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
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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 fractional
interests of Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional
Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common
Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a
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 such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the
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respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any
registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
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(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer; 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 SHAREHOLDER.
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 Common Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
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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, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right
Certificate or certificate for the Common Shares or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or
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otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF
RIGHTS AGENT. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the stock transfer or corporate trust powers 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.
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In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved
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and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board,
the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or
the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights
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(including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11,
13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require
any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or
adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common
Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to
whether any Common Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions.
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(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove
the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing,
mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Shares by
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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
legal business entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States
so long as such entity is authorized to do business in the State of New York, in
good standing, having an office in the State of New York, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority) and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $25 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
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deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares, and mail
a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the
Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and Final
Expiration Date, subject to the other terms of this Agreement, the Company may
with respect to Common Shares issued or sold pursuant to (i) the exercise of
stock options, (ii) under any employee plan or arrangement, (iii)
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upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures
issued by the Company or (iv) a contractual obligation of the Company, in each
case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale.
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 $.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 with 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
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redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all
the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire
or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. EXCHANGE. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares 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
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the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to 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
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void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder
of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. (a) In case the Company
shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Common Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of
its Common Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Common Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
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purchase any additional Common Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Common Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding Common 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, 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 Common Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of
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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, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe 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:
The Quigley Corporation
10 South Clinton St.
P.O. Box 1349
Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or
demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
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American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
40 Wall Street
46th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate
shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the
registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right 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 other provisions with respect
to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such
supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and
the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner
which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than
an Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person). Without
limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds
set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum
of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known
by
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the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%.
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;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or
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restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its good
faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would
adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of
redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not
expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date of such
determination by the Board of Directors.
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 Nevada 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 that Section 18, 19, 20
and 21 relating to the rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent shall
be governed by the laws of the State of New York without reference to the choice
of law provisions thereof.
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.
-58-
<PAGE>
Section 34. ADMINISTRATION. For all purposes of this
Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock or any other
class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time, including for
purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3d(1)(i) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall
have the exclusive power and authority to administer and interpret the
provisions of this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to 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 of the Company 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 of the
Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.
-59-
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first
above written.
THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
By /S/ GEORGE J. LONGO
------------------------
Name: George J. Longo
Title: Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
By /S/ HERBERT J. LEMMER
--------------------------
Name: Herbert J. Lemmer
Title: Vice President
-60-
<PAGE>
Exhibit A
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-
RIGHTS NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER [ ] OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01
PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
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 September 15, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between The
Quigley Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock
Transfer & Trust Company (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., New York City time, on September 25, 1998 at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one fully paid non-assessable share of Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of
$45.00 per Common Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender
of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed.
The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of
Common Shares 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
__________, 1998, based on the Common Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Common
Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening
of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
A-1
<PAGE>
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 Common Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Common
Shares.
No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the exercise
of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, 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 Common
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 shareholders at a meeting
thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive
notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided
in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated: , .
ATTEST: THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
By_____________________________
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By____________________________________
Authorized Officer
A-3
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: __________________
______________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor
institution (a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union
with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant
to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
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
A-4
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to
purchase the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such Common 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
A-5
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
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 Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-6
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON SHARES
On September 8, 1998, the Board of Directors of The Quigley
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one common share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value
$.0005 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend
distribution is payable on September 25, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the
stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one Common Share of the Company at a price of
$45.00 per Common 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 American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, 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") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% 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
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation 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
B-1
<PAGE>
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 September 25, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"),
unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common 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 Common
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities
convertible into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the
then-current market price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to
holders of the Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding
regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or
dividends payable in Common Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other
than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of Common
Shares 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.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person,
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 or
group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (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. Under some
circumstances, in lieu of Common Shares, other equity and debt securities,
property, cash or combinations thereof, including combinations with Common
Shares may be issued upon payment of the exercise price if of equal value to the
number of Common Shares for which the Right is exercisable.
B-2
<PAGE>
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will
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 Common Shares will be issued and in
lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of
the Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the close of business on the tenth
Business Day after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding
Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in
whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price").
The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis
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,
including an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less
than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by
any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except
that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights (excluding the interest of any Acquiring
Person in whose hands Rights are void).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A dated September [ ], 1998. A copy of the Rights 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
Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
B-3
Form of Letter to Shareholders
[THE QUIGLEY CORPORATION. LETTERHEAD]
September 25, 1998
To Our Shareholders:
Your Board of Directors has recently declared a dividend distribution
of Common Share Purchase Rights (the "Rights"), thereby creating a Shareholder
Rights Plan (the "Plan"). This letter describes the Plan and the reasons of the
Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") for adopting it.
The Rights contain provisions to protect shareholders in the event of
an unsolicited attempt to acquire the Company, including a gradual accumulation
of shares in the open market, a partial or two-tier tender offer that does not
treat all shareholders equally, a squeeze-out merger and other abusive takeover
tactics which the Board believes are not in the best interests of shareholders.
These tactics unfairly pressure shareholders, squeeze them out of their
investment without giving them any real choice and deprive them of the full
value of their shares.
Over 2,000 companies, including approximately 60% of the Fortune 500
companies, have issued rights to protect their shareholders against these
tactics. We consider the Plan to be the best available means of protecting both
your right to retain your equity investment in The Quigley Corporation and the
full value of that investment, while not foreclosing a fair acquisition bid for
the Company.
The Rights are not intended to prevent a takeover of the Company and
will not do so. However, they should deter any attempt to acquire the Company in
a manner or on terms not approved by the Board. The Rights are designed to deal
with the very serious problem of another person or company using abusive tactics
to deprive the Company's Board and its shareholders of any real opportunity to
determine the destiny of the Company.
The Rights may be redeemed by the Board for one cent per Right prior
to the accumulation, through open-market purchases, a tender offer or otherwise,
of 15% or more of the Company's shares by a single acquiror or group. Because of
the redemption feature, the Rights should not interfere with any merger or
business combination approved by the Board prior to that time.
The Board believes that the issuance of the Rights does not in any
way weaken the financial strength of the Company or interfere with its business
plans. The issuance of the Rights has no dilutive effect, will not affect
reported earnings per share, is
<PAGE>
not taxable to the Company or to you, and will not change the way in which you
can presently trade the Company's shares. As explained in detail below, the
Rights will only be exercisable if and when the problem arises which they were
created to deal with. They will then operate to protect you against being
deprived of your right to share in the full measure of your Company's long-term
potential.
The Board was aware when it acted that some people have advanced
arguments that securities of the sort we are issuing deter legitimate
acquisition proposals. We carefully considered these views and concluded that
the arguments are speculative and do not justify leaving shareholders without
any protection against unfair treatment by an acquiror, who, after all, is
seeking his own company's advantage, not yours. The Board believes that these
Rights represent a sound and reasonable means of addressing the complex issues
of corporate governance and policy.
The Rights were issued on September 25, 1998 to shareholders of
record on that date and will expire in ten years. Initially, the Rights will not
be exercisable, certificates will not be sent to you, and the Rights will
automatically trade with the common shares. However, ten days after a person or
group acquires 15% or more of the Company's shares, or ten business days (or
such later date as may be determined by the Board prior to a person or group
acquiring 15% or more of the Company's shares) after a person or group announces
an offer the consummation of which would result in such person or group owning
15% or more of the shares (even if no purchases actually occur), the Rights will
become exercisable and separate certificates representing the Rights will be
distributed. We expect that the Rights will begin to trade independently from
the Company's shares at that time. At no time will the Rights have any voting
power.
When the Rights first become exercisable, unless a holder is a person
or group who has acquired 15% or more of the Company's shares, that holder will
be entitled to buy from the Company one share of Common Stock for $45.00. If the
Company is involved in a merger or other business combination with a person or
group or affiliate at any time after that person or group has acquired 15% or
more of the Company's shares, the Rights will entitle a holder to buy a number
of shares of common stock of the acquiring company having a market value of
twice the exercise price of each Right. For example, if at the time of the
business combination the acquiring company's stock has a per share value of $30,
the holder of each Right would be entitled to receive 3 shares of the acquiring
company's common stock for $45, i.e., at a 50% discount.
If any person or group acquires 15% or more of the Company's
outstanding common stock, the "flip-in" provision of the Rights will be
triggered and the Rights will entitle a holder (other than such person or any
member of such group) to buy a
-2-
<PAGE>
number of additional shares of common stock of the Company having a market value
of twice the exercise price of each Right. Thus, if at the time of the 15%
acquisition the Company's stock were to have a market value per share equal to
$10, the holder of each Right (other than such person or any member of such
group) would be entitled to receive 9 shares of the Company's common stock for
$45.
Following the acquisition by any person or group of 15% or more of
the Company's common stock, but only prior to the acquisition by a person or
group of a 50% stake, the Board will also have the ability to exchange the
Rights (other than Rights held by such person or group), in whole or in part,
for one share of common stock per Right. This provision will have an
economically dilutive effect on the acquiror, and provide a corresponding
benefit to the remaining rightsholders, that is comparable to the flip-in
without requiring rightsholders to go through the process and expense of
exercising their Rights.
While, as noted above, the distribution of the Rights will not be
taxable to you or the Company, shareholders may recognize taxable income upon
the occurrence of certain subsequent events.
In declaring the Rights dividend, we have expressed our confidence in
the future of the Company and our determination that you, our shareholders, be
given every opportunity to participate fully in that future.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
By________________________________________________
-3-
