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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada 85-0325742
(State of incorporation (I.R.S. Employer
or organization) Identification No.)
120 Corporate Park Drive, Henderson, Nevada (89014)
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT: None
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), 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), check the following box. [X]
Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form
relates: Not applicable
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SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
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(Title of class)
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<PAGE>
Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.
The securities being registered are Preferred Share Purchase Rights (the
"Rights"). On November 10, 1999, the Board of Directors of AgriBioTech, Inc., a
Nevada corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend distribution of one
right (each, a "Right") on each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock,
to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 24, 1999. One
Right will also be distributed for each share of Common Stock issued after
November 24, 1999, until the Distribution Date (which is described in the next
paragraph). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company, upon the occurrence of a Distribution Date, a unit consisting of one
one-hundredths of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock (the "Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price (the "Purchase Price") of
$20.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights
are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of November 11, 1999 (the "Rights
Agreement") between the Company and Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc., as Rights
Agent.
The Rights Agreement provides that the Company must redeem the Rights (that
is, terminate the Rights Agreement) if the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock have not approved continuation of the Rights
Agreement or the use of blank check preferred stock as an anti-takeover device
by a vote taken (i) no later than the third annual meeting of stockholders after
November 10, 1999 and (ii) no less frequently than every third annual meeting
thereafter.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days following
a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
(an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days following the public
announcement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would, if consummated,
result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding
shares of Common Stock, subject to certain limitations.
Under the terms of the Rights Agreement, The State of Wisconsin Investment
Board, which owns approximately 18.9% of the outstanding shares of the Company's
Common Stock, will be permitted to continue to own such shares, and to increase
its ownership to up to 20% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, without
becoming an Acquiring Person and triggering a Distribution Date.
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights), (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and
will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new
Common Stock certificates issued after November 24, 1999 will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding, even without such
notation, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of
the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at
the close of business on November 11, 2009, subject to extension by the Board of
Directors, unless earlier redeemed by the Company as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a
Right will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, at the
time specified in the Rights Agreement, (x) upon exercise and payment of the
Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or
other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price or (y) at the discretion of the Board of Directors, upon exercise and
without payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to the difference between the Purchase Price and the value of the
consideration which would be payable under clause (x). Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null
and void. Flip-In Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the
event set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by
the Company as set forth below.
<PAGE>
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger, statutory share exchange or other business
combination in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the
Company is the surviving party in a merger, statutory share exchange or other
business combination and all or part of the Company's Common Stock is exchanged
for stock or other securities of another corporation, or (iii) 50% or more of
the Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a
Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon exercise,
common stock of the acquiring corporation having a value equal to two times the
Purchase Price. The holders of a Right will continue to have the Flip-Over Right
whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In Right. The events
set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred
to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above). The number of outstanding Rights
and the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock
split of the Common Stock or a stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in
Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock
occurring, in each such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company may
exchange all or part of the Rights for shares of Common Stock at an exchange
ratio of one share per Right, as appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
dividend, stock split or similar transaction.
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $0.001 per Right, at any time until 10 business days following the
Stock Acquisition Date. After the redemption period has expired, the Company's
right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces his
beneficial ownership to less than 15% (or, in the case of The State of Wisconsin
Investment Board, 20% or less) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a
transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company and there are no
other Acquiring Persons. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for common
stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
<PAGE>
Prior to the Distribution Date, any of the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of 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 when the Rights are not redeemable.
The Company has initially authorized and reserved 1,000,000 shares of
Preferred Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. As of November 10,
1999, there were 49,878,281 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding.
The Rights may be deemed to have certain antitakeover effects. The Rights
generally may cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to
acquire the Company under circumstances not approved by the Board of Directors
of the Company.
The Rights Agreement between the Company and the Rights Agent specifying
the terms of the Rights, which includes the Certificate of Amendment creating
the Preferred Stock, the Form of the Rights Certificate and the Summary of
Rights to Purchase Shares, is attached hereto as an exhibit and incorporated
herein by reference. The foregoing is qualified in its entirety by reference
thereto.
Item 2. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as a part of this registration statement:
99.1 Rights Agreement dated as of November 11, 1999 between AgriBioTech,
Inc. and Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc., as Rights Agent, which
includes the Form of Rights Certificate as Exhibit A, the Form of
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock as Exhibit B and the
Form of Certificate of Designations setting forth the terms of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit C.
99.2 Press Release dated as of November 12, 1999 announcing the adoption of
the Rights Agreement.
99.3 Form of letter from the Board of Directors of AgriBioTech, Inc. to
shareholders.
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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.
Date: November 16, 1999
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
By: /s/ Randy Ingram
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Randy Ingram
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and between
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
and
CORPORATE STOCK TRANSFER, INC.
as Rights Agent
Dated as of November 11, 1999
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
1. Certain Definitions.............................................................................1
2. Appointment of Rights Agent.....................................................................5
3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.................................................................5
4. Form of Rights Certificates.....................................................................7
5. Countersignature and Registration...............................................................8
6. Transfer, Splitup, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates........................................8
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...................................9
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates............................................11
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock..................................................11
10. Preferred Stock Record Date....................................................................13
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number
of Rights......................................................................................13
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.....................................21
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power...........................21
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................................................24
15. Rights of Action...............................................................................25
16. Agreement of Rights Holders....................................................................25
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder.............................................26
18. Concerning the Rights Agent....................................................................26
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent......................................27
20. Duties of Rights Agent.........................................................................27
21. Change of Rights Agent.........................................................................30
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates............................................................31
23. Redemption and Termination.....................................................................31
24. Exchange.......................................................................................32
25. Notice of Certain Events.......................................................................33
26. Notices........................................................................................34
27. Supplements and Amendments.....................................................................35
28. Successors.....................................................................................35
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc......................................35
30. Benefits of This Agreement.....................................................................36
31. Severability...................................................................................36
32. Governing Law..................................................................................36
33. Counterparts...................................................................................36
34. Descriptive Headings...........................................................................37
</TABLE>
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit A -- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit B -- Form of Summary of Rights
Exhibit C -- Form of Certificate of Designations
<PAGE>
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of November 11, 1999 (the "Agreement"),
between AgriBioTech, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and Corporate
Stock Transfer, Inc. (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, on November 10, 1999 the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (each,
a "Right" and, collectively, the "Rights") for each share of Common Stock of the
Company outstanding at the close of business on November 24, 1999 (the "Record
Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth (1/100)
of a share of Preferred Stock, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in this Agreement, and further authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the
Expiration Date.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following
terms have the meanings indicated:
(1) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not
include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan, or (v) the Grandfathered Stockholder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" as a result of
the acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, increases the proportional number
of shares beneficially owned by such Person together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person; provided, however, that if a Person becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
or the Grandfathered Stockholder becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than 20%
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, by reason of the Company's
acquisition of shares of Common Stock, and thereafter becomes the Beneficial
Owner of additional shares of Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed an
"Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 1(a), no
person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" if the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith that such Person became the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more (or, in the case of the Grandfathered Stockholder, more
than 20%) of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding inadvertently and such
Person divests, as promptly as practicable after receipt of a written notice
from the Company, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such
Person is no longer the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more (or, in the case of the
Grandfathered Stockholder, more than 20%) of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
<PAGE>
(2) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(3) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act.
(4) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own," any securities:
(1) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights
(other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange;
(2) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or
has "beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner"
of, or to "beneficially own," any security under this subparagraph (ii) as
a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely
from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable
provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and
(B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(3) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (d)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided, however, that
nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a person engaged in business as
an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
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(5) "Agreement" shall mean this Rights Agreement.
(6) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
United States federal holiday.
(7) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Las
Vegas, Nevada time on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Las Vegas, Nevada time on the
next succeeding Business Day.
(8) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, $.001 par value, of
the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person
with the greatest aggregate voting power, or the equity securities or other
equity interests having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.
(9) "Company" shall mean AgriBioTech, Inc., a Nevada corporation.
(10) "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(11) "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(12) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(13) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(14) "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(15) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended and as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(16) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24
hereof.
(17) "Expiration Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the Final
Expiration Date or (ii) the Redemption Date.
(18) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the Close of Business on
November 11, 2009, unless extended by the Board of Directors of the Company
as provided in Section 27 hereof.
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(19) "Grandfathered Stockholder" shall mean The State of Wisconsin
Investment Board ("SWIB"), which is the Beneficial Owner of approximately
18.7% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the date of this
Agreement; provided, however, that SWIB shall not be a Grandfathered
Stockholder if SWIB makes an acquisition of shares of Common Stock that
would increase its beneficial ownership to more than 20% of the shares of
Common Stock then outstanding.
(20) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, company or other entity.
(21) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of the Company's Series D
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, having the relative rights,
preferences and limitations set forth in the Certificate of Designations
attached as Exhibit C hereto, and, to the extent that there is not a
sufficient number of shares of Preferred Stock authorized to permit the
full exercise of the Rights, any other series of the Preferred Stock of the
Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(22) "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.
(23) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
(24) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the WHEREAS
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(25) "Redemption Date" shall mean the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 of this Agreement.
(26) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.
(27) "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the WHEREAS clause
at the beginning of this Agreement.
(28) "Rights Agent" shall mean Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc. or any
Person that succeeds or replaces it in accordance with the provisions of
Section 21 of this Agreement.
(29) "Rights Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(30) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(31) "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
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<PAGE>
(32) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x),
(y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(33) "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
(34) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of a public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include,
without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(35) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any firm,
corporation, partnership, company or other entity of which an amount of
voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors,
managers, trustees or similar persons of such entity is beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such
Person.
(36) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(37) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(38) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
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 Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.
3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.
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<PAGE>
(1) Until the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth Business
Day after the Stock Acquisition Date and (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day after the date that a tender or exchange offer 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 Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof such Person would be an Acquiring Person (the earlier of (i) and (ii)
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the
Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be
certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company); provided, however,
that if a tender or exchange offer is terminated prior to the occurrence of a
Distribution Date, then no Distribution Date shall occur as a result of such
tender or exchange offer. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date,
the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to
each record holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (a
"Rights Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so
held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment
in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to
Section 11(o) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(2) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock, in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, by first-class, postage
prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock 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 the Common Stock outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and
the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders
of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date, the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common
Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(3) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which
are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common
Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and certificates
issued after the Record Date shall bear the following legend:
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<PAGE>
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between AgriBioTech,
Inc. (the "Company") and Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc. (the "Rights
Agent") dated as of November 11, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms
of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is
on file at the principal office of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy
of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such Certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(1) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in 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 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-hundredths of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and
type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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(2) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by any Person known to be: (i)
an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person; (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person or of any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes
such; or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or of any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person or any Associate of Affiliate of an Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person or any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance
of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall when issued contain
(to the extent feasible in the circumstances) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights
represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified
in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement.
5. Countersignature and Registration.
(1) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature,
and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which
shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be
countersigned by the Rights Agent, manually or by facsimile signature, 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 Rights Certificates shall cease to be
such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights 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 Rights
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights
Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(2) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its office designated as the appropriate place for surrender of such
Rights Certificates or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the
Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the
certificate number and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
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6. Transfer, Splitup, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(1) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and 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 Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
a like number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following
a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled
such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the
Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse
side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights 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,
splitup, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(2) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and 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 Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(1) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
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 Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together
with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then
exercisable, at or prior to the Expiration Date.
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<PAGE>
(2) The Purchase Price for each one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $20.00 and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(3) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased
and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have
elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which
case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after
receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price
(as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be
made in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of
the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute
other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all
arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property
are available for distribution by or on behalf of the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate. In the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Rights Certificate to the
registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise indicating
thereon that the rights represented by such Rights Certificate no longer include
the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement and, if less
than all the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate were so exercised,
the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Rights Certificate the number of Rights
represented thereby which continue to include the rights provided by Section
11(a)(ii).
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(4) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the Rights
Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Rights Certificate with respect
to those Rights exercised.
(5) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring
Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee prior to
or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person (or from any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or in any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person has any continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B)
a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined (whether
before or after such transfer) is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make
any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate,
Associate or transferee of an Acquiring Person hereunder.
(6) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, splitup,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(1) Subject to Section 11(a)(iii), the Company covenants and agrees that it
will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities, or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury if
the corporation law of the Company's domicile provides for treasury shares), the
number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this
Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(2) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon
such exercise.
(3) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the
case may be, a registration statement under 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 practicable
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 the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will
also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to
the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction, unless
the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and
until a registration statement has been declared effective.
(4) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to ensure that all one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock
and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of the Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.
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(5) 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 Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) 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
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of any
certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name
other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing
Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or deliver any certificates or
depository receipts for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights, until
such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate
for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise
of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record
of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such
Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all
applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such
surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a
shareholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive
dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall
not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except
as provided herein.
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of 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.
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(1) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of
Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any
shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation,
statutory share exchange or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e) hereof, 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 Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in
effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock 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 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)In the event (A) 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 Person organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time
after the date of this Agreement, become an Acquiring Person, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided
below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of
Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x)
multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the then number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right would have
been exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event assuming the Distribution Date had already occurred, and
(y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall
thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for
all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment
Shares"); provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise
give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provision of
Section 13(a) hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13(a) hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section
11(a)(ii).
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<PAGE>
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock which are
authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation but not outstanding
or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the
Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the
Company, by resolution of its Board of Directors, shall: (A) determine the
excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise
of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess,
the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision
to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right and
payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred
stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have
substantially the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of
preferred stock, "Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the
Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having
an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value
has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the
advice of one or more investment or financial advisors selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall
not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B)
above within thirty (30) days after the date on which the Company's right
of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires following the occurrence of
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the
Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a
Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common
Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash shall have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board
of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely
that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for
issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, or that additional time is
required for the Board of Directors to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made and to determine the value thereof, the thirty (30)
day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not
more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in
order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization
of such additional shares or to make such decision and determination, as
the case may be (such period, as it may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need
be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof,
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 the first sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii) 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 Stock shall be the Current Market Price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "Common Stock
Equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on
such date.
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(iv) In lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock in accordance with
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company, by resolution of the
Board of Directors (which shall reflect a determination by the Board that
the action described below is in the best interests of the Company and not
contrary to the interests of the holders of Rights), may make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, (x) upon the surrender
for exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1)
cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock, or other
equity securities of the Company (including without limitation Common Stock
Equivalents), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6)
any combination of the foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the
Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board
of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of one or more investment
or financial advisors selected by the Board of Directors of the Company or
(y) upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring
payment of the Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, Common Stock
Equivalents), (3) debt securities of the Company, (4) other assets or (5)
any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the
Spread, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company based upon the advice of one or more investment or
financial advisors selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(2) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("Equivalent
Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less
than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock 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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the
aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial
conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase
at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of
additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock 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 by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other
than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock 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 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.
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(3) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation, statutory share exchange or merger in which the Company is
the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a
regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market
Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock 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
cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. 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 be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(4) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 11(a)(iv) hereof,
the "Current Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant
to Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 11(a)(iv) hereof, the "Current Market Price"
per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive
Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the
event that the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock is determined
during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of
(A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such
Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other
than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of
such Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30)
Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, 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 Market Price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock 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 the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") or such other system then in use, or, if
on any such date the shares of Common Stock 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 Common Stock selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making
a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common
Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,
a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, "Current Market Price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "Current Market
Price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as
set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other
than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "Current Market Price" per share of
Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is
publicly held or so listed or traded, "Current Market Price" per share of the
Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "Current Market Price" of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the "Current
Market Price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(5) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock
or other share or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or
(ii) the Expiration Date.
(6) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock,
thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the
provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j) and (l), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10,
13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms
to any such other shares.
(7) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
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(8) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millioneth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a
Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing
the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(9) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock 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 Rights
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights 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 Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(10) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a
share and the number of one one-hundredths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
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<PAGE>
(11) 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
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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 (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.
(12) 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 in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(13) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after
the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n)
hereof), (ii) merge with or into or enter into a statutory share exchange with
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(n) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any
Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(n) hereof),
if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, statutory
share exchange, sale or transfer there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale or transfer, the shareholders
of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for
purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
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<PAGE>
(14) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(15) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
event that the Company shall at any time on or after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding
shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated
with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered
thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common
Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying
the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately
prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence
of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(16) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock at
such adjusted Purchase Price.
(17) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result in
the loss of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and shall
not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this Agreement,
including the rights represented by Section 13.
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an
adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company
shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a
brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file
with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and
the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution
Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in
accordance with Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and
shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it
shall have received such certificate.
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
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(1) In the event that, on or following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly
or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, enter into a statutory
share exchange or merge with and into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), and
the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation, statutory share exchange or merger, (y) any Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n)
hereof) shall consolidate with, enter into a statutory share exchange with, or
merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such consolidation, statutory share exchange or merger
and, in connection with such consolidation, statutory share exchange or merger,
all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a
series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than
50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as
a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section
11(n) hereof), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that: (i) each holder of a Right, except holders described in Section 7(e)
hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
the then-current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and
freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first
refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying
the number of such one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(2) "Principal Party" shall mean
22
<PAGE>
(1) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities
into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger,
statutory share exchange or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued,
the Person that is the other party to such merger, statutory share exchange or
consolidation; and
(2) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first
sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions; provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common
Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the
preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange
Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the
Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall
refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary,
directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or
more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest
aggregate market value.
(3) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, statutory
share exchange, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any consolidation, statutory share exchange, merger, sale or
transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party
will:
(1) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect
to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration
statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and
(B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of
the Act) until the Final Expiration Date;
(2) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(3) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for
the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects with
the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers, statutory share exchanges or consolidations or sales or other
transfers. The rights under this Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights
to exercise Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise
thereof.
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14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(1) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except
prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(o) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there may be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
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 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 of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading, on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or if not so quoted, the average of the high bid
and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or
such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted
by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected
by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market
maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such
date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall
be used.
(2) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights 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 one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the Current Market Value of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredths of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
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<PAGE>
(3) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common
Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights 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 (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the Current Market Value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(4) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement,
other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to Section 18
hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), 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 Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights 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 shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
16. Agreement of Rights 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:
(1) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(2) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the
appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(3) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
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<PAGE>
(4) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by
a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any
statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any
governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any
such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such,
of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be
deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock 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 Rights Certificate be construed to confer
upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(1) 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 disbursements 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, its directors, officers, employees
and agents for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability,
or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct
on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights
Agent or such other indemnified party in connection with the acceptance and
administration of this Agreement or the performance of the Rights Agent's duties
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.
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(2) 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 or the performance of the Rights Agent's duties
hereunder in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common
Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
(3) The indemnity provided in this Section 18 shall survive the expiration
of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(1) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, however, 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 Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(2) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in
its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
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 Rights Certificates, by their
acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(1) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the advice or 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 advice
or opinion.
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(2) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of "Current Market Price") be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for
any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(3) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(4) 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 Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(5) 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 Rights 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 Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or
Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any
such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by
Rights Certificates after receipt of the certificate described in Section 12
hereof setting forth any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized
and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(6) 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.
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(7) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the
Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall
not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with the instructions of any such officer or for any delay in
acting while awaiting instructions.
(8) Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the
Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action
proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement
and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission
shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken
by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in
any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which
date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date the President, any
Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company actually receives such application, unless
any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless,
prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an
omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response
to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(9) 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.
(10) 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, however, the Rights Agent was not grossly
negligent in the selection or continued employment thereof.
(11) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(12) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
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(13) The Rights Agent undertakes only the express duties and obligations
imposed on it by this Agreement and no implied duties or obligations shall be
read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent.
(14) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no
event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential
loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost
profits).
21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may resign and thereby be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company
may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (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 Stock and Preferred Stock,
by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights 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 thirty (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 Rights Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a)
a corporation or financial institution organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or of the States of New York or Nevada (or of any
other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the States of New York or Nevada), in good
standing, and having a principal office in the States of New York or Nevada,
which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which
has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and
surplus of at least $10,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation or
financial institution described in clause (a) of this sentence. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the
Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Rights 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.
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22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Rights 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 Rights Certificates made in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance
or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to
the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect
to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however,
that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
23. Redemption and Termination.
(1) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of (x) the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day
following the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall
have occurred prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day following the Record Date), or (y) the Final Expiration Date,
redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted, as
determined by the Board of Directors, 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"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall redeem all of the then outstanding
Rights at the Redemption Price if the owners of a majority of shares of Common
Stock have not approved continuation of this Agreement or the use of blank check
preferred stock with the primary effect of preventing the hostile acquisition of
securities of the Company by a vote taken (x) no later than the third annual
meeting of stockholders after adoption of this Agreement by the Board of
Directors and (y) no less frequently than every third annual meeting of
stockholders thereafter.
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(ii) If, following the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and the
expiration of the right of redemption set forth in Section 23(a)(i) but prior to
any Section 13 Event, (x) a Person who is an Acquiring Person shall have
transferred or otherwise disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one
transaction or series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, such that such Person is thereafter a
Beneficial Owner of less than 15% (or, in the case of the Grandfathered
Stockholder, 20% or less) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (y)
there are no other Persons, immediately following the occurrence of the event
described in clause (x), who are Acquiring Persons, then the right of redemption
shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section
23.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of an event
described in Section 11(a)(ii) until such time as the Company's right of
redemption hereunder has expired.
(iv) The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash,
shares of Common Stock (based on the "Current Market Price," as defined in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any
other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(2) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent 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 for each Right so
held. Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears 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 Stock. 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.
24. Exchange.
(1) The Company may, at its option, by resolution of the Board of
Directors, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange
all or any part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not
include Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 7(e) of this Agreement)
for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio (the "Exchange Ratio") of one
share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring with respect to the
Common Stock after the date of this Agreement.
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(2) Immediately upon action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) of this Agreement
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 shares of Common Stock 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 shall promptly 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 or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common Stock. 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 shares of Common
Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the
number of Rights which will be exchange. Any partial exchange shall be effected
pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void
pursuant to the provision of Section 7(e) of this Agreement) held by each holder
of Rights.
(3) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock
authorized but unissued to permit the exchange in full of such Rights in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 24, the Company shall take all
such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock
for issuance upon the exchange of the Rights. In the event that the Company
shall, after a good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall
substitute, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon
exchange of a Right, a number of shares of other equity securities or a fraction
thereof such that the Current Market Price of one share of such other equity
securities multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the Current Market
Price of one share of Common Stock as of the date of issuance of such shares of
such other equity securities or fraction thereof.
(4) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there shall be
paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which
such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the Current Market Price of a whole share of
Common Stock.
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25. Notice of Certain Events.
(1) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock
rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of
Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights
or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation, statutory share
exchange or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), 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 transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than
the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(n) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and 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, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
statutory share exchange, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or
winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders
of the shares of Preferred Stock, 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 twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders
of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking
of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of
the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(2) Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the Company
shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the
Company shall be sufficiently given or made if delivered by hand, sent by
overnight courier or sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
AgriBioTech, Inc.
120 Corporate Park Drive
Henderson, Nevada 89014
Attention: Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
delivered by hand, sent by overnight courier or sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the
Company) as follows:
Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc.
3200 Cherry Creek Drive South
Suite 430
Denver, Colorado 80209
Attention: AgriBio Tech, Inc. Account Representative
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Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) 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.
27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date, the Company
and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, the
Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates
in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
including the Final Expiration Date, (iv) to alter the Purchase Price if the
Final Expiration Date is changed, or (v) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and
which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any
Acquiring Person); provided, however, this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights
are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening of
such other time period is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying
the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery
of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that
the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior
to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed
coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment
that changes the rights or duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall
be effective without the execution of such supplement or amendment by the Rights
Agent.
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.
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
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(1) For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of
shares of Common 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-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to
exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors of
the Company or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including, but not limited to, a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and
binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
(2) For purposes of this Agreement, any determination to be made by the
Board of Directors of the Company may be made by a duly constituted committee
thereof if so authorized to act by the Board of Directors pursuant to the
Company's Bylaws, and in such circumstances any reference to the Board of
Directors herein shall be deemed to include a reference to such committee.
30. Benefits of This Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) 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 Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this
Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be
invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided,
however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any
such term, provision, covenant or 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 Business Day following
the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of the Company.
32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights 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 made and to be
performed entirely within such State.
33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
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34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of
this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect
the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
By _______________________
Name: Richard P. Budd
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Attest:
By _______________________
Name: Douglas A. Fisher
Title: Secretary
[Corporate Seal]
CORPORATE STOCK TRANSFER, INC.
By: _______________________
Name:
Title:
Attest:
By: _______________________
Name:
Title:
[Corporate Seal]
37
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- _____ ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER November 10, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN
SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]1
Rights Certificate
AgriBioTech, Inc.
This certifies that _____________________________, or registered assigns,
is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 11, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between AgriBioTech, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and Corporate
Stock Transfer, Inc. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time prior to 5:00 P.M., Las Vegas, Nevada time, on November 11, 2009 at the
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredths of a fully paid, nonassessable
share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock")
of the Company, at a purchase price of $_____ per one one-hundredths of a share
(the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The Purchase Price may be paid in cash or by certified bank check or
money order payable to the order of the Company. The number of Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares of Preferred Stock which
may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price
per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
___________________, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
- ---------------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the immediately preceding sentence of the
legend.
<PAGE>
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
(ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of
any such Acquiring Person, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with
respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii)
Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including
Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
This Rights 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 Rights Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are available upon written request to the
Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earliest of the Close of
Business on (i) the tenth Business Day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement) or (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. After the expiration of the redemption period referenced
in clause (i) above, the Company's right of redemption may be reinstated if an
Acquiring Person reduces his beneficial ownership to less than 15% (or, in the
case of the Grandfathered Stockholder, 20% or less) of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock in a transaction or series of transactions not involving the
Company and there are no other Acquiring Persons.
2
<PAGE>
The Company may (but shall not be required to) issue fractional shares of
Preferred Stock upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts), and in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
3
<PAGE>
Witness, the facsimile signiture of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.
Dated as of ____________ __, ______
ATTEST:
[Corporate Seal] AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
By
- -------------------- -------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Secretary Title: President
Countersigned:
CORPORATE STOCK TRANSFER, INC.
By ________________________
Authorized Signature
4
<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
[To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.]
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ____________________________________ hereby sells, assigns
and transfers unto
___________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
______________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________ __, ______
-------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such term is defined in
the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person.
Dated: ____________ __, ______
----------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
<PAGE>
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond
to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
[To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.]
To: The Rights Agent
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Please insert social security or other identifying number: _______
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
______________________________________________________________________________
Please insert social security or other identifying number: ___________________
Dated: ____________ __, ______
------------------------
Signature
<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person.
Dated: ______________ __, ______
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On November 10, 1999, the Board of Directors of AgriBioTech, Inc., a Nevada
corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of the Company's common stock, $.001 par value per share
(the "Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the close of business on
November 24, 1999. One Right will also be distributed for each share of Common
Stock issued after November 24, 1999, until the Distribution Date (which is
described in the next paragraph). Each Right entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredths of a share (a
"Unit") of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per
share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $20.00 per Unit, subject
to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement dated as of November 11, 1999 (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc., as Rights Agent.
The Rights Agreement provides that the Company must redeem the Rights (that
is, terminate the Rights Agreement) if the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock have not approved continuation of the Rights
Agreement or the use of blank check preferred stock as an anti-takeover device
by a vote taken (i) no later than the third annual meeting of stockholders after
November 10, 1999 and (ii) no less frequently than every third annual meeting
thereafter.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock and a
Distribution Date will occur upon the earliest of (i) 10 business days following
a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
(an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days following the public
announcement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would, if consummated,
result in a person or group beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding
shares of Common Stock, subject to certain limitations.
Under the terms of the Rights Agreement, The State of Wisconsin Investment
Board, which owns approximately 18.9% of the outstanding shares of the Company's
Common Stock, will be permitted to continue to own such shares, and to increase
its ownership to up to 20% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, without
becoming an Acquiring Person and triggering a Distribution Date.
<PAGE>
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the
Rights) (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and
will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new
Common Stock certificates issued after November 24, 1999 will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock outstanding, even without such
notation, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of
the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at
the close of business on November 11, 2009, subject to extension by the Board of
Directors, unless earlier redeemed by the Company as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a
Right will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, at the
time specified in the Rights Agreement, (x) upon exercise and payment of the
Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or
other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase
Price of the Right or (y) at the discretion of the Board of Directors, upon
exercise and without payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to the difference between the Purchase Price of the Right and the value of
the consideration which would be payable under clause (x). Notwithstanding any
of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in
this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will
be null and void. Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the
event set forth above until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by
the Company as set forth below.
For example, at a Purchase Price of $20.00 per Right, each Right not owned
by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following an event set
forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $40.00
worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $20.00.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of $5.00 at such time, the
holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase 8 (eight) shares of
Common Stock for $20.00. Alternatively, at the discretion of the Board of
Directors, each Right following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph,
without payment of the Purchase Price, would entitle its holder to Common Stock
(or other consideration, as noted above) worth $20.00.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger, statutory share exchange or other business
combination in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the
Company is the surviving party in a merger, statutory share exchange or other
business combination and all or part of the Company's Common Stock is exchanged
for stock or other securities of another corporation, or (iii) 50% or more of
the Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a
Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon exercise,
common stock of the acquiring corporation having a value equal to two times the
Purchase Price of the Right. The holders of a Right will continue to have the
Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In
Right. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
<PAGE>
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than
the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution
to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above). The number of outstanding Rights
and the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock
split of the Common Stock or a stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in
Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock
occurring, in each such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase
Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company may
exchange all or part of the Rights for shares of Common Stock at an exchange
ratio of one share per Right, as appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
dividend, stock split or similar transaction.
In general, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $0.001 per Right, at any time until 10 business days following the
Stock Acquisition Date. After the redemption period has expired, the Company's
right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces his
beneficial ownership to less than 15% (or, in the case of The State of Wisconsin
Investment Board, 20% or less) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock in a
transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company and there are no
other Acquiring Persons. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for common
stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
<PAGE>
Prior to the Distribution Date, any of the provisions of the Rights
Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interests of 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 when the Rights are not redeemable.
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
November 15, 1999. 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 incorporated herein by reference.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF SERIES D
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
AgriBioTech, Inc. (the "Corporation"), a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Nevada, pursuant to the authority contained in
Article Fourth of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the
"Articles of Incorporation"), and in accordance with Section 78.1955 of the
Nevada Revised Statutes (the "NRS"), hereby certifies the following:
1. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board of Directors"),
pursuant to the authority expressly vested in it under Article Fourth of the
Articles of Incorporation, has adopted the following resolution creating Series
A Convertible Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that ten thousand (10,000) of the ten million (10,000,000)
authorized shares of Convertible Preferred Stock of the Corporation shall
be designated Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per
share, and shall possess the rights and privileges set forth in the
Certificate of Designation, Number, Powers, Preferences And Relative,
Participating, Optional, And Other Special Rights And The Qualifications,
Limitations, Restrictions, And Other Distinguishing Characteristics (the
"Certificate") of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Corporation
filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada (the "Secretary of
State") on March 28, 1996.
2. The Board of Directors, pursuant to the authority expressly vested in it
as aforesaid, has adopted the following resolution creating Series B Convertible
Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that ten thousand (10,000) of the ten million (10,000,000)
authorized shares of Convertible Preferred Stock of the Corporation shall
be designated Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, $.001 par value per
share, and shall possess the rights and privileges set forth in the
Certificate filed with the Secretary of State on April 4, 1996.
3. The Board of Directors, pursuant to the authority expressly vested in it
as aforesaid, has adopted the following resolution creating Series C Convertible
Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that fifteen thousand (15,000) of the ten million
(10,000,000) authorized shares of Convertible Preferred Stock of the
Corporation shall be designated Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, $.001
par value per share, and shall possess the rights and privileges set forth
in the Certificate filed with the Secretary of State on September 11, 1996.
<PAGE>
4. The Board of Directors, pursuant to the authority expressly vested in it
as aforesaid, has adopted the following resolution creating Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that one million (1,000,000) of the ten million (10,000,000)
authorized shares of preferred stock, $.001 par value per share, of the
Corporation ("Preferred Stock") shall be designated and authorized for
issuance as Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $.001 par value
per share, and shall possess the rights and privileges set forth as
follows:
Paragraph 1. Dividends and Distributions.
(i) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends or other distributions, the holders of shares of Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common
stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Corporation ("Common Stock") and
of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if
declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the fifteenth day of January, April,
July and October in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a
"Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per
share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (x) $1.00 or
(y) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100
times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times
the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends
or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common
Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any
share or fraction of a share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock. In the event the Corporation shall on or at any time after November
10, 1999 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (A) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (C) combine or consolidate the outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the
amount to which holders of shares of Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause
(y) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
<PAGE>
(ii) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in subparagraph
(i) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided that, subject to the requirements of applicable law and the
Articles of Incorporation, in the event no dividend or distribution shall
have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(iii) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue
from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.
Dividends paid on the shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time
accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The
Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to
receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which
record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Paragraph 2. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(i) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle
the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time on or after the Rights Declaration Date (A) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (C) combine or consolidate the outstanding
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the
number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
<PAGE>
(ii) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any amendment to the
Articles of Incorporation or by law, the holders of shares of Series D
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common
Stock shall vote together as one group on all matters submitted to a vote
of shareholders of the Corporation.
(iii) Except as set forth herein or as required by law, holders of
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting
rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they
are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.
Paragraph 3. Certain Restrictions.
(i) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in
Paragraph 1 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series D
Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in
full, the Corporation shall not:
(A) declare or pay dividends on, redeem or purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration, or make any other distributions on any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock;
(B) declare or pay dividends on, redeem or purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration, or make any other distributions on any shares of
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, provided that there may be declared and paid ratably dividends on
the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock
on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; and,
provided further, that the Corporation may at any time redeem or purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares
of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock; or
<PAGE>
(C) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or redeem or purchase or
otherwise acquire any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series D
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase
offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of
Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and
other relative rights and preferences of the respective Series and classes,
shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment
among the respective series or classes.
(ii) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation (for the account of such subsidiary) to purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the
Corporation could, under subparagraph (i) of this Paragraph 3, purchase or
otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
(iii) No dividend shall be declared and paid, or set apart for payment
on, any share of the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock or any
share of any other series of Preferred Stock or any share of any class of
stock, or series thereof, ranking on a parity with the Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as to dividends, for any dividend period
unless at the same time a like proportionate dividend for the same dividend
period, ratably in proportion to the respective dividends applicable
thereto, shall be declared and paid, or set apart for payment on, all
shares of the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all shares
of all other series of Preferred Stock and all shares of any class, or
series thereof, ranking on a parity with the Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as to dividends, then issued and outstanding and entitled
to receive dividends.
Paragraph 4. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set
forth herein or in the Articles of Incorporation, or as otherwise required by
law.
<PAGE>
Paragraph 5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(i) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or
winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares
of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have received $100
per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment
(the "Series D Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the full
amount of the Series D Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions
shall be made to the holders of shares of Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common
Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment")
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Series D Liquidation
Preference by (B) 100 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph (iii) below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such
number in clause (B), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series D Liquidation Preference and the Common
Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of
Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock and holders of shares of
Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate share of the
remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to
one (1) with respect to such Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock
and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(ii) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series D Liquidation Preference
and the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if
any, which rank on a parity with the Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to
the holders of the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock and such
parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment
in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(iii) In the event the Corporation shall at any time on or after the
Rights Declaration Date (A) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or
(C) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event.
(iv) Neither the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all
of the property or business of the Corporation, nor the merger,
consolidation or statutory share exchange of the Corporation into or with
any other corporation or the merger, consolidation or statutory share
exchange of any other corporation into or with the Corporation, shall be
deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, voluntary or
involuntary, for the purposes of this Paragraph 5.
<PAGE>
Paragraph 6. Statutory Share Exchange, Merger Consolidation, etc. In case
the Corporation shall enter into any statutory share exchange, merger,
consolidation, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common
Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or
any other property, then in any such case the shares of Series D Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time on or after the Rights
Declaration Date (A) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (C) combine or
consolidate the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then
in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Paragraph 7. No Redemption. The shares of Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Paragraph 8. Ranking. The Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall rank junior to all other series of Preferred Stock as to the payment of
dividends and other distributions and the distribution of assets, unless the
terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.
Paragraph 9. Amendment. Neither the Articles of Incorporation, this
Certificate of Designations nor the resolution of the Board of Directors
authorizing and designating the Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the
powers, preferences or special rights of the Series D Junior Participating
Preferred Stock so as to affect any of them adversely, except in accordance with
the provisions of NRS Sections 78.390 or 78.1955, as applicable, or any
applicable successor statute, or as otherwise permitted by law.
Paragraph 10. Fractional Shares. Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock may be issued in fractions of a share (which shall be integral multiples
of one one-hundredth of a share of Series D Junior Participating Preferred
Stock), which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's
fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends or other
distributions, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other
rights of holders of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
The foregoing was duly adopted by the Board of Directors on November 10,
1999, pursuant to the provisions of the NRS.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of
Designations to be signed by the undersigned as of November 10, 1999.
AGRIBIOTECH, INC.
By:
Name:
Title: [President] [Vice President]
By:
Name: Douglas A. Fisher
Title: Senior Vice President
and Secretary
<PAGE>
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
State of )
) ss.
County of )
On this ___ day of November, 1999, before me, the undersigned Notary
Public, duly commissioned and sworn, personally appeared _________________,
personally known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence)
to be the [President] [Vice President] of the entity that executed the within
instrument, and known to me to be the person who executed the within instrument
on behalf of the entity therein named, and acknowledged to me that such entity
duly executed the same.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official
seal the day and year in this certificate above written.
(Notary Public in and for the aforesaid
County and State)
[SEAL] My commission expires on:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 11, 1999
Contact:
Doug Fisher Howard Kalt
AgriBioTech, Inc. Kalt Rosen Chase & Co. LLC
702-566-2440 415-397-2686
AGRIBIOTECH, INC. ADOPTS SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
HENDERSON, NEVADA, November 11, 1999 - AgriBioTech, Inc. (Nasdaq NMS:ABTX),
today announced that its Board of Directors has approved the adoption of a
Shareholder Rights Plan under which all shareholders of record as of November
24, 1999, will receive rights to purchase shares of a new series of Preferred
Stock.
The Rights Plan is designed to enable all AgriBioTech shareholders to realize
the full value of their investment and to provide for fair and equal treatment
for shareholders in the event that an unsolicited attempt is made to acquire
AgriBioTech. The adoption of the Rights Plan is intended as a means to guard
against abusive takeover tactics and is not in response to any particular
proposal.
The rights will be distributed as a non-taxable dividend and will expire in ten
years. The rights will be exercisable only if a person or group acquires 15
percent or more of the AgriBioTech Common Stock or announces a tender offer for
15 percent or more of the Common Stock.
If a person or group acquires 15 percent or more of AgriBioTech's Common Stock,
all shareholders except the purchaser will be entitled to acquire AgriBioTech
Common Stock at a 50 percent discount. The effect will be to discourage
acquisitions of more than 15 percent of AgriBioTech Common Stock without
negotiations with the Board.
The rights will trade with AgriBioTech's Common Stock, unless and until they are
separated upon the occurrence of certain future events. The rights distribution
is not taxable to the shareholders. AgriBioTech's Board of Directors may redeem
the rights prior to the expiration of a specified period following the
acquisition of more than 15 percent of AgriBioTech's Common Stock. Additional
details regarding the Rights Plan will be outlined in a summary to be mailed to
all shareholders following the Record Date.
The terms of the Rights Plan allow The State of Wisconsin Investment Board,
which owns approximately 18.9% of AgriBioTech's Common Stock, to maintain its
investment in AgriBioTech, as well as to acquire up to 20% of the Company's
Common Stock, without triggering the rights.
Continuation of the Rights Plan will be subject to shareholder approval no later
than the third annual meeting of stockholders following the Board's adoption of
the Plan and periodically thereafter.
AgriBioTech is a vertically integrated, full service seed company specializing
in the forage and turfgrass seed sector, complete with research and development
of proprietary seed varieties, seed processing plants, and a national and
international distribution and sales network. AgriBioTech's vision is to lead
the turf grass and forage seed industry in discovering its potential value.
November __, 1999
Dear Shareholder:
On November 10, 1999, the Board of Directors adopted a shareholder rights plan
(the "Rights Plan") and declared a dividend of one right (each, a "Right") on
each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock (the "Rights"). The Board
of Directors fixed November 24, 1999 as the record date for this rights dividend
distribution, and the distribution to holders of record of the Company's Common
Stock occurred at the close of business on that date. No action on your part is
required. This distribution does not involve any cash dividend, stock dividend
or stock split. This letter describes the Rights Plan and explains our reasons
for adopting it.
The Rights Plan was adopted to protect your interests in the event the Company
is confronted with coercive or unfair takeover tactics. The Rights Plan contains
provisions designed to safeguard you in the event of an unsolicited offer to
acquire the Company, whether through a gradual accumulation of shares in the
open market, a partial or two-tiered tender offer that does not treat all
shareholders equally, the acquisition in the open market or otherwise of shares
constituting control without offering fair value to all shareholders, or other
abusive takeover tactics which the Board believes are not in the best interests
of the Company's 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.
The Rights Plan was not adopted in response to any specific effort to acquire
control of the Company, nor is the Company aware of such an effort.
More than 2,500 companies have rights plans similar to the one we have adopted.
We consider the Rights Plan to be the best available means of protecting your
right to retain your equity investment in the Company and obtaining the fair
value of that investment, while not foreclosing a fair acquisition bid for the
Company.
The Rights Plan is not intended to prevent a takeover or proxy contest for
control of the Company. The Rights serve as a mechanism to encourage negotiation
and should increase the ability of the Board of Directors to effectively
represent the interests of shareholders in the event of any unsolicited attempt
to acquire the Company.
Issuance of the Rights does not in any way weaken the financial strength of the
Company or interfere with its business plan. The issuance of the Rights has no
dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings per share, is not taxable to
the Company or to you, and will not change the way in which you can currently
trade shares of the Company's Common Stock. Stock certificates outstanding on
the record date will, as of that date, be deemed to represent both shares and
Rights, at the rate of one Right per share of Common Stock. As explained in
detail in the enclosed summary, the Rights will only be exercisable if and when
an event occurs which triggers their effectiveness. They will then operate to
protect you against abusive and coercive takeover tactics.
<PAGE>
As required by the terms of the Rights Plan, continuation of the Plan will be
subject to approval by the shareholders no later than the third annual meeting
after the Board's adoption of the Plan and periodically thereafter.
A summary of the terms of the Rights Plan is enclosed. The summary is not
complete and is qualified in its entirety by the Rights Agreement relating
thereto, a copy of which can be obtained free of charge via the Securities and
Exchange Commission's EDGAR system or by writing to AgriBioTech, Inc., 120
Corporate Park Drive, Henderson, Nevada 89014, Attention: Secretary.
Your Board and management are enthusiastic about the potential of the Company
and are committed to serving the best interests of its shareholders. These new
Rights are intended to preserve the value of your investment in the Company
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Richard P. Budd
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Enclosure
