FALCON DRILLING CO INC
8-A12B, 1997-06-25
DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-A

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

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          Falcon Drilling Company, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

         Delaware                                      76-0351754
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State of Incorporation                          (I.R.S. Employer
   or Organization)                                 Identification No.)

1900 West Loop South, Suite 1800      Houston, Texas             77027
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                    (Zip Code)

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

   Title of each class                       Name of each exchange on which
   to be so registered                       each class is to be registered
   -------------------                       ------------------------------

   Preferred Share Purchase Rights           New York Stock Exchange



     Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None



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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

        On June 25, 1997, the Board of Directors of Falcon Drilling Company,
Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share
(the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on July 16, 1997
(the "Record Date"), to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth
of a share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $125.00 per one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as
of June 25, 1997, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights
Agreement"), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

        Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (except that S-C Rig Investments, L. P., currently a
principal shareholder of the Company, shall not be deemed to be an Acquiring
Person unless it and its affiliates acquire 40% or more) or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 10% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate together with a copy of this Summary of Rights.

        The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred
with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued
after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will
contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of
the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights,
will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right
Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

        The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on the date sixty days after the next annual meeting of stockholders
of the Company, unless the expiration is delayed by the Board of Directors,
which it may be in each successive year, but in no event beyond July 16, 2007
(the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is

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extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company,
in each case, as described below.

        The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

        The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.

        Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a preferential quarterly
dividend payment equal to the greater of (i) $1 per share, and (ii) 1,000 times
the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders
of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a preferential liquidation payment
equal to the greater of (i) $100 per share, and (ii) 1,000 times the payment
made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have one vote, voting together
with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or
other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share
will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share.
These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

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

        In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Rights Agreement provides that each
holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person
(which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an
Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will
have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share, or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or
series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

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        The Rights Agreement provides that none of the Company's directors,
officers or financial advisers shall be deemed to beneficially own any Common
Shares owned by any other director, officer or financial adviser by virtue of
such persons acting in their capacities as such, including in connection with
the formulation and publication of the Board of Directors recommendation of its
position, and actions taken in furtherance thereof, with respect to an
acquisition proposal relating to the Company or a tender or exchange offer for
the Common Shares. In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or
other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets
or earning power are sold after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right.

        With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.

        At any time prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per
Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made
effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption
of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

        The Rights Agreement provides that, if as of June 25, 1997, any person
or group of affiliated or associated persons beneficially own 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, such person or group will not be deemed to be or to
have become an "Acquiring Person" until August 1, 1997, and on such date will be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" if, but only if, as of such date, such person
or group beneficially own 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares;
provided, however, that if such person or group shall, subsequent to June 25,
1997, acquire any additional Common Shares, then such person or group shall
thereupon be deemed an Acquiring Person.

        The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including, prior to the time any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, an
amendment to (a) specifically exempt any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons from being or being deemed to be an "Acquiring Person,"
subject to such terms and conditions as the Company deem appropriate, (b) fix a
Final Expiration Date later than July 16, 2007, or (c) increase the Purchase
Price. From and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, no such amendment may adversely
affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other

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than the Acquiring Person and its affiliates and associates). In addition, if as
of the close of business on June 25, 1997, any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons beneficially owned 10% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding, the Rights Agreement may be amended at any time prior to August 1,
1997, to exempt such person from being deemed to be or to have become an
"Acquiring Person" (but only if such person does not acquire any additional
Common Shares subsequent to June 25, 1997), subject to such terms and conditions
as the Board of Directors of the Company deem necessary or appropriate.

        Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.

        As of June 23, 1997, there were 39,565,806  Common  Shares  of  the
Company issued and outstanding. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common
Shares, the Company will issue one Right with each newly issued Common Share so
that all such shares will have Rights attached. The Board of Directors of the
Company has reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Rights one hundred
thousand Preferred Shares.

        A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the
Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is
hereby incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.

     4      Rights Agreement dated as of June 25, 1997, including Exhibit A,
            "Form of Certificate of Designation"; Exhibit B, "Form of Right
            Certificate"; Exhibit C, "Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
            Shares."

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                                   SIGNATURES

        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, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: June 25, 1997

                                          FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.



                                          By: /s/ Steven A. Webster
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:  Steven A. Webster
                                             Title: Chairman and Chief Executive
                                                    Officer

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                          FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

                                       and

                    AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
                                 as Rights Agent

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                            Dated as of June 25, 1997




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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S>         <C>
Section 1.  Certain Definitions...................................................................................1
Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent...........................................................................4
Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates...........................................................................4
Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates............................................................................6
Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration.....................................................................6
Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
            Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates..........................................................6
Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.........................................7
Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates....................................................8
Section 9.  Availability of Preferred Shares......................................................................8
Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date.........................................................................9
Section 11.  Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights..........................9
Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares..........................................15
Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power................................15
Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.............................................................16
Section 15.  Rights of Action....................................................................................17
Section 16.  Agreement of Right Holders..........................................................................17
Section 17.  Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...................................................18
Section 18.  Concerning the Rights Agent.........................................................................18
Section 19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent...........................................18
Section 20.  Duties of Rights Agent..............................................................................19
Section 21.  Change of Rights Agent..............................................................................20
Section 22.  Issuance of New Right Certificates..................................................................21
Section 23.  Redemption..........................................................................................21
Section 24.  Exchange............................................................................................22
Section 25.  Notice of Certain Events............................................................................23
Section 26.  Notices.............................................................................................24
Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments..........................................................................24
Section 28.  Successors..........................................................................................25
Section 29.  Benefits of this Agreement..........................................................................25
Section 30.  Severability........................................................................................25
Section 31.  Governing Law.......................................................................................25
Section 32.  Counterparts........................................................................................25
Section 33.  Descriptive Headings................................................................................25
Section 34.  Administration......................................................................................25

Exhibit A -       Form of Certificate of Designations

Exhibit B -       Form of Right Certificate

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




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        Agreement,  dated  as of June 25,  1997  ("Agreement"),  between  Falcon
Drilling  Company,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),  and American
Stock Transfer & Trust  Company,  a New York  corporation,  as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").

        The Board of  Directors  of the Company has  authorized  and  declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter  defined) of the Company outstanding at the Close of Business on
July 16, 1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase
one one-thousandth  (subject to adjustment) of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has
further   authorized  and  directed  the  issuance  of  one  Right  (subject  to
adjustment)  with  respect to each Common  Share that shall  become  outstanding
between  the  Record  Date  and  the  earliest  of the  Distribution  Date,  the
Redemption  Date and the Final  Expiration  Date (as such terms are  hereinafter
defined).

        Accordingly,  in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

        Section 1.  Certain  Definitions.  For purposes of this  Agreement,  the
following terms have the meanings indicated:

        (a)  "Acquiring   Person"  shall  mean  any  Person  (as  such  term  is
hereinafter  defined) who or which,  together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter  defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter  defined) of 10% or more of the Common Shares
of the  Company  then  outstanding,  but  shall not  include  the  Company,  any
Subsidiary  (as such term is hereinafter  defined) of the Company,  any employee
benefit  plan of the Company or any  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  or any entity
holding  Common  Shares  for  or  pursuant  to  the  terms  of  any  such  plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing:  (i) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person"
as the  result of an  acquisition  of Common  Shares by the  Company  which,  by
reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares  beneficially owned by such Person to 10% or more of the Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding;  provided,  however, that if a Person shall become
the  Beneficial  Owner of 10% or more of the Common  Shares of the Company  then
outstanding  by reason of share  purchases by the Company and shall,  after such
share  purchases by the Company,  become the Beneficial  owner of any additional
Common  Shares  of the  Company,  then  such  Person  shall be  deemed  to be an
"Acquiring  Person,"  unless  upon  the  consummation  of  such  acquisition  of
beneficial  ownership by such Person such Person is not the Beneficial  owner of
10% or more of the  Common  Shares of the  Company  then  outstanding;  (ii) any
Person  who, as of the Close of Business  on June 25,  1997,  is the  Beneficial
owner of 10% or more of the Common  Shares of the  Company  outstanding  at such
time shall not be deemed to be or to have  become an  "Acquiring  Person"  until
August 1, 1997,  and on August 1, 1997 shall be deemed to an "Acquiring  Person"
if, but only if, as of the Close of Business  on August 1, 1997,  such Person is
the  Beneficial  Owner of 10% or more of the Common  Shares of the Company  then
outstanding,  provided  that if such Person  shall,  subsequent  to the Close of
Business on June 25, 1997,  become the Beneficial owner of any additional Common
Shares of the  Company,  then such  Person  shall  thereupon  be deemed to be an
"Acquiring  Person,"  unless  upon  the  consummation  of  such  acquisition  of
beneficial  ownership by such Person such Person is not the Beneficial  owner of
10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding;  (iii) S-C Rig
Investments,



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L. P. and its Affiliates  and Associates  shall not be deemed to be an Acquiring
Person  so long as they  are the  Beneficial  Owner  of no more  than 40% of the
Common  Shares  of the  Company  then  outstanding;  and  (iv) if the  Board  of
Directors  of the  Company  determines  in good  faith  that a Person  who would
otherwise  be an  "Acquiring  Person,"  as  defined  pursuant  to the  foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), became such inadvertently (including,  without
limitation,  because (x) such Person was unaware  that it  beneficially  owned a
percentage of the Common Shares of the Company that would  otherwise  cause such
Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (y) such Person was aware of the extent of
its  beneficial  ownership  of Common  Shares of the  Company  but had no actual
knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial ownership under this Agreement)
and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and
if such  Person  as  promptly  as  practicable  divested  or  divests  itself of
beneficial  ownership of a sufficient  number of Common Shares of the Company so
that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person" as defined pursuant to
the foregoing  provisions of this  paragraph  (a), then such Person shall not be
deemed to be or to have become an  "Acquiring  Person" for any  purposes of this
Agreement.

        (b)  "Affiliate"  and  "Associate"  shall have the  respective  meanings
ascribed  to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the rules and  regulations  promulgated
under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act"), as
in effect on the date of this Agreement.

        (c) A Person  shall be  deemed  the  "Beneficial  Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:

            (i)  which  such  Person  or  any of  such  Person's  Affiliates  or
        Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

            (ii)  which  such  Person  or any of  such  Person's  Affiliates  or
        Associates  has  (A)  the  right  to  acquire  (whether  such  right  is
        exercisable  immediately  or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
        any  agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  (other  than  customary
        agreements with and between  underwriters and selling group members with
        respect  to a bona fide  public  offering  of  securities),  or upon the
        exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these
        Rights),  warrants or options, or otherwise;  provided,  however, that a
        Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial  Owner of, or to  beneficially
        own,  securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by
        or on  behalf  of such  Person  or any of such  Person's  Affiliates  or
        Associates  until such tendered  securities are accepted for purchase or
        exchange;   or  (B)  the  right  to  vote  pursuant  to  any  agreement,
        arrangement or understanding;  provided further,  however, that a Person
        shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
        security if the  agreement,  arrangement or  understanding  to vote such
        security (1) arises  solely from a revocable  proxy or consent  given to
        such Person in response to a public proxy or consent  solicitation  made
        pursuant  to,  and  in  accordance   with,  the  applicable   rules  and
        regulations  promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
        reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any  comparable or
        successor report); or



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            (iii) which are beneficially owned,  directly or indirectly,  by any
        other Person with which such Person or any of such  Person's  Affiliates
        or Associates has any agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  (other
        than  customary  agreements  with and between  underwriters  and selling
        group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities)
        for the  purpose of  acquiring,  holding,  voting  (except to the extent
        contemplated by the proviso to Section  1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any
        securities of the Company.

        Notwithstanding  anything in this definition of Beneficial  Owner to the
contrary,  the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
beneficial ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such
securities  then  issued  and  outstanding  together  with  the  number  of such
securities not then actually issued and  outstanding  which such Person would be
deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Company's directors, officers
or  financial  advisers  shall be  deemed to be the  Beneficial  Owner of, or to
beneficially  own, any Common Shares of the Company owned by any other director,
officer or financial  adviser of the Company by virtue of such persons acting in
their capacities as such, including,  without limitation, in connection with any
formulation  and  publication  of the Board of  Director's  recommendation  of a
position,  and any actions  taken in  furtherance  thereof,  with respect to any
acquisition  proposal relating to the Company,  any tender or exchange offer for
the Common Shares of the Company, or any solicitation of proxies with respect to
the Common Shares of the Company.

        (d) "Business  Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,  a Sunday,
or a day on which banking  institutions  in New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.

        (e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
time, on such date; provided,  however,  that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

        (f) "Common  Shares" when used with  reference to the Company shall mean
the shares of common stock,  par value $.01 per share,  of the Company.  "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity  interest)  with the greatest  voting power of such
other  Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary  of another  Person,  the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

        (g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.

        (h)  "Final  Expiration  Date"  shall mean the date sixty days after the
Company's next annual meeting of stockholders  unless, after such annual meeting
of  stockholders  but prior to the end of such  sixty-day  period,  the Board of
Directors of the Company shall have  determined by resolution to delay the Final
Expiration  Date  until the date sixty days  after the  Company's  first  annual
meeting of stockholders following such resolution, and the Board of Directors of
the Company may continue to successively delay the Final Expiration Date in like
manner by resolution during the sixty-



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day period following each annual meeting of stockholders,  provided,  that in no
event shall the Final Expiration Date be delayed beyond July 16, 2007.

        (i) "Person" shall mean any individual,  partnership,  firm, corporation
or other  entity,  and shall  include any  successor (by merger or otherwise) of
such entity.

        (j)   "Preferred   Shares"   shall  mean   shares  of  Series  C  Junior
Participating  Preferred  Stock,  no par value, of the Company having the rights
and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations attached to
this Agreement as Exhibit A.

        (k)  "Purchase  Price"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b)
hereof.

        (1)  "Redemption  Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a)
hereof.

        (m)  "Shares  Acquisition  Date"  shall  mean the  first  date of public
announcement  (which for purposes of this  definition,  shall  include,  without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the
Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

        (n)  "Subsidiary"  of any  Person  shall mean any  corporation  or other
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting  equity  securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

        Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof,  shall prior to the Distribution  Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof,  and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such  appointment.  The Company may
from time to time  appoint  such  co-Rights  Agents as it may deem  necessary or
desirable.

        Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i) the
tenth day after the Shares  Acquisition  Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or
such later date as may be determined  by action of the Board of Directors  prior
to such time as any Person  becomes an Acquiring  Person)  after the date of the
commencement  by any Person  (other  than the  Company,  any  Subsidiary  of the
Company,  any employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any  Subsidiary of the
Company or any entity  holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such  plan) of, or of the first  public  announcement  of the  intention  of any
Person  (other than the Company,  any  Subsidiary  of the Company,  any employee
benefit  plan of the Company or of any  Subsidiary  of the Company or any entity
holding  Common  Shares  for or  pursuant  to the  terms  of any  such  plan) to
commence,  a tender or exchange offer the  consummation of which would result in
any Person  becoming the Beneficial  owner of Common Shares  aggregating  10% or
more of the then  outstanding  Common Shares  (including  any such date which is
after the date of this  Agreement  and prior to the issuance of the Rights;  the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution  Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced  (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the  certificates  for Common  Shares  registered in the names of the holders
thereof and not by  separate  Right  Certificates,  and (y) the right to receive
Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of



                                        4


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<PAGE>



Common Shares. As soon as practicable  after the Distribution  Date, the Company
will prepare and execute,  the Rights  Agent will  countersign,  and the Company
will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class,  insured,  postage-prepaid  mail,  to each record  holder of Common
Shares as of the Close of Business on the  Distribution  Date, at the address of
such  holder  shown on the  records  of the  Company,  a Right  Certificate,  in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right  Certificate"),  evidencing
one Right  (subject  to  adjustment)  for each Common  Share so held.  As of the
Distribution   Date,  the  Rights  will  be  evidenced   solely  by  such  Right
Certificates.

        (b) On the  Record  Date,  or as soon  as  practicable  thereafter,  the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially  the form of  Exhibit  C hereto  (the  "Summary  of  Rights"),  by
first-class,  postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the  Company.  With  respect to  certificates  for Common  Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution  Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the Summary of Rights.  Until the Distribution  Date (or
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration  Date), the surrender
for transfer of any  certificate  for Common  Shares  outstanding  on the Record
Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

        (c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding  (including,
without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of
this  paragraph  (c)) after the  Record  Date but prior to the  earliest  of the
Distribution  Date, the Redemption Date or the Final  Expiration Date shall have
impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise  affixed to them the following
legend:

            This  certificate  also  evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
            certain  rights as set forth in a Rights  Agreement  between  Falcon
            Drilling Company,  Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
            dated as of June 25,  1997,  as the same may be amended from time to
            time,  (the  "Rights  Agreement"),  the  terms of which  are  hereby
            incorporated  herein by reference  and a copy of which is on file at
            the principal  executive offices of Falcon Drilling  Company,  Inc..
            Under certain  circumstances,  as set forth in the Rights Agreement,
            such Rights will be evidenced by separate  certificates  and will no
            longer be evidenced by this  certificate.  Falcon Drilling  Company,
            Inc.  will  mail to the  holder  of this  certificate  a copy of the
            Rights  Agreement  without charge after receipt of a written request
            therefor.  Under certain  circumstances,  as set forth in the Rights
            Agreement, Rights owned by any Person who is or becomes an Acquiring
            Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain  transferees
            thereof may become null and void.

With respect to such  certificates  containing the foregoing  legend,  until the
Distribution  Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares  represented by
such  certificates  shall  be  evidenced  by such  certificates  alone,  and the
surrender  for  transfer  of any such  certificate  shall  also  constitute  the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company  purchases  or acquires  any Common  Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the



                                        5


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<PAGE>



Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed
canceled  and retired so that the Company  shall not be entitled to exercise any
Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.

        Section 4. Form of Right  Certificates.  The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase  Preferred  Shares and of assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially  the same as Exhibit B hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements  printed thereon as the Company may deem  appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any  applicable  law or with any rule or  regulation  made  pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may  from  time to time be  listed,  or to  conform  to  usage.  Subject  to the
provisions  of Section 22  hereof,  the Right  Certificates  shall  entitle  the
holders  thereof to purchase such number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred
Share as shall be set forth  therein at the  Purchase  Price,  but the number of
such one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred  Share and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.

        Section 5.  Countersignature  and Registration.  The Right  Certificates
shall be  executed on behalf of the  Company by its  Chairman of the Board,  its
Chief  Executive  Officer,  its President,  any of its Vice  Presidents,  or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the  Company's  seal or a  facsimile  thereof,  and  shall  be  attested  by the
Secretary  or an  Assistant  Secretary  of the  Company,  either  manually or by
facsimile signature.  The Right Certificates shall be manually  countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case  any  officer  of the  Company  who  shall  have  signed  any of the  Right
Certificates   shall   cease  to  be  such   officer  of  the   Company   before
countersignature  by the Rights  Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates,  nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right  Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by  any  person  who,  at the  actual  date  of  the  execution  of  such  Right
Certificate,  shall  be a proper  officer  of the  Company  to sign  such  Right
Certificate,  although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.

        Following the Distribution  Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to
be kept, at its principal  office,  books for  registration  and transfer of the
Right  Certificates  issued  hereunder.  Such  books  shall  show the  names and
addresses of the  respective  holders of the Right  Certificates,  the number of
Rights  evidenced on its face by each of the Right  Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.

        Section  6.  Transfer,  Split  Up,  Combination  and  Exchange  of Right
Certificates;  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.  Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof,  at any time after the Close of Business
on the  Distribution  Date,  and at or prior to the  Close  of  Business  on the
earlier  of the  Redemption  Date  or  the  Final  Expiration  Date,  any  Right
Certificate or Right Certificates  (other than Right  Certificates  representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof or that have
been  exchanged  pursuant  to Section 24 hereof) may be  transferred,  split up,
combined or  exchanged  for another  Right  Certificate  or Right  Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share



                                        6


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



as the Right  Certificate or Right  Certificates  surrendered then entitled such
holder to  purchase.  Any  registered  holder  desiring to  transfer,  split up,
combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right  Certificates shall make such
request in writing  delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right
Certificate  or Right  Certificates  to be  transferred,  split up,  combined or
exchanged at the  principal  office of the Rights  Agent.  Thereupon  the Rights
Agent  shall  countersign  and  deliver to the Person  entitled  thereto a Right
Certificate  or Right  Certificates,  as the case may be, as so  requested.  The
Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge  that  may  be  imposed  in  connection  with  any  transfer,  split  up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

        Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence  reasonably
satisfactory  to them of the loss,  theft,  destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate,  and,  in case of  loss,  theft or  destruction,  of  indemnity  or
security  reasonably  satisfactory  to  them,  and,  at the  Company's  request,
reimbursement  to the Company and the Rights  Agent of all  reasonable  expenses
incidental  thereto,  and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right  Certificate  if  mutilated,  the Company  will make and deliver a new
Right  Certificate  of like  tenor  to the  Rights  Agent  for  delivery  to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.

        Section  7.  Exercise  of Rights;  Purchase  Price;  Expiration  Date of
Rights.  (a) The registered  holder of any Right Certificate may, subject to the
second paragraph of Section  11(a)(ii),  exercise the Rights  evidenced  thereby
(except as otherwise  provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution  Date upon  surrender  of the Right  Certificate,  with the form of
election to purchase on the reverse side thereof  duly  executed,  to the Rights
Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,  together with payment of the
Purchase Price for each one  one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the
Rights are  exercised,  at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business
on the Final  Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided  in Section 23 hereof  (the  "Redemption  Date"),  or (iii) the time at
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

        (b) The Purchase Price for each one  one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
purchasable  pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $125.00, and
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof and shall be payable in lawful  money of the United  States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below (the "Purchase Price").

        (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase duly  executed,  accompanied by payment of
the  Purchase  Price for the shares to be  purchased  and an amount equal to any
applicable  transfer  tax  required  to be paid  by the  holder  of  such  Right
Certificate in accordance  with Section 9 hereof by certified  check,  cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon  promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares  certificates  for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests,  or (B)  requisition  from the depositary  agent  depositary  receipts
representing  interests in such number one  one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
as are to be purchased  (in which case  certificates  for the  Preferred  Shares
represented by such receipts shall he



                                        7


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



deposited  by the  transfer  agent with the  depositary  agent) and the  Company
hereby  directs  the  depositary  agent to comply with such  request,  (ii) when
appropriate,  requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu
of issuance of  fractional  shares in accordance  with Section 14 hereof,  (iii)
after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,  cause the same to be
delivered  to or  upon  the  order  of  the  registered  holder  of  such  Right
Certificate,  registered  in such  name or  names as may be  designated  by such
holder and (iv) when  appropriate,  after receipt,  deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

        (d) In  case  the  registered  holder  of any  Right  Certificate  shall
exercise less than all the Rights  evidenced  thereby,  a new Right  Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the  registered  holder of such Right  Certificate  or to
such holder's duly authorized  assigns,  subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.

        Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates  surrendered  for the  purpose  of  exercise,  transfer,  split up,
combination  or exchange  shall,  if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents,  be delivered to the Rights Agent for  cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if  surrendered  to the Rights Agent,  shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates  shall be issued in lieu thereof  except as expressly  permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights  Agent for  cancellation  and  retirement,  and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire,  any other  Right  Certificate  purchased  or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

        Section 9. Availability of Preferred  Shares.  The Company covenants and
agrees  that  it  will  cause  to be  reserved  and  kept  available  out of its
authorized  and unissued  Preferred  Shares or any Preferred  Shares held in its
treasury,  the number of Preferred  Shares that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all  outstanding  Rights in  accordance  with Section 7. The
Company  covenants  and  agrees  that it will  take  all such  action  as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred  Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall,  at the time of delivery of the  certificates  for such Preferred  Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price),  be duly and validly  authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

        The Company  further  covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state  transfer  taxes and charges  which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right  Certificates  or of
any  Preferred  Shares  upon the  exercise  of Rights.  The  Company  shall not,
however,  be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right  Certificates  to a Person other than,  or the
issuance or delivery of  certificates  or depositary  receipts for the Preferred
Shares  in a name  other  than  that of,  the  registered  holder  of the  Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any  certificates or depositary  receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any  Rights  until  any such tax  shall  have  been  paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right  Certificate  at the time of  surrender)  or
until it has been established to the Company's  reasonable  satisfaction that no
such tax is due.



                                        8


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for
all  purposes  be deemed to have  become the  holder of record of the  Preferred
Shares  represented  thereby on, and such  certificate  shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the  Purchase  Price (and any  applicable  transfer  taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person
shall be deemed to have  become  the record  holder of such  shares on, and such
certificate  shall be  dated,  the next  succeeding  Business  Day on which  the
Preferred  Shares transfer books of the Company are open.  Prior to the exercise
of the Rights evidenced thereby,  the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled  to any  rights of a holder of  Preferred  Shares  for which the Rights
shall be  exercisable,  including,  without  limitation,  the right to vote,  to
receive dividends or other  distributions or to exercise any preemptive  rights,
and shall not be  entitled  to  receive  any  notice of any  proceedings  of the
Company, except as provided herein.

        Section 11.  Adjustment of Purchase Price,  Number and Kind of Shares or
Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price,  the number of Preferred  Shares or other
securities  covered  by each  Right and the  number of  Rights  outstanding  are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

        (a) (i) In the event  the  Company  shall at any time  after the date of
this  Agreement  (A)  declare a  dividend  on the  Preferred  Shares  payable in
Preferred Shares,  (B) subdivide the outstanding  Preferred Shares,  (C) combine
the outstanding  Preferred  Shares into a smaller number of Preferred  Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such  reclassification  in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the  Company is the  continuing  or  surviving  corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record  date for such  dividend or of the  effective  date of
such subdivision,  combination or  reclassification,  and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right  exercised  after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate  number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised  immediately  prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned  upon  such  exercise  and been  entitled  to  receive  by  virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification;  provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the  aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.

        (ii)  Subject to Section 24 of this  Agreement,  in the event any Person
becomes an Acquiring  Person (the first  occurrence of such event being referred
to  hereinafter as the "Flip-In  Event"),  then: (A) the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the  Purchase  Price in effect  immediately  prior to the Flip-In
Event multiplied by the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share for
which a Right was exercisable  immediately prior to such Flip-In Event,  whether
or not such Right was then exercisable,  and (E) each holder of a Right,  except
as otherwise  provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Section  11(a)(iii) hereof,
shall  thereafter  have the right to receive,  upon exercise  thereof at a price
equal to the Purchase  Price (as so adjusted),  in accordance  with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,  such number of Common Shares as
shall equal the result  obtained by dividing the Purchase Price (as so adjusted)
by 50% of the current per share market price



                                        9


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



of the Common Shares  (determined  pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date
of such  Flip-In  Event,  provided,  however,  that the  Purchase  Price  (as so
adjusted) and the number of Common Shares so receivable upon exercise of a Right
shall,  following  the  Flip-In  Event,  be  subject to  further  adjustment  as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof.  From and after the Flip-In
Event, the Company shall not take any action (except as permitted under Sections
24 and 27 hereof) which would eliminate or diminish the benefits  intended to be
afforded by the Rights.

        Notwithstanding  anything in this  Agreement to the  contrary,  however,
from and after the Flip-In Event, any Rights that are beneficially  owned by (x)
any Acquiring  Person (or any  Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring  Person),
(y) a transferee  of any Acquiring  Person (or any such  Affiliate or Associate)
who becomes a  transferee  after the Flip-In  Event or (z) a  transferee  of any
Acquiring  Person (or any such  Affiliate or Associate)  who became a transferee
prior to or  concurrently  with the  Flip-In  Event  pursuant  to  either  (I) a
transfer from the Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities or to any
Person with whom it has any continuing  agreement,  arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (II) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan,  arrangement  or  understanding
which has the purpose or effect of avoiding the  provisions  of this  paragraph,
and subsequent  transferees  of such Persons,  shall be void without any further
action and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no rights  whatsoever
with  respect to such Rights  under any  provision  of this  Agreement.  Without
limitation to the foregoing,  (x) no Right  Certificate shall be issued pursuant
to Section 3 that represents  Rights  beneficially  owned by an Acquiring Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the  preceding  sentence or any Associate
or Affiliate thereof,  (y) no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon
the  transfer of any Rights to an  Acquiring  Person  whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding  sentence or any Associate or Affiliate  thereof or to
any nominee of such Acquiring Person,  Associate or Affiliate, and (z) any Right
Certificate  delivered to the Rights  Agent for transfer to an Acquiring  Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be canceled.

        (iii) In the event  that there  shall not be  sufficient  Common  Shares
issued but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in  accordance  with the  foregoing  subparagraph  (ii),  the
Company  shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize  additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall,  after good  faith  effort,  be unable to take all such  action as may be
necessary  to  authorize  such  additional  Common  Shares,  the  Company  shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise
of a Right,  a number of  Preferred  Shares or  fraction  thereof  such that the
current per share market price of one Preferred Share  multiplied by such number
or fraction is equal to the current per share  market  price of one Common Share
as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

        (b) In case the  Company  shall fix a record  date for the  issuance  of
rights,  options or warrants to all holders of Preferred  Shares  entitling them
(for a period  expiring  within 45  calendar  days  after such  record  date) to
subscribe  for or purchase  Preferred  Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges  and  preferences  as the  Preferred  Shares  ("equivalent  preferred
shares"))  or  securities   convertible  into  Preferred  Shares  or  equivalent
preferred  shares  at a  Preferred  Share  or  equivalent  preferred  share  (or
conversion  price per share, if a security  convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent  preferred  shares) less than the then current per share market price
of the Shares (as defined in Section  11(d)) on such record  date,  the Purchase
Price to be in effect after such record date shall



                                       10


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect  immediately  prior to
such record date by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which shall be the number of
Preferred  Shares  outstanding  on such record date plus the number of Preferred
Shares  which the  aggregate  offering  price of the total  number of  Preferred
Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial  conversion price of the convertible  securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current market price and the  denominator of which shall be the
number of Preferred  Shares  outstanding  on such record date plus the number of
additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription  or purchase  (or into which the  convertible  securities  so to be
offered are initially  convertible);  provided,  however, that in no event shall
the  consideration  to be paid upon the  exercise  of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company  issuable upon
exercise  of one  Right.  In  case  such  subscription  price  may be  paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such  consideration  shall be as  determined  in good  faith by the  Board of
Directors of the Company,  whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent.  Preferred  Shares owned by or held for the account
of the  Company  shall not be deemed  outstanding  for the  purpose  of any such
computation.  Such adjustment shall be made successively  whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued,  the  Purchase  Price shall be adjusted to be the  Purchase  Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

        (c) In case the  Company  shall  fix a record  date for the  making of a
distribution  to all  holders  of  the  Preferred  Shares  (including  any  such
distribution  made in  connection  with a  consolidation  or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription  rights or warrants  (excluding those referred
to in Section  11(b)  hereof),  the  Purchase  Price to be in effect  after such
record date shall be  determined  by  multiplying  the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately  prior to such  record date by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record  date,  less the fair market  value (as  determined  in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company,  whose  determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription  rights or warrants
applicable to one  Preferred  Share and the  denominator  of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided,  however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the  aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be  issued  upon  exercise  of one  Right.  Such  adjustments  shall  be made
successively  whenever  such a record date is fixed;  and in the event that such
distribution  is not so made,  the Purchase  Price shall again be adjusted to be
the  Purchase  Price  which  would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

        (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation  hereunder,  the "current per
share  market  price" of any  security  (a  "Security"  for the  purpose of this
Section  11(d)(i))  on any date  shall be deemed to be the  average of the daily
closing  prices per share of such Security for the 30  consecutive  Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter  defined) immediately prior to such date; provided,
however,  that in the  event  that the  current  per share  market  price of the
Security is determined  during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution  on such Security  payable in
shares of such Security or securities  convertible



                                       11


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



into such shares,  or (B) any subdivision,  combination or  reclassification  of
such  Security  and  prior  to the  expiration  of 30  Trading  Days  after  the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution,  or the record date for such
subdivision,  combination or reclassification,  then, and in each such case, the
current per share  market price shall be  appropriately  adjusted to reflect the
current market price per share  equivalent of such  Security.  The closing price
for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes  place on such day,  the  average  of the  closing  bid and asked  prices,
regular  way,  in  either  case  as  reported  in  the  principal   consolidated
transaction  reporting  system with respect to securities  listed or admitted to
trading  on the New York Stock  Exchange  or, if the  Security  is not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated  transaction  reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal  national  securities  exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading or, if the  Security is not listed or admitted to trading on
any national  securities  exchange,  the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by the Nasdaq  Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if
on organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by
a  professional  market maker  making a market in the  Security  selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company.  The term  "Trading  Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed
or  admitted  to  trading is open for the  transaction  of  business  or, if the
Security  is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on any  national  securities
exchange, a Business Day.

        (ii) For the purpose of any  computation  hereunder,  the  "current  per
share market  price" of the  Preferred  Shares shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section  11(d)(i).  If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly  traded,  the "current per share market price" of the Preferred  Shares
shall be  conclusively  deemed to be the current per share  market  price of the
Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted
to reflect any stock  split,  stock  dividend or similar  transaction  occurring
after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If neither the Common Shares
nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded,  "current per
share market  price" shall mean the fair value per share as  determined  in good
faith by the Board of  Directors of the Company,  whose  determination  shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

        (e) No  adjustment in the Purchase  Price shall be required  unless such
adjustment  would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase
Price;  provided,  however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11(e) are not  required  to be made  shall be  carried  forward  and taken  into
account in any subsequent  adjustment.  All  calculations  under this Section 11
shall be made to the  nearest  cent or to the  nearest  one  one-millionth  of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the  transaction  which requires such  adjustment or (ii)
the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

                  (f) If as a result of an  adjustment  made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive  any  shares of capital  stock of the  Company  other than  Preferred
Shares,  thereafter  the  Purchase  Price and the number of such other shares so
receivable  upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment  from time
to time in a manner  and on terms as nearly  equivalent  as  practicable  to the
provisions with respect to the



                                       12


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<PAGE>



Preferred  Shares  contained in Section  11(a),  (b), (c), (e), (h), (i) and (m)
hereof,  as applicable,  and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with
respect  to the  Preferred  Shares  shall  apply on like terms to any such other
shares.

        (g) All  Rights  originally  issued  by the  Company  subsequent  to any
adjustment  made to the Purchase  Price  hereunder  shall  evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred  Share  purchasable  from time to time  hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

        (h) Unless the Company shall have  exercised its election as provided in
Section  11(i),  upon each  adjustment of the Purchase  Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding  immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment  shall  thereafter  evidence the right to
purchase,  at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share  (calculated to the nearest one  one-millionth  of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying  (x) the number of one  one-thousandths  of a
share  covered  by a  Right  immediately  prior  to this  adjustment  by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect  immediately  prior to such  adjustment of the Purchase
Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

        (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any  adjustment of the
Purchase  Price  to  adjust  the  number  of  Rights,  in  substitution  for any
adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon  the  exercise  of a  Right.  Each of the  Rights  outstanding  after  such
adjustment  of the number of Rights shall be  exercisable  for the number of one
one-thousandths  of  a  Preferred  Share  for  which  a  Right  was  exercisable
immediately  prior to such  adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment  of  the  number  of  Rights  shall  become  that  number  of  Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect  immediately  prior to adjustment  of the Purchase  Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights,  indicating  the record  date for the  adjustment,  and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.  This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued,  shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public  announcement.  If Right  Certificates  have been  issued,  upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights  pursuant to this Section 11(i),  the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable,  cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Right  Certificates  on such  record  date Right  Certificates  evidenc  ing,
subject to Section 14 hereof,  the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such  adjustment,  or, at the option of the  Company,
shall cause to be  distributed  to such  holders of record in  substitution  and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment,  and upon surrender thereof,  if required by the Company,  new Right
Certificates  evidencing  all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment.  Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed  and  countersigned  in the  manner  provided  for  herein and shall be
registered  in the names of the holders of record of Right  Certificates  on the
record date specified in the public announcement.

        (j)  Irrespective  of any  adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the  number  of one  one-thousandths  of a  Preferred  Share  issuable  upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right



                                       13


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



Certificates  theretofore  and  thereafter  issued may  continue  to express the
Purchase Price and the number of one  one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which
were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

        (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below one  one-thousandth  of the then par value,  if any, of the
Preferred  Shares  issuable upon exercise of the Rights,  the Company shall take
any corporate  action which may, in the opinion of its counsel,  be necessary in
order  that  the  Company   may  validly  and  legally   issue  fully  paid  and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

        (1) In any  case  in  which  this  Section  11  shall  require  that  an
adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price be made  effective as of a record date for a
specified  event,  the Company may elect to defer until the  occurrence  of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred  Shares and other  capital stock or securities of the Company,  if
any,  issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred  Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company,  if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however,  that the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

        (m)  Anything in this Section 11 to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  the
Company  shall be entitled to make such  reductions  in the Purchase  Price,  in
addition to those adjustments  expressly  required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole  discretion  shall  determine  to be advisable in
order that any  consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred  Shares,  issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred  Shares at less than the current  market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred  Shares or securities which by their terms
are  convertible  into  or  exchangeable  for  Preferred  Shares,  dividends  on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred  Shares or issuance of rights,  options or
warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company
to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

        (n) In the event that at any time after the date of this  Agreement  and
prior to the  Distribution  Date,  the  Company  shall  (i)  declare  or pay any
dividend  on the  Common  Shares  payable  in  Common  Shares  or (ii)  effect a
subdivision,   combination   or   consolidation   of  the   Common   Shares  (by
reclassification  or otherwise  than by payment of  dividends in Common  Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares,  then in any such case (A) the
number of one  one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable  immediately prior to
such event by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding  immediately  before such event and the  denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares  outstanding  immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common  Share  outstanding  immediately  after such event shall have issued with
respect  to it that  number  of  Rights  which  each  Common  Share  outstanding
immediately  prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The  adjustments
provided for in this Section  11(n) shall be made  successively  whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.  This paragraph (n) shall not apply to the one-for-one common stock
dividend declared by the Board of Directors of the Company on the date hereof.



                                       14


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever  an  adjustment  is made as  provided  in Section 11 or 13 hereof,  the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate  setting forth such adjustment,
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with
the  Rights  Agent and with each  transfer  agent for the  Common  Shares or the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.

        Section  13.  Consolidation,  Merger  or Sale or  Transfer  of Assets or
Earning  Power.  In the event,  directly  or  indirectly,  at any time after the
Flip-In  Event (a) the Company shall  consolidate  with, or merge with and into,
any Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and
into  the  Company  and  the  Company  shall  be  the  continuing  or  surviving
corporation of such merger and, in connection  with such merger,  all or part of
the  Common  Shares  shall  be  changed  into or  exchanged  for  stock or other
securities  of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other  property,
or (c) the  Company  shall  sell or  otherwise  transfer  (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries  shall sell or otherwise  transfer),  in one or more  transactions,
assets or earning power  aggregating  50% or more of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other
than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned  Subsidiaries,  then, and in
each such  case,  proper  provision  shall be made so that (i) each  holder of a
Right  (other than Rights which have become void  pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
the Purchase Price (as theretofore adjusted in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred
Shares or Common Shares of the Company,  such number of validly  authorized  and
issued,  fully paid,  non-assessable  and freely tradeable Common Shares of such
other Person  (including  the Company as successor  thereto or as the  surviving
corporation), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or
other  adverse  claims,  as shall equal the result  obtained by (A) dividing the
Purchase Price (as  theretofore  adjusted in accordance  with Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof)  by (B) 50% of the then  current  per share  market  price of the Common
Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the
date of consummation of such consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer; provided,
however,  that the Purchase Price (as  theretofore  adjusted in accordance  with
Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof) and the number of Common Shares of such other Person
so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate  in  accordance  with  Section  11(f)  hereof to reflect  any events
occurring  in  respect  of the  Common  Shares of such  other  Person  after the
occurrence of such consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer;  (ii) the issuer of
such Common Shares shall  thereafter be liable for, and shall assume,  by virtue
of such consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties
of the  Company  pursuant  to this  Agreement;  (iii) the term  "Company"  shall
thereafter  be deemed to refer to such  issuer;  and (iv) such issuer shall take
such steps  (including,  but not limited  to, the  reservation  of a  sufficient
number of its Common Shares in  accordance  with Section 9 hereof) in connection
with such  consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall  thereafter be applicable,  as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
the Common Shares  thereafter  deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.  The
Company shall not consummate any such  consolidation,  merger,  sale or transfer
unless  prior  thereto  the  Company and such  issuer  shall have  executed  and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company
shall not enter into any  transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13
if at the time of such transaction there are any rights,  warrants,  instruments
or securities  outstanding or any agreements or arrangements  which, as a result
of the consummation of



                                       15


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



such  transaction,  would  eliminate  or  substantially  diminish  the  benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.

        Section 14.  Fractional  Rights and Fractional  Shares.  (a) The Company
shall not be  required  to issue  fractions  of Rights  or to  distribute  Right
Certificates  which  evidence  fractional  Rights.  In lieu  of such  fractional
Rights,  there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such  fractional  Rights would  otherwise  be issuable,  an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right.  For the purposes of this Section  14(a),  the current  market value of a
whole  Right  shall be the  closing  price of the  Rights  for the  Trading  Day
immediately  prior to the date on which such  fractional  Rights would have been
otherwise issuable.  The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular  way,  or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,  the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal  consolidated  transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange  or, if the Rights
are not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on the New York  Stock  Exchange,  as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national  securities exchange on which the
Rights are  listed or  admitted  to trading  or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities  exchange,  the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low asked  prices in the
over-the-counter  market,  as reported by the Nasdaq  Stock Market or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization,  the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the  Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

        (b) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractions  of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral  multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute  certificates
which  evidence  fractional  Preferred  Shares (other than  fractions  which are
integral  multiples of one  one-thousandth of a Preferred  Share).  Interests in
fractions of Preferred Shares in integral  multiples of one  one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company,  be evidenced by depositary
receipts,  pursuant  to an  appropriate  agreement  between  the  Company  and a
depositary selected by it; provided,  that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such  depositary  receipts shall have all the rights,  privileges and
preferences  to which they are entitled as  beneficial  owners of the  Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts.  In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not  integral  multiples  of one  one-thousandth  of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered  holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current  market value of one Preferred  Share.  For the
purposes of this Section 14(b),  the current  market value of a Preferred  Share
shall be the closing price of a Preferred  Share (as determined  pursuant to the
second  sentence of Section  11(d)(i)  hereof)  for the Trading Day  immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.

        (c) The  holder  of a Right by the  acceptance  of the  Right  expressly
waives such holder's  right to receive any  fractional  Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).



                                       16


<PAGE>
<PAGE>




        Section  15.  Rights of Action.  All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement,  excepting  the  rights of action  given to the  Rights  Agent  under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective  registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),  without the consent of the Rights
Agent  or of the  holder  of any  other  Right  Certificate  (or,  prior  to the
Distribution  Date, of the Common Shares),  may, in such holder's own behalf and
for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of,  such  holder's  right  to  exercise  the  Rights  evidenced  by such  Right
Certificate  in the  manner  provided  in  such  Right  Certificate  and in this
Agreement.  Without  limiting the  foregoing  or any  remedies  available to the
holders of Rights,  it is specifically  acknowledged  that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate  remedy at law for any breach of this  Agreement  and
will  be  entitled  to  specific  performance  of  the  obligations  under,  and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened  violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.

        Section 16.  Agreement of Right  Holders.  Every  holder of a Right,  by
accepting  the same,  consents  and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

        (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;

        (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry  books of the Rights Agent if  surrendered at the principal
office of the Rights Agent,  duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument
of transfer; and

        (c) the  Company  and the Rights  Agent may deem and treat the Person in
whose  name the Right  Certificate  (or,  prior to the  Distribution  Date,  the
associated  Common  Shares  certificate)  is  registered  as the absolute  owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced  thereby  (notwithstanding  any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right  Certificates or the associated  Common Shares
certificate  made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights  Agent) for all
purposes  whatsoever,  and neither  the  Company  nor the Rights  Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.

        Section  17.  Right  Certificate  Holder  Not Deemed a  Stockholder.  No
holder,  as such, of any Right  Certificate  shall be entitled to vote,  receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other  securities  of the  Company  which  may at any  time be  issuable  on the
exercise of the Rights represented  thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right  Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate,  as such,  any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the  election of  directors  or upon any matter  submitted  to
stockholders  at any  meeting  thereof,  or to give or  withhold  consent to any
corporate  action,  or to receive notice of meetings or other actions  affecting
stockholders  (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription  rights,  or otherwise,  until the Right or Rights  evidenced by
such  Right  Certificate  shall  have  been  exercised  in  accordance  with the
provisions hereof.



                                       17


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<PAGE>



        Section 18.  Concerning  the Rights Agent.  The Company agrees to pay to
the  Rights  Agent  reasonable  compensation  for all  services  rendered  by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent,  its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this  Agreement and the exercise and  performance of its duties
hereunder.  The Company  also agrees to  indemnify  the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless  against,  any loss,  liability,  or expense,  incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection  with the  acceptance
and  administration  of this  Agreement,  including  the costs and  expenses  of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

        The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or
in respect of any action taken,  suffered or omitted by it in  connection  with,
its  administration  of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the  Company,   instrument  of  assignment  or  transfer,   power  of  attorney,
endorsement,   affidavit,  letter,  notice,  direction,   consent,  certificate,
statement,  or other  paper or  document  believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary,  verified or acknowledged,  by the proper
person or  persons,  or  otherwise  upon the  advice of  counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.

        Section 19. Merger or  Consolidation  or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated,  or any corporation  resulting from
any merger or  consolidation  to which the Rights Agent or any successor  Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any  corporation  succeeding to the stock transfer or
corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent,  shall
be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement  without the execution
or  filing  of any paper or any  further  act on the part of any of the  parties
hereto;  provided,  that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the
time such  successor  Rights Agent shall  succeed to the agency  created by this
Agreement,  any of the Right  Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor  Rights Agent and deliver such Right  Certificates so countersigned;
and in case at that  time any of the  Right  Certificates  shall  not have  been
countersigned,   any  successor   Rights  Agent  may   countersign   such  Right
Certificates  either in the name of the predecessor  Rights Agent or in the name
of the  successor  Rights Agent;  and in all such cases such Right  Certificates
shall  have  the full  force  provided  in the  Right  Certificates  and in this
Agreement.

        In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right  Certificates  shall have been  countersigned but not
delivered,  the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been  countersigned,  the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right  Certificates  either in its prior name or in its changed
name;  and in all such cases such Right  Certificates  shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.




                                       18


<PAGE>
<PAGE>




        Section 20.  Duties of Rights  Agent.  The Rights Agent  undertakes  the
duties and  obligations  imposed by this Agreement upon the following  terms and
conditions,  by all of which the Company and the holders of Right  Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

        (a) The Rights  Agent may consult  with legal  counsel (who may be legal
counsel  for the  Company),  and the opinion of such  counsel  shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

        (b) Whenever in the  performance  of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it  necessary  or  desirable  that any fact or matter be
proved or  established  by the Company  prior to taking or suffering  any action
hereunder,  such fact or matter  (unless  other  evidence in respect  thereof be
herein  specifically  prescribed)  may be deemed to be  conclusively  proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered
in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.

        (c) The Rights  Agent shall be liable  hereunder  to the Company and any
other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

        (d) The Rights  Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements  of fact or  recitals  contained  in this  Agreement  or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature  thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such  statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.

        (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery  hereof (except the
due  execution  hereof by the Rights  Agent) or in respect  of the  validity  or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its  countersignature  thereof);  nor
shall it be  responsible  for any  breach  by the  Company  of any  covenant  or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;  nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in
the terms of the  Rights  (including  the  manner,  method  or  amount  thereof)
provided for in this  Agreement,  or the  ascertaining of the existence of facts
that would  require any such change or  adjustment  (except  with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such
change or adjustment  is required);  nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed
to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of
any  Preferred  Shares  or any  Common  Shares  to be  issued  pursuant  to this
Agreement  or any Right  Certificate  or as to whether any  Preferred  Shares or
Common Shares will, when issued,  be validly  authorized and issued,  fully paid
and nonassessable.

        (f) The Company agrees that it will perform,  execute,  acknowledge  and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed,  acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying  out or  performing  by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.



                                       19


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        (g) The  Rights  Agent is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  accept
instructions  with respect to the  performance of its duties  hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board,  the Chief Executive  Officer,  the President,
any Vice President,  the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply
to such officers for advice or instructions  in connection with its duties,  and
it shall not be liable for any action  taken or  suffered by it in good faith in
accordance  with  instructions  of any such  officer  or for any delay in acting
while waiting for those instructions.

        (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder,  director, officer or employee
of the  Rights  Agent  may  buy,  sell  or deal in any of the  Rights  or  other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the  Company  may be  interested,  or  contract  with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise  act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

        (i) The  Rights  Agent may  execute  and  exercise  any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder  either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the  Company  resulting  from any such  act,  default,
neglect or misconduct,  provided  reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.

        Section 21.  Change of Rights  Agent.  The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged  from its duties under this  Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the  holders of the Right  Certificates  by  first-class  mail.  The Company may
remove the Rights  Agent or any  successor  Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing,  mailed to the Rights Agent or successor  Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each  transfer  agent of the  Common  Shares or  Preferred  Shares by
registered or certified  mail, and to the holders of the Right  Certificates  by
first-class  mail.  If the  Rights  Agent  shall  resign or be  removed or shall
otherwise become  incapable of acting,  the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent.  if the Company shall fail to make such  appointment  within a
period  of 30 days  after  giving  notice of such  removal  or after it has been
notified  in writing of such  resignation  or  incapacity  by the  resigning  or
incapacitated  Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right  Certificate (who shall,
with such notice,  submit such holder's Right  Certificate for inspection by the
Company),  then the registered  holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any
court of competent  jurisdiction  for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any
successor  Rights  Agent,  whether  appointed by the Company or by such a court,
shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States  or of any  state  of the  United  States,  in good  standing,  which  is
authorized under such laws to exercise  corporate trust or stock transfer powers
and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and
which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined  capital and
surplus of at least $50 million.  After appointment,  the successor Rights Agent
shall be vested with the same powers,  rights, duties and responsibilities as if
it had been  originally  named as Rights Agent without  further act or deed; but
the predecessor  Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance,  conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective  date of any such  appointment  the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor



                                       20


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



Rights Agent and each transfer  agent of the Common Shares or Preferred  Shares,
and mail a notice  thereof  in writing  to the  registered  holders of the Right
Certificates.  Failure  to give any  notice  provided  for in this  Section  21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation  or removal of the Rights Agent or the  appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.

        Section 22. Issuance of New Right  Certificates.  Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this  Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary,  the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates  evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the  Purchase  Price  and the  number  or kind or  class of  shares  or other
securities  or  property  purchasable  under  the  Right  Certificates  made  in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

        Section 23.  Redemption.  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option,  at any time prior to the Flip-In Event,  redeem all but not less
than all the then  outstanding  Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right,
appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock  split,  stock  dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof,  provided, that no adjustment shall
be made with respect to the  one-for-one  common stock dividend  declared by the
Board of Directors of the Company on the dated  hereof  (such  redemption  price
being hereinafter  referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the
Rights by the Board of Directors  may be made  effective  at such time,  on such
basis and with such  conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion
may establish.

                  (b) Immediately  upon the  effectiveness  of the redemption of
the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further
action and without any notice,  the right to exercise the Rights will  terminate
and the only right  thereafter  of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption  Price.  The Company  shall  promptly  give public notice of any such
redemption;  provided,  however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any
such notice  shall not affect the  validity of such  redemption.  Within 10 days
after the effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights,  the Company shall mail
a notice of  redemption  to all the  holders of the then  outstanding  Rights at
their last  addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution  Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Shares.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given,  whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice  of  redemption  will  state  the  method  by which  the  payment  of the
Redemption Price will be made.

                  Section  24.  Exchange.  (a) The  Board  of  Directors  of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after the Flip-In Event, exchange all or
part of the then  outstanding  and  exercisable  Rights (which shall not include
Rights that have become void  pursuant to the  provisions  of Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof) for Common  Shares at an exchange  ratio of one Common  Share per Right,
appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock  split,  stock  dividend or similar
transaction   occurring  after  the  date  hereof  (such  exchange  ratio  being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors  shall not be  empowered  to effect such  exchange at any
time after any Person  (other than the Company,  any  Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such  Subsidiary,  or any entity
holding  Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),  together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such



                                       21


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



Person,  becomes the  Beneficial  Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding. The exchange of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company
may be made  effective at such time,  on such basis and with such  conditions as
the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish.

        (b)  Immediately  upon the  effectiveness  of the action of the Board of
Directors  of the  Company  ordering  the  exchange  of any Rights  pursuant  to
paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further  action and without any
notice,  the right to exercise  such Rights shall  terminate  and the only right
thereafter  of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common
Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder  multiplied by the
Exchange  Ratio.  The Company  shall  promptly  give  public  notice of any such
exchange;  provided,  however,  that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice  shall not affect the  validity of such  exchange.  The Company  promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein  provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will
state the method by which the  exchange of the Common  Shares for Rights will be
effected and, in the event of any partial  exchange,  the number of Rights which
will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the
number of Rights  (other  than Rights  which have  become  void  pursuant to the
provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

        (c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued
but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights
as  contemplated  in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all
such  action as may be  necessary  to  authorize  additional  Common  Shares for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good
faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
such additional  Common Shares,  the Company shall  substitute,  for each Common
Share that would  otherwise be issuable  upon  exchange of a Right,  a number of
Preferred  Shares or fraction  thereof  such that the  current per share  market
price of one Preferred  Share  multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the  current  per  share  market  price  of one  Common  Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

        (d) The  Company  shall not be  required  to issue  fractions  of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In
lieu of such fractional  Common Shares,  the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right  Certificates  with regard to which such fractional  Common
Shares would  otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current  market value of a whole Common  Share.  For the purposes of this
paragraph  (d),  the current  market  value of a whole Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined  pursuant to the second  sentence
of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

        Section 25.  Notice of Certain  Events.  (a) In case the  Company  shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend  payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its  Preferred  Shares or to make any other  distribution  to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regular  quarterly cash dividend),  (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional  Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or



                                       22


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



options,  (iii) to effect any  reclassification  of its Preferred  Shares (other
than a reclassification  involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares),  (iv) to effect any  consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other  transfer  (or to permit  one or more of its  Subsidiaries  to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,  of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a
whole)  to, any other  Person,  (v) to effect the  liquidation,  dissolution  or
winding up of the Company,  or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Shares  payable  in Common  Shares or to effect a  subdivision,  combination  or
consolidation  of the Common Shares (by  reclassification  or otherwise  than by
payment of dividends in Common  Shares),  then,  in each such case,  the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate,  in accordance with Section 26
hereof,  a notice of such proposed  action,  which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend,  or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the  date  on  which  such  reclassification,  consolidation,  merger,  sale,
transfer, liquidation,  dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of  participation  therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or  Preferred
Shares,  if any such date is to be fixed,  and such notice  shall be so given in
the case of any  action  covered  by clause  (i) or (ii)  above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for  determining  holders of the  Preferred  Shares for
purposes of such action,  and in the case of any such other action,  at least 10
days  prior to the date of the  taking  of such  proposed  action or the date of
participation  therein  by the  holders of the Common  Shares  and/or  Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

        (b) From and after  the  Flip-In  Event,  the  Company  shall as soon as
practicable  give to each  holder of a Right  Certificate,  in  accordance  with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event,  which notice shall
describe  such  event and the  consequences  of such  event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

        Section 26. Notices.  Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights  Agent or by the holder of any Right  Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently  given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:

        Falcon Drilling Company, Inc.
        1900 West Loop South, Suite 1800
        Houston, Texas  77027
        Attention:

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof,  any notice or demand authorized
by this  Agreement  to be given or made by the  Company  or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently  given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another addresses
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

        American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
        40 Wall Street
        New York, New York  10005
        Attention:



                                       23


<PAGE>
<PAGE>




Notices  or  demands  authorized  by this  Agreement  to be given or made by the
Company or the  Rights  Agent to the  holder of any Right  Certificate  shall be
sufficiently  given  or  made  if sent by  first-class  mail,  postage  prepaid,
addressed  to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

        Section 27.  Supplements  and  Amendments.  The Company may from time to
time and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,  supplement or amend
this  Agreement  without the  approval of any holders of Right  Certificates  in
order to cure any ambiguity,  to correct or supplement  any provision  contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions  herein,
or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may
deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by
a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent;  provided,  however,  that
from and after the Flip-In  Event,  this  Agreement  shall not be amended in any
manner  which  would  adversely  affect the  interests  of the holders of Rights
(other than any Acquiring  Person and its Affiliates and  Associates).  If as of
the Close of Business on June 25, 1997,  any Person is the  Beneficial  owner of
10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, this Agreement
may be amended at any time prior to August 1, 1997,  to exempt  such Person from
being deemed to be an Acquiring  Person (but only if such Person does not become
the Beneficial Owner of any additional  Common Shares of the Company  subsequent
to the Close of Business on June 25, 1997), subject to such terms and conditions
as the Board of Directors of the Company deem necessary or appropriate.  Without
limiting  the  foregoing,  the Company may at any time prior to such time as any
Person  becomes an  Acquiring  Person amend this  Agreement to (a)  specifically
exempt any Person from being or being deemed to be an Acquiring Person,  subject
to such terms and conditions as the Company deems  appropriate,  (b) fix a Final
Expiration  Date  later  than the date set  forth  in  Section  7 hereof  or (c)
increase the Purchase Price.

        Section  28.  Successors.  All  the  covenants  and  provisions  of this
Agreement  by or for the benefit of the  Company or the Rights  Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

        Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company,  the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date,  the Common  Shares) any legal or equitable  right,  remedy or claim under
this Agreement;  but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive  benefit
of the  Company,  the  Rights  Agent  and the  registered  holders  of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).

        Section  30.  Severability.   If  any  term,   provision,   covenant  or
restriction  of this Agreement is held by a court of competent  jurisdiction  or
other  authority  to be invalid,  void or  unenforceable,  the  remainder of the
terms, provisions,  covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

        Section 31.  Governing  Law. This  Agreement and each Right  Certificate
issued  hereunder  shall be deemed to be a  contract  made under the laws of the
State of Delaware  and for all  purposes  shall be governed by and  construed in
accordance  with the laws of such State  applicable  to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.



                                       24


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        Section 32.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such  counterparts  shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original,  and all such counterparts shall together  constitute but one
and the same instrument.

        Section 33. Descriptive  Headings.  Descriptive  headings of the several
Sections of this  Agreement  are  inserted  for  convenience  only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

        Section 34. Administration.  The Board of Directors of the Company shall
have  the  exclusive  power  and  authority  to  administer  and  interpret  the
provisions of this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers  specifically
granted to the Board of  Directors  of the  Company or the  Company or as may be
necessary  or  advisable  in the  administration  of this  Agreement.  All  such
actions, calculations, determinations and interpretations which are done or made
by the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  in good  faith  shall  be  final,
conclusive  and binding on the  Company,  the Rights  Agent,  the holders of the
Rights and all other parties and shall not subject the Board of Directors of the
Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                               FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

Attest:

By                                             By
  ------------------------                       ------------------------------
Title: Assistant Secretary                     Title: Chairman & Chief Executive
                                                      Officer

Attest:                                        AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
                                               TRUST COMPANY

By                                             By
  ------------------------                       ------------------------------
Title:                                         Title:



                                       25


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


                                                                       Exhibit A

                                      FORM

                                       of

                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

                                       of

                  SERIES C JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       of

                          FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

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

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


        Falcon  Drilling  Company,  Inc., a  corporation  organized and existing
under the General  Corporation Law of the State of Delaware  (hereinafter called
the "Corporation"),  hereby certifies that the following  resolution was adopted
by the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  as required by Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law by a unanimous written consent of the Board of Directors
dated June 25, 1997:

        RESOLVED,  that pursuant to the  authority  granted to and vested in the
Board of  Directors  of this  Corporation  (hereinafter  called  the  "Board  of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance  with the provisions of the Certificate
of  Incorporation  of the Corporation  (hereinafter  called the  "Certificate of
Incorporation"),  the Board of  Directors  hereby  creates a series of Preferred
Stock,  no par value (the  "Preferred  Stock"),  of the  Corporation  and hereby
states the  designation  and number of shares,  and fixes the  relative  rights,
preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:

        Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

        Section 1.  Designation  and Amount.  The shares of this series shall be
designated  as "Series C Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock" (the "Series C
Preferred  Stock") and the number of shares  constituting the Series C Preferred
Stock  shall be one  hundred  thousand  (100,000).  Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors;  provided,  that
no decrease  shall reduce the number of shares of Series C Preferred  Stock to a
number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares
reserved  for  issuance  upon the  exercise of  outstanding  options,  rights or
warrants or upon the  conversion  of any  outstanding  securities  issued by the
Corporation convertible into Series C Preferred Stock.



<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.

        (A)  Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
    Preferred  Stock (or any other  stock)  ranking  prior and  superior  to the
    Series C Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
    Series C Preferred  Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par
    value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"),  of the  Corporation,  and of any
    other junior stock,  shall be entitled to receive,  when, as and if declared
    by the Board of Directors  out of funds  legally  available for the purpose,
    quarterly  dividends  payable  in  cash  on the  last  day of  March,  June,
    September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein
    as a "Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date"),  commencing on the first Quarterly
    Dividend  Payment Date after the first  issuance of a share or fraction of a
    share of Series C Preferred  Stock,  in an amount per share  (rounded to the
    nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the provision
    for adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  1,000 times the aggregate per share
    amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 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 C Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation  shall at any time
    declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock  payable in shares of Common
    Stock,  or effect a  subdivision  or  combination  or  consolidation  of the
    outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
    payment of a dividend  in shares of Common  Stock)  into a greater or lesser
    number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
    holders  of shares of Series C  Preferred  Stock were  entitled  immediately
    prior to such event  under  clause (b) of the  preceding  sentence  shall be
    adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is
    the  number of shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately  after such
    event and the  denominator  of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
    that were outstanding  immediately  prior to such event,  provided,  that no
    such adjustment  shall be made with respect to the one-for-one  common stock
    dividend  declared by the Board of Directors of the  Corporation on June 25,
    1997.

        (B) The  Corporation  shall  declare a dividend or  distribution  on the
    Series C  Preferred  Stock as  provided  in  paragraph  (A) of this  Section
    immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
    (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in
    the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
    Stock during the period between any Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date and the
    next subsequent  Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share
    on the  Series C  Preferred  Stock  shall  nevertheless  be  payable on such
    subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

        (C) Dividends  shall begin to accrue and be  cumulative  on  outstanding
    shares of Series C Preferred Stock from the Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date
    next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of
    such  shares is prior to the record  date for the first  Quarterly  Dividend
    Payment Date,  in which case  dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue
    from  the date of issue of such  shares,  or  unless  the date of issue is a
    Quarterly



                                        2


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



    Dividend  Payment  Date  or  is  a  date  after  the  record  date  for  the
    determination  of holders of shares of Series C 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 C
    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 C Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend
    or distribution  declared thereon,  which record date shall be not more than
    60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

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

        (A) Each share of Series C  Preferred  Stock  shall  entitle  the holder
    thereof to one vote on all matters  submitted to a vote of the  stockholders
    of the Corporation.

        (B) Except as otherwise  provided  herein,  in any other  Certificate of
    Designations  creating a series of Preferred  Stock or any similar stock, in
    the Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Corporation or by law, the holders
    of shares of Series C  Preferred  Stock and the  holders of shares of Common
    Stock and any other capital stock of the  Corporation  having general voting
    rights shall vote  together as one class on all matters  submitted to a vote
    of stockholders of the Corporation.

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

        Section 4. Certain Restrictions.

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

            (i) declare or pay dividends,  or make any other  distributions,  on
        any  shares of stock  ranking  junior  (either as to  dividends  or upon
        liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series C Preferred Stock;

            (ii) declare or pay dividends,  or make any other distributions,  on
        any shares of stock ranking on a parity  (either as to dividends or upon
        liquidation,  dissolution  or winding  up) with the  Series C  Preferred
        Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series C Preferred Stock and
        all such parity stock on which dividends



                                        3


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



        are payable or in arrears in  proportion  to the total  amounts to which
        the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

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

            (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise  acquire for  consideration any
        shares of Series C Preferred  Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a
        parity with the Series C 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.

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

        Section 5.  Reacquired  Shares.  Any shares of Series C 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,  in the
Certificate  of  Incorporation,  or in any  other  Certificate  of  Designations
creating  a series  of  Preferred  Stock or any  similar  stock or as  otherwise
required by law.

        Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,  no distribution shall be made (1)
to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (upon liquidation,  dissolution
or winding  up) to the Series C  Preferred  Stock  unless,  prior  thereto,  the
holders  of shares of Series C  Preferred  Stock  shall have  received  $100 per
share,  plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid  dividends and  distributions
thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the
holders of shares of Series C  Preferred  Stock  shall be entitled to receive an
aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment  hereinafter
set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share
to holders of shares of Common  Stock,  or (2) to the holders of shares of stock
ranking on a parity  (upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up) with the
Series C Preferred  Stock,  except  distributions  made  ratably on the Series C
Preferred  Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the  holders  of all such  shares  are  entitled  upon  such  liquidation,
dissolution  or  winding  up.  In the event  the  Corporation  shall at any time
declare  or pay any  dividend  on the Common  Stock  payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the




                                        4


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



outstanding  shares of Common Stock (by  reclassification  or otherwise  than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock,  then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the  preceding  sentence  shall be
adjusted by multiplying  such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock  outstanding  immediately  after such event and
the  denominator  of which is the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  that were
outstanding  immediately prior to such event, provided,  that no such adjustment
shall be made with respect to the one-for-one  common stock dividend declared by
the Board of Directors of the Corporation on June 25, 1997.

        Section 7.  Consolidation,  Merger,  Etc. In case the Corporation  shall
enter into any consolidation,  merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common  Stock are  exchanged  for or changed  into other  stock or
securities,  cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series C  Preferred  Stock  shall at the same  time be  similarly  exchanged  or
changed  into an amount  per  share,  subject to the  provision  for  adjustment
hereinafter  set  forth,  equal to 1,000  times the  aggregate  amount of stock,
securities,  cash and/or any other property  (payable in kind),  as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or  exchanged.
In the event the  Corporation  shall at any time  declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,  or effect a subdivision  or
combination  or  consolidation  of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock (by
reclassification  or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common  Stock,  then in each
such case the amount set forth in the  preceding  sentence  with  respect to the
exchange  or change of shares of Series C  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, provided,  that no such adjustment
shall be made with respect to the one-for-one  common stock dividend declared by
the Board of Directors of the Corporation on June 25, 1997.

        Section 8. No Redemption.  The shares of Series C Preferred  Stock shall
not be redeemable.

        Section 9. Rank. The Series C Preferred  Stock shall rank,  with respect
to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets,  junior to all other
series of Preferred Stock.

        Section  10.   Amendment.   The  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  the
Corporation  shall not be amended in any manner which would  materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series C Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding  shares of Series C Preferred Stock,  voting
together as a single class.



                                        5


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


        IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this  Certificate of  Designations  is executed on
behalf of the  Corporation  by its  Chairman of the Board this 25th day of June,
1997.

                                        FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.


                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Steven A. Webster, Chairman of the Board
                                            and Chief Executive Officer



                                        6


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


                                                                       Exhibit B

                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No.R-                                    ____________________ Rights

               NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 16, 2007, OR EARLIER IF NOT RENEWED
               ANNUALLY BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
               OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT
               AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
               UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
               AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN
               ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN
               TRANSFEREES THEREOF MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.


                                Right Certificate

                          FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

        This certifies that _________________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of June 25, 1997, as the same may be amended from
time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between Falcon Drilling Company, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to
5:00 P.M., New York time, on July 16, 2007, at the principal office of the
Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one
one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series C Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the
Company, at a purchase price of $125.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of July 16, 1997, based on the Preferred Shares as
constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase
Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

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






<PAGE>
<PAGE>



reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is
hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights,
obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company
and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on
file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned
offices of the Rights Agent.

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

        Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of
$.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred
Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.

        No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

        No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

        This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.



                                        2


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



                  WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of ___________________, _____.


ATTEST:                                            FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

                                                   By

Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
    & TRUST COMPANY

By

      Authorized Signature



                                        3


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
               holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

                  (Please print name and address of transferee)

this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:  ________________, ______




                 Signature


Signature Guaranteed:

        Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., a com mercial bank savings association, credit union or trust company
having an office or correspondent in the United States or other eligible
guarantor institution which is a participant in a signature guarantee medallion
program.

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


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

                 Signature

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





                                        4


<PAGE>
<PAGE>



                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                  (To be executed if holder desires to exercise
                  Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)

To:      FALCON DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

Dated:  ______________, _____

                  Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a com mercial bank, savings association, credit union or trust
company having an office or correspondent in the United States or other eligible
guarantor institution which is a participant in a signature guarantee medallion
program.



                                        5


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


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



                  Signature

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


                                     NOTICE

        The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase,
as the case maybe, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this
Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.

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



                                        6


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


                                                                       Exhibit C

        UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
        RIGHTS OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS
        DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF MAY
        BECOME NULL AND VOID.

                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES

        On June 25, 1997, the Board of Directors of Falcon Drilling Company,
Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right
(a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share
(the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on July 16, 1997
(the "Record Date"), to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth
of a share of Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value (the
"Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $125.00 per one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as
of June 25, 1997, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Rights
Agreement"), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

        Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares (except that S-C Rig Investments, L. P., currently a
principal shareholder of the Company, shall not be deemed to be an Acquiring
Person unless it and its affiliates acquire 40% or more) or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 10% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate together with a copy of this Summary of Rights.

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



<PAGE>
<PAGE>



associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the
Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

        The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on the date sixty days after the next annual meeting of stockholders
of the Company, unless the expiration is delayed by the Board of Directors,
which it may be in each successive year, but in no event beyond July 16, 2007
(the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or
unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each
case, as described below.

        The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

        The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.

        Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a preferential quarterly
dividend payment equal to the greater of (i) $1 per share, and (ii) 1,000 times
the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders
of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a preferential liquidation payment
equal to the greater of (i) $100 per share, and (ii) 1,000 times the payment
made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have one vote , voting together
with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or
other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share
will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share.
These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

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

                  In the event that any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Rights Agreement provides
that each holder of a Right, other than



                                        2


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be
void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of
Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will have
become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or
one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of
the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and
privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

        The Rights Agreement provides that none of the Company's directors,
officers or financial advisers shall be deemed to beneficially own any Common
Shares owned by any other director, officer or financial adviser by virtue of
such persons acting in their capacities as such, including in connection with
the formulation and publication of the Board of Directors recommendation of its
position, and actions taken in furtherance thereof, with respect to an
acquisition proposal relating to the Company or a tender or exchange offer for
the Common Shares.

        In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning
power are sold after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, proper
provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the
right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price
of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company
which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the
exercise price of the Right.

        With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.

        At any time prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the
Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per
Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made
effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption
of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

        The Rights Agreement provides that, if as of June 25, 1997, any person
or group of affiliated or associated persons beneficially own 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, such person or group will not be deemed to be or to
have become an "Acquiring Person" until August 1, 1997, and on such date will be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" if, but only if, as of such date, such person
or group beneficially own 10% or more of the outstanding Common



                                        3


<PAGE>
<PAGE>


Shares; provided, however, that if such person or group shall, subsequent to
June 25, 1997, acquire any additional Common Shares, then such person or group
shall thereupon be deemed an Acquiring Person.

        The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including, prior to the time any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, an
amendment to (a) specifically exempt any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons from being or being deemed to be an "Acquiring Person,"
subject to such terms and conditions as the Company deem appropriate, (b) fix a
Final Expiration Date later than July 16, 2007, or (c) increase the Purchase
Price. From and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or
associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, no such amendment may adversely
affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the Acquiring
Person and its affiliates and associates). In addition, if as of the close of
business on June 25, 1997, any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons beneficially owned 10% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding,
the Rights Agreement may be amended at any time prior to August 1, 1997, to
exempt such person from being deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring
Person" (but only if such person does not acquire any additional Common Shares
subsequent to June 25, 1997), subject to such terms and conditions as the Board
of Directors of the Company deem necessary or appropriate.

        Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.

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



                                        4



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