RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 31, 2000
BETWEEN
GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
AND
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A.
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AS RIGHTS AGENT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section 1. Certain Definitions.........................................................................1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.................................................................7
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.............................................................7
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.................................................................9
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration..........................................................11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates...................................12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights..............................13
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates........................................17
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock..............................................18
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date................................................................20
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights........................................................................21
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.................................35
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.......................36
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares....................................................40
Section 15. Rights of Action...........................................................................42
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders................................................................43
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder.........................................44
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent................................................................44
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent..................................45
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Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.....................................................................46
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.....................................................................50
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates........................................................52
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.................................................................53
Section 24. Exchange...................................................................................54
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events...................................................................57
Section 26. Notices....................................................................................58
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.................................................................59
Section 28. Successors.................................................................................60
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc..................................60
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.................................................................61
Section 31. Severability...............................................................................62
Section 32. Governing Law..............................................................................62
Section 33. Counterparts...............................................................................62
Section 34. Descriptive Headings.......................................................................62
Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock of Graphic Packaging International Corporation............................A-1
Exhibit B Form of Rights Certificate................................................................B-1
Exhibit C Summary Of Rights To Purchase Preferred Stock.............................................C-1
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Rights Agreement is entered into as of May 31, 2000,
between Graphic Packaging International Corporation, a Colorado corporation (the
"Company"), and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A. (the "Rights Agent").
RECITALS
On May 9, 2000 (the "Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors
of the Company authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right
(individually, a "Right" and collectively, the "Rights") for each share of
common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company outstanding at the close
of business on June 1, 2000 (the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance
of one Right (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 11(p) of this Agreement)
for each share of common stock of the Company issued between the Record Date
(whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution
Date (as defined below). This Agreement sets forth the terms of the Rights.
The parties agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" means any Person that, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,
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appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan; or (ii) any Person who would otherwise become an Acquiring Person solely
as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
due to the acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company or a Subsidiary
of the Company, unless and until such Person shall thereafter purchase or
otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Common Stock
constituting one percent or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock;
or (iii) any of the following Persons, or any of the immediate transferees of
Common Stock of any of the following Persons: the Adolph Coors, Jr. Trust, any
individual who or entity which has been, is or in the future becomes a trustee
thereof, any other trust the primary beneficiaries of which are descendants of
Adolph Coors, Sr. or spouses of such descendants, and/or any individual who or
entity which has been, is or in the future becomes a trustee of any such trusts.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b) "Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "Affiliate" and "Associate" have the respective meanings ascribed
to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date
of this Agreement.
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(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates,
directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is
exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon
the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or
options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed
the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities
are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after
the occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the
"Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with
an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates,
directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has
"beneficial ownership" of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 or any
successor regulation of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person
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shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
any security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable
by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or
any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose
of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (d)) or
disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided, however, that
nothing in this paragraph (d) shall cause a person engaged in business as
an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to
"beneficially own," any securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(f) "Close of business" on a date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to
any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person
with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall mean the earlier of the following: (i)
the close of business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if
the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date,
the close of business on the Record Date), or (ii) the close of business on the
tenth Business Day after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to any such
plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock then outstanding.
(i) "Person" means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or
other entity.
(j) "Preferred Stock" means shares of the Company's Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, having the preferences, limitations and relative
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rights set forth in the Articles of Amendment attached as Exhibit A hereto. To
the extent that there are not enough shares of Preferred Stock authorized to
permit the full exercise of all Rights, any other series of preferred stock of
the Company specified by the Board of Directors for such purpose containing
terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock.
(k) "Purchase Price" means the exercise price at which a holder of a
Right may purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock upon
exercise of a Right. The Purchase Price shall initially be $42.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Agreement.
(l) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" means any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of this Agreement.
(m) "Section 13 Event" means any event described in clauses (x), (y) or
(z) of Section 13(a) of this Agreement.
(n) "Stock Acquisition Date" means the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, includes, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(o) "Subsidiary" means, with reference to any Person, any corporation
of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least a majority
of the directors of such corporation is beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
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(p) "Triggering Event" means any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13
Event.
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 Stock) in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it deems necessary or
desirable.
Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates. (a) Until the Distribution
Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to paragraph (b) of this Section
3) by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the
holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed
also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (ii)
the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon
as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more right certificates
in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"),
evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to
adjustment as provided herein. If an adjustment in the number of Rights per
share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof at the time
of distribution of the Right Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary
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and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof)
so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. On and after the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage prepaid
mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on
the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company. With respect to certificates for the Common Stock outstanding as of the
Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered holders of the Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier
of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as defined in Section 7
hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in
respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
that are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after
the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date and, in certain circumstances as provided in Section 22 of this
Agreement, after the Distribution Date. Certificates representing such shares of
Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear
the following legend:
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This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Graphic
Packaging International Corporation (the "Company") and Norwest Bank
Minnesota, N.A. (the "Rights Agent") dated as of May 31, 2000 (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are incorporated herein by this
reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of
the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail
to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in
effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of
a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in
the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to or held by any Person who is,
was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether
currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. If the
Company acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but before the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed
canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any
rights associated with Common Stock that is no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and
of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially
in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
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printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law,
rule or regulation, including any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or
other trading facility on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or
traded, or to conform to usage. Subject to Section 11 and Section 22 of this
Agreement, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of
the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set
forth therein at the Purchase Price, but the amount and type of securities
purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section
22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by a Person described in
Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the
circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company
by its Chief Executive Officer, its President or any Vice President, either
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manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's
seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.
The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and
shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. If any officer of
the Company who has signed any of the Rights Certificates ceases to be such
officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance
and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be
countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with
the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company. Any Rights
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, is a proper officer of
the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the
execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
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Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a) Subject to Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14 hereof, at any time after the
close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of
business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the
Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or
former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company
shall be obligated to take any action with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse
side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
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may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one-thousandths of a share (or other securities, cash or
other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then
exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on June 1,
2010 (the "Final Expiration Date") or (ii) the time at which the Rights are
redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being
herein referred to as the "Expiration Date").
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(b) The Purchase Price for each one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $42.00 and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set
forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition
from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if
the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the
total number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock to be purchased
and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver
such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
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pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. If the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, to
pay cash and/or to distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof,
the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities,
cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent,
if and when appropriate.
(d) If the registered holder of any Rights Certificate exercises fewer
than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated
by such holder, subject to Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with
the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
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holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board determines is
part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without
any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever
with respect to such Rights, whether under this Agreement or otherwise. The
Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that this Section 7(e) and
Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder
of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i)
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to
purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for
such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of such Rights or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.
All Rights Certificates surrendered for exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
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or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation
and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other
Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the
exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights
Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company and
after any retention period required by the Securities and Exchange Commission,
destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a
certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved
and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and
unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized
and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights shall be listed on any national
securities exchange or authorized for quotation on The New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE"), the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such
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time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to
be authorized for such quotation or to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii)
cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act)
until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer
exercisable for such securities, and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company will
also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the
exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for up to 90
days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this
Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition,
if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required
following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until such time as a registration statement has
been declared effective so long as the Company uses good faith efforts to that
end. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
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shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction has not been obtained, the exercise thereof is not permitted
under applicable law or a registration statement has not been declared
effective.
(d) The Company will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure
that all one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of
any certificates for a number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise
of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a
Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other
than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights
surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until
such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
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Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of such Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares
covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
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(a)(i) If the Company at any time after the date of this Agreement (A)
declares a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred
Stock, (B) subdivides the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combines the
outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issues
any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Stock (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) and
Section 7(e) hereof, the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of
any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind
of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, that, if
such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time
when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he would
have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of
such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.
(ii) If any Person becomes an Acquiring Person other than pursuant to a
transaction subject to Section 13(a) of this Agreement and the Distribution
Date occurs, then, promptly following the Distribution Date, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided
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below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in
accordance with this Agreement, in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of
shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for
each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current
market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of
Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares,
the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) If the number of shares of Common Stock authorized by the Company's
certificate of incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance
for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine
the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such
excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the
applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price,
(3) Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (including,
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without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock that the
Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as
shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock, "common stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or
(6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to
the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the
Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors;
provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the
later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the
date on which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a)
expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of
the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value
equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company determines in
good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common
Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights,
the 30-day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary,
but not more than 90 days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in
order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization
of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some
action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights,
and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration
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of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the
event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension
is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value
of the Common Stock shall be the current market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any "common stock
equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on
such date.
(b) If the Company fixes a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to
subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar
days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("equivalent
preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately before such record date by a fraction, the numerator
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of which is the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock that the aggregate offering
price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent
preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price
of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current
market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional
shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible). If such subscription price may be paid by
delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than cash,
the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent
and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for
the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of
any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) If the Company fixes a record date for a distribution to all
holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection
with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the surviving or
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
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Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or rights,
options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by
multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date
by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market price (as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on
such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or
evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or
warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which
shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and if such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that
would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market
price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the 30
consecutive Trading Days (as defined below) immediately prior to such date, and
for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
"current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to
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be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the 10 consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided,
however, that if the current market price per share of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in
shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of such Common
Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the
requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the
"current market price" shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted
to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter
market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use, or, if on any
such date the shares of Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
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market maker making a market in the Common Stock selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market
in the Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day. If the Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, "current market price" per share shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price per
share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above
or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current market
price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
amount equal to 1000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such
events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect
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to the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied
by the current market price per share of the Common Stock. If neither the
Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or
traded, "current market price" per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean
the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the "current market price" of
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall equal the "current
market price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided by 1000.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent in the Purchase Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(e) are
not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or
other share or millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the transaction that mandates such adjustment, or (ii)
the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised becomes
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock, the
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number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g),
(h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect
to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company after any adjustment of
the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the
adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all
subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(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-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of 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 lieu of any adjustment in the
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number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the
exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the
number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least eleven (11) days later than the date of the
public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall
be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company,
shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date
of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall
be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may
bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be
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registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights 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-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one-thousandth of a share
and the number of one-thousandths of a share that were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of the number of
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary for the Company validly to issue fully paid and
nonassessable such number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock at
such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
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shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities 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 in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities that by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time
after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with or merge with or into any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (ii) sell or transfer (or permit any
Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof),
if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale
there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or
agreements in effect that would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to,
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simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the
shareholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal
Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution
of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and
Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date,
it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it
is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if the
Company at any time after the Declaration Date and before the Distribution Date
(i) declares a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
or (iii) combines the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number
of shares, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then
outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution
Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights associated
with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
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immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13
hereof (other than adjustments occurring prior to the Distribution Date), the
Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment
and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly
file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock
and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26
hereof. Promptly after the Distribution Date, the Company shall comply with the
foregoing for any adjustment that occurred prior to the Distribution Date. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any certificate delivered by
the Company pursuant to this Section 12 and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power.
(a) If, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly,
(x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge into, any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section
11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o)
hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation
or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for
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stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or
(z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series
of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), then, and in each such case proper provision shall be made so that: (i)
each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely
tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as defined below), not
subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to
the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such
one-thousandths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event) by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such first occurrence, and dividing that product
(which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred
to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes of this
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Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party
on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a
Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its
Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may
be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common
Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (v) Section
11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any
Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted
in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the
Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first
sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that receives the greatest portion of
the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions;
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provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time or has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock that have not been issued or reserved for
issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this
Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall
have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13
and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any
consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect
to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on
an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
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registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for
the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all respects
with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
This Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or
sales or other transfers. If a Section 13 Event occurs at any time after the
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights that have not theretofore
been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in
Section 13(a), subject to Section 7(e).
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. After the
Distribution Date, in lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this
Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing
price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which
such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of
the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
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trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock (other than integral multiples of one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates that
evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than integral multiples of
one-thousandths of a share). In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock
that are not integral multiples of one-thousandths of a share, the Company may
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one-thousandths of a
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share of Preferred Stock shall be one-thousandth of the closing price of a share
of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of
the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section
14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(d) Each holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock). Any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent
or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, of the Common Stock), may, on his own behalf and for his own benefit,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against
the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise
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the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such
Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
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other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes, and neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e)
hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
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provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, suit, action, proceeding or
expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the
part of the Rights Agent, for any action taken or suffered by the Rights Agent
in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and
expenses of defending against and appealing any claim of liability arising
therefrom, directly or indirectly.
(b) 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 acceptance and administration of this Agreement or the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement,
instruction or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
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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 21 hereof.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate trust or shareholder services business of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 22 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such
Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates in
this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
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prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have only
the duties and obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement. There shall be
no implied duties or obligations of the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel selected by it (who
may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with
such advice.
(b) Whenever in the administration, exercise and performance of its
duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or
desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity
of any Acquiring Person and the determination of "current market price") be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting 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, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and any such certificate shall be full
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authorization and protection to the Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered
or omitted in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall not be liable or responsible hereunder to
the Company except for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable or responsible for or by
reason of any of the representations, warranties, statements of fact or recitals
contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates (except as to the fact
that it has countersigned the Rights Certificates) or be required to verify the
same, but all such representations, warranties, statements and recitals are and
shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability or responsibility in
respect of the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights
Agent) or in respect of the legality, validity, enforceability or execution of
any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
liable or responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition
contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be liable
or responsible for any adjustment including, without limitation, as required
under the provisions of Section 11 or 13 hereof (including any adjustment which
results in the Rights becoming void) or liable or responsible for the manner,
method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the
exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt of a notice or
certificate pursuant to Section 12 describing any such adjustment); nor shall it
by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
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authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or other
securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or
as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or other securities will, when so
issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions or directions with respect to the administration of this Agreement
and the execution and performance of its duties hereunder and certificates
delivered pursuant to any provision hereof from the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
is authorized to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection
with its duties, and it shall not be liable or responsible for any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for
such instructions.
(h) The Rights Agent and any affiliate, shareholder, director, officer
or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or
other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though the Rights
Agent were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude
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the Rights Agent or any such affiliate, shareholder, director, officer or
employee 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 liable or
responsible for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such
attorneys or agents or for any loss or damages to the Company or to the holders
of the Rights resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or
misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and
continued employment thereof. The Rights Agent shall not be under any duty or
responsibility to insure compliance with any applicable federal or state
securities laws in connection with the issuance, transfer or exchange of the
Rights Certificates.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange, the
Certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase,
as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative
response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any
further action with respect to such requested exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange without first consulting with the Company.
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Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each transfer
agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. The Company
may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice
in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case
may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by
first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within
thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall,
with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of Colorado, in good standing, having a principal office in the
State of Colorado, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After appointment, the
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successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as
the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the
redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to
shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock
options or warrants or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the Company,
and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board
of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the
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appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided,
however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the
extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would
create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or
the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate
adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time before the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following
the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the
Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day after the Record Date), or
(ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
at any time when the Company may redeem them pursuant to this Section 23. The
Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common
Stock (based on the "current market price" as defined in Section 11(d)(i)
hereof, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) prior to the expiration of the Company's right of redemption
hereunder.
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(b) At such time as specified in the resolution of the Board of
Directors ordering redemption of the Rights (or at such time as is determined by
a committee of the Board of Directors authorized by the Board of Directors to
specify such time at the time of the Board's adoption of such resolution or
immediately upon such action of the Board of Directors if the Board does not
specify a date or so empower a committee) and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only
right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption
Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice
of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder's last address
as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common
Stock. Any notice 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.
Any failure to give or inadequacy of such notice or delay or failure to pay the
Redemption Price shall not affect the validity of the redemption. The Redemption
Price shall be payable to those Persons who are record holders of the Rights at
the close of business on a date determined by the Board of Directors, which date
shall be at least eleven days after the Board of Directors orders redemption of
the Rights.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
anytime after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
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have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for
Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock 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 Acquiring 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 Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of a majority of the Common Stock then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of share of Common Stock equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company 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
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method by which the exchange of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in
the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.
Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Stock or common stock equivalents for shares of
Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock (or an appropriate number of common stock
equivalents) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to
reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the
terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of
each share of Common Stock shall have the same voting rights as one share of
Common Stock.
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common
Stock, Preferred Stock or common stock equivalents authorized by the Company's
certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved
or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
Rights, to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock or common stock
equivalents for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of a share of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company
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shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current per share market value
of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the
current per share market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the
closing price of a share of Common Stock (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, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale or
other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale
or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or
any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding
up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
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sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the
date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock,
if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case
of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to the
record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever
shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any Section 11(a)(ii) Event shall occur, then, in any such
case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify
the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.
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 Rights Certificate
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to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if and when sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Graphic Packaging International Corporation
4455 Table Mountain Parkway
Golden, Colorado 80401
Attn: Secretary
Subject to Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on
the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if and when sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Company) as follows:
Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A.
161 North Concord Exchange
South St. Paul, Minnesota 55075
Attn: Barb Novac
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
before the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing shares
of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if and when sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company from time to time may, in its sole and absolute
discretion, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holder of
Rights. From and after the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the
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Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, or (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period
hereunder; provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or
amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights
are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is
for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of holders of
the Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of
the Company stating that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance
with this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or
amendment. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no supplement or
amendment shall be made after the Distribution Date that would adversely affect
the basic economic terms of the Rights or would have the effect of making the
Rights redeemable. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders
of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common
Stock.
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. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
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the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. The Board of
Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement
(including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) that are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final,
conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the
Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to
the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term 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
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in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that
notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term,
provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be
invalid, void or unenforceable, and the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from
this Agreement would materially adversely affect the purpose or effect of this
Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be
reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day
following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
Colorado law and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with Colorado law applicable to contracts made and to be performed
entirely within such state.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each which shall be an original, and all of which shall
together constitute a single instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the Sections
of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the
meaning of this Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION
By: By:
--------------------------- ---------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Secretary Title:
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A.
By:
-------------------------
Name:
Title:
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<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF
GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
SETTING FORTH THE DESIGNATIONS,
PREFERENCES, LIMITATIONS AND RELATIVE RIGHTS
OF THE SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
Pursuant to Section 7-106-102 of the Colorado Business
Corporation Act and the Articles of Incorporation of the Graphic Packaging
International Corporation (the "Corporation"), the undersigned President and of
the Corporation, certify that the Board of Directors of the Corporation, duly
adopted the following amendment to the articles of incorporation of the
Corporation at a meeting duly called and held on May 9, 2000:
"BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 7-106-102 of the
Colorado Business Corporation Act and to authority expressly granted to the
Board of Directors by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby authorizes the issuance of a
series of preferred stock of the Corporation, and hereby determines the
preferences, limitations and relative rights of that series as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
(the "Series A Stock") shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock" and the number of shares constituting such series shall be
100,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of
any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the Series A Stock
with respect to dividends, the holders of Series A Stock shall be entitled to
receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for such purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day
of March, June, September, and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) the product of the
Adjustment Number (defined below) multiplied by the aggregate per share amount
of all cash dividends, and the Adjustment Number multiplied by 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
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outstanding shares of common stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared
on the common stock of the Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Stock. As used herein, the "Adjustment Number"
shall initially be 1000, but if the Corporation at any time after May 9, 2000
(the "Declaration Date") (i) declares any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combines the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the Adjustment Number immediately after such event shall equal
the Adjustment Number immediately before such event multiplied 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 before such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on
the Series A Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, if the total dividends
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date is less
than $.001 per share, a dividend equal $1.00 per share on the Series A Stock,
minus an amount per share equal to the dividends already paid on the Series A
Stock during such period, 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 A Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for 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 Series A Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro
rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of
shares of Series A Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days
prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of the Series A
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
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(A) Each share of Series A Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to a number of votes equal to the Adjustment Number on each matter
submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders
of Series A Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together
as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the
Corporation.
(C) If at the time of any annual meeting of shareholders for the
election of directors a default in preference dividends on the shares of the
Series A Stock shall exist, the number of directors constituting the Board of
Directors shall be increased by two, and the holders of Series A Stock (whether
or not the holders of the Series A Stock would be entitled to vote for the
election of Directors if such default in preference dividends did not exist),
shall have the right at such meeting, voting together as a single class, to the
exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, to elect two directors of the Company
to fill such newly created directorships. Such right shall continue until there
are no dividends in arrears upon the Series A Stock. Each director elected by
the holders of shares of Series A Stock (herein called a "Preferred Director")
shall continue to serve as such director for the full term for which he shall
have been elected, notwithstanding that prior to the end of such term a default
in preference dividends shall cease to exist. Any Preferred Director may be
removed by, and shall not be removed except by, the vote of the holders of
record of the outstanding shares of Series A Stock, voting together as a single
class, at a meeting of the shareholders, or of the holders of shares of Series A
Stock, called for that purpose. So long as a default in any preference dividends
on the Series A Stock shall exist, (i) any vacancy in the office of a Preferred
Director may be filled (except as provided in the following clause (ii)) by an
instrument in writing signed by the remaining Preferred Director and filed with
the corporation and (ii) in the case of the removal of any Preferred Director,
the vacancy may be filled by the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares
of Series A Stock, voting together as a single class, at the same meeting at
which such removal shall be voted. Each director appointed as aforesaid by the
remaining Preferred Director shall be deemed, for all purposes hereof, to be a
Preferred Director. Whenever the term of office of the Preferred Directors shall
end and a default in preference dividends shall no longer exist, the number of
Directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be
reduced by two. For the purposes hereof, a "default in preference dividends on
the Series A Stock" shall be deemed to have occurred whenever the amount of
accrued dividends upon the Series A Stock shall be equivalent to six full
quarter-yearly dividends or more, and, having so occurred such default shall be
deemed to exist thereafter until, but only until, all accrued dividends on all
shares of Series A Stock shall have been paid, or declared and set aside for
payment, to the end of the last preceding quarterly dividend.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A 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.
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Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Stock as provided in Section 2 are in
arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Stock outstanding
have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem
or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) to the Series A Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends or make any other distributions on any shares
of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Stock, except dividends paid
ratably on the Series A Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends
are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of
any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Stock, provided that the
Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of
any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the
Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Stock;
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A
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 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. Re-acquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner shall be
retired and canceled promptly after such acquisition. 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 to be created by
resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions
and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
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Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution
or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to the holders
of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Stock unless, prior thereto, the
holders of Series A Stock have received, for each such share, a number of
dollars equal to the Adjustment Number, plus an amount equal to accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date
of such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment
of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of Series A Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of Common Stock shall have received an amount per share
(the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the
Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) the Adjustment Number. Following the
payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common
Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Stock and Common
Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Stock and holders of Common Stock shall
receive their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be
distributed to them in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to one with respect to
such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) If there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation
preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, that rank on a
parity with the Series A Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective
liquidation preferences. If thereafter there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock (subject to the
rights of any Preferred Stock other than the Series A Stock).
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. If the Corporation enters
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 each such case the Series A
Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per
share equal to the Adjustment Number multiplied by 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.
Section 8. No Redemption. The Series A Stock shall not be
redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Stock shall rank junior to all
other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends
and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series provide
otherwise.
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Section 10. Amendment. Whenever any Series A Stock is
outstanding, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be
amended in any manner that would materially adversely affect the powers,
preferences or special rights of the Series A Stock without the affirmative vote
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Stock, voting
separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Stock.
GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title: President
By:
Name:
Title: Secretary
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<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- Rights
EXPIRES ON JUNE 1, 2010 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE
SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.001 PER RIGHT ON THE
TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT)
AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A
PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.]1
Rights Certificate
GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
This certifies that __________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms of the Rights Agreement dated as of May
31, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement") between Graphic Packaging International
Corporation (the "Company"), and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A. (the "Rights
Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York
B-1
<PAGE>
City time) on June 1, 2010, at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or its successor as Rights Agent, one-thousandth of
a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $42.00 per
one-thousandths of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and
surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and
related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares that may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are
the number and Purchase Price as of Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights
Agreement), based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as defined in
the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
any such Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a
transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under
certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a
person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no
holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after
the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities that may be
-----------------------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted in place of
the preceding sentence if applicable.
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purchased upon exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
subject to modification and adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to the terms of the Rights
Agreement, which terms are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a
part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary
suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the circumstances set
forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights
entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If
this Rights Certificate is exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price
of $.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of business on
(i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may
B-3
<PAGE>
be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration
Date.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than integral multiples
of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, 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 Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company issuable upon the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose
unless countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-4
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ________, 20__.
ATTEST: GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION
By:
---------------------------------
Countersigned:
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A.
By:
------------------------------
Authorized Signature
B-5
<PAGE>
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder
to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto
=============================================================
(Please print name and address of transferee)
-------------------------------------------------------------
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within
Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Dated:
------------------------------------------
Signature
Medallion Signature Guarantee:
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<PAGE>
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________________________________
--------------------
Signature
Medallion Signature Guarantee:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular.
B-7
<PAGE>
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: Graphic Packaging International Corporation
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
________________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the
shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such
other securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be
issued in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
B-8
<PAGE>
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated:
-------------------------
Signature
Medallion Signature Guarantee:
B-9
<PAGE>
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the
appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such
terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated:
---------------------------------------
Signature
Medallion Signature Guarantee:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular.
B-10
<PAGE>
DO NOT DESTROY. ATTACH TO
YOUR GRAPHIC PACKAGING
INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
STOCK CERTIFICATE.
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On May 9, 2000, the Board of Directors of Graphic Packaging
International Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of
one Right for each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock to
shareholders of record at the close of business on June 1, 2000 (the "Record
Date"). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a
unit consisting of one one-thousandth of a share (a "Unit") of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"),
at a Purchase Price of $42.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The description
and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights
Agreement") between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. In general, the Rights will separate from the
Common Stock and a "Distribution Date" will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10
days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons, subject to certain exceptions (an "Acquiring Person"), has
acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or
(ii) 10 business days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange
offer that would result in such a person or group beneficially owning 15% or
more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date,
(i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be
transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common
Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for
transfer of any certificates for Common Stock will also constitute the transfer
of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on June 1, 2010, unless that date is
extended or the Rights are earlier redeemed by the Company as described below.
C-1
<PAGE>
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Shares of Common Stock issued
after the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights only upon exercise or
conversion of securities issued prior thereto unless the Board of Directors
determines otherwise.
If, at any time after the Distribution Date, any person becomes
an Acquiring Person each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, all
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be null and
void. However, Rights are not exercisable in any event until such time as the
Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
For example, at an exercise price of $42.00 per Right, each
Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) following
an event set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph would entitle its
holder to purchase $84.00 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as
noted above) for $42.00. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share value of
$21.00 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to
purchase four shares of Common Stock for $42.00.
If at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date (i) the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Common Stock is changed or exchanged or in which the Company is not
the surviving corporation, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except those
Rights owned by an Acquiring Person and voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the
Right. The events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain
rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or convertible securities at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above).
C-2
<PAGE>
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person, which will have
become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date,
the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per Right. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
redemption of the Rights or at such other time as may be specified by the Board
when it orders redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the $.001 redemption price.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income if the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to
cure any ambiguity, to make other changes that do not adversely affect the basic
economic terms of the Rights, or to shorten or lengthen any time period under
the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time
period governing redemption shall be made at a time when the Rights are not
redeemable.
C-3
<PAGE>
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A, dated May 31, 2000. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free
of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
