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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
OKLAHOMA 73-1395733
(State of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
6100 NORTH WESTERN AVENUE
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73118
(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
TITLE OF EACH CLASS NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE ON WHICH
TO BE SO REGISTERED EACH CLASS IS TO BE REGISTERED
RIGHTS TO PURCHASE SERIES A NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
JUNIOR PARTICIPATING
PREFERRED STOCK
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
NONE
(Title of Class)
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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED
The authorized capital stock of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (the
"Company") consists of 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Common Stock"), and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$.01 per share, of which 4,600,000 shares have been designated as the 7%
Cumulative Preferred Stock and are currently outstanding and of which 250,000
shares are designated the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
"Preferred Stock").
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK
On July 7, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a
dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right (a "Right") for each
outstanding share of Common Stock. The distribution is payable on July 27, 1998
(the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase from the Company one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock at a price of $25.00, subject to
adjustment. The following is a summary of the Rights; the full description and
terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement")
between the Company and UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Copies of the Rights Agreement and the Certificate of Designation are
available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the
Rights and the Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the Rights Agreement and
the Certificate of Designation for the Preferred Stock, including the
definitions therein of certain terms, which Rights Agreement and Certificate of
Designation are incorporated herein by reference.
Initially, the Rights will attach to all certificates representing
shares of outstanding Company Common Stock, and no separate Rights Certificates
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Company Common Stock and
the Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following the
date of public announcement that a person or group of persons has become an
Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to the
time a person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or the
announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer upon
consummation of which the offeror would, if successful, become an Acquiring
Person (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date").
The term "Acquiring Person" means any person who or which, together
with all of its affiliates and associates, shall be the beneficial owner of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common Stock, but shall not include (i) the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company,
(ii) Aubrey K. McClendon, his spouse, lineal descendants and ascendants, heirs,
executors or other legal representatives and any trusts established for the
benefit of the foregoing, or (iii) Tom L. Ward, his spouse, lineal descendants
and ascendants, heirs, executors or other legal representatives and any trusts
established for the benefit of the foregoing, or any other person or entity in
which the foregoing persons or entities are at the time of determination the
direct record and beneficial owners of all outstanding voting securities
(collectively, "Exempt Persons").
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Stock, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record
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of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and
such separate Rights Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on July 27, 2008 (the "Expiration Date").
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of one one-thousandths of a
share 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) upon the grant to holders of the
Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase
shares of Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock with a conversion price, less than the then 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 periodic cash
dividends paid or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to in (ii) above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of each Right are also
subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Stock or a
stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in the Common Stock or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
In the event that following a Stock Acquisition Date (the date of
public announcement that an Acquiring Person has become such) the Company is
acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or more than 50%
of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be
made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the
Right (the "Flip-Over Right").
In the event that a person (other than an Exempt Person) becomes an
Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right
(other than the Acquiring Person and its affiliates and associates) will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of shares of
Common Stock (or, under certain circumstances, cash, other equity securities or
property of the Company) having a market value equal to two times the Purchase
Price of the Rights (the "Flip-In Right"). Upon the occurrence of the foregoing
event giving rise to the exercisability of the Rights, any Rights that are or
were at any time owned by an Acquiring Person shall become void.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. Upon exercise of the Rights, no fractional shares of
Preferred Stock will be issued other than fractions which are integral multiples
of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock; cash will be paid in lieu of
fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) 5:00 p.m., Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma time on the 10th day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the
expiration of the Rights, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"); provided, that (i)
if the Board of Directors authorizes redemption on or after the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, then such authorization must be by Board Approval
(as hereinafter defined) and (ii) the period for redemption may, upon Board
Approval, be extended by amending the Rights Agreement. The term "Board
Approval" means the approval of a majority of the directors of the Company.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights described in this paragraph, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors
without the consent of the holders of the Rights at any time and from time to
time provided that such amendment does not adversely affect the interests of the
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holders of the Rights. In addition, during any time that the Rights are subject
to redemption, the terms of the Rights may be amended by Board Approval,
including an amendment that adversely affects the interests of the holders of
the Rights, without the consent of the holders of Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Preferred Stock (or other consideration).
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
Each one-thousandth of a share of the Preferred Stock ("Preferred Share
Fraction") that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights will be
nonredeemable and subordinate to any other shares of preferred stock that may be
issued by the Company.
Each Preferred Share Fraction will have a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend rate of $0.01 per Preferred Share Fraction but will, in any
event, be entitled to a dividend equal to the per share dividend declared on the
Company Common Stock.
In the event of liquidation, the holder of a Preferred Share Fraction
will receive a preferred liquidation payment equal to the greater of $0.01 per
Preferred Share Fraction or the per share amount paid in respect of a share of
Company Common Stock.
Each Preferred Share Fraction will have one vote, voting together with
the Company Common Stock. The holders of Preferred Share Fractions, voting as a
separate class, shall be entitled to elect two directors if dividends on the
Preferred Stock are in arrears for six fiscal quarters.
In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which
shares of Company Common Stock are exchanged, each Preferred Share Fraction will
be entitled to receive the per share amount paid in respect of each share of
Company Common Stock.
The rights of holders of the Preferred Stock to dividends, liquidation
and voting, and in the event of mergers and consolidations, are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the economic value of one Preferred Share Fraction that may
be acquired upon the exercise of each Right should approximate the economic
value of one share of the Company's Common Stock.
Additional information regarding the Rights is set forth in the Rights
Agreement which is filed herewith as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by
reference.
ITEM 2. EXHIBITS
1. Rights Agreement, dated July 15, 1998, between the Company and UMB
Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent.
2. Form of Rights Certificate (attached as Exhibit B to the Rights
Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 hereto).
3. Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock dated July 7, 1998.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration
Statement on Form 8-A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
By: /s/ Aubrey K. McClendon
--------------------------------------
Aubrey K. McClendon
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
Dated: July 15, 1998
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EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION
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<S> <C>
1. Rights Agreement, dated July 15, 1998, between the Company and UMB
Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent.
2. Form of Rights Certificate (attached as Exhibit B to the Rights
Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 hereto).
3. Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock dated July 7, 1998.
</TABLE>
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EXHIBIT 1
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
AND
UMB BANK, N.A., AS RIGHTS AGENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF JULY 15, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Section 1. Certain Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 15. Rights of Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 23. Redemption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 24. Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Section 26. Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Section 28. Successors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Section 30. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Section 31. Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Section 32. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Section 33. Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
</TABLE>
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Agreement, dated as of July 15, 1998 ("Agreement"), between
Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the "Company"), and UMB
Bank, N.A., as rights agent (the "Rights Agent").
R E C I T A L S:
WHEREAS, at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company duly
called and held on July 7, 1998, at which a quorum was present and acting
throughout, such Board of Directors has authorized and declared a dividend of
one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of Common Stock
(as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on July 27,
1998 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one- thousandth of a Preferred Share, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such
term is hereinafter defined) who or which shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include an
Exempt Person; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors of
the Company
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determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently (including, without
limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that it beneficially
owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such
Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was aware of
the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but was unaware
of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement)
and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the
Company, and such Person, as promptly as practicable after being
advised of such determination divested or divests himself or itself of
Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock
so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, then such
Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring
Person" for any purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result
of an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number
of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that
if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of the share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the
Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Stock of
the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person" unless upon the consummation of the acquisition of such
additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not own 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
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(b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Rule l2b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of
and, shall be deemed to have "Beneficial Ownership" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to
a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (I) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange or (II) securities which such Person has
a right to acquire upon the exercise of Rights at any time
prior to the time a Person becomes an
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Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, any security by reason of such an
agreement, arrangement or understanding if the agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security (a) arises
solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person
in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and
regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act (as such term
is hereinafter defined) and (b) is not also then reportable on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used
with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the
Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and
outstanding together with the number of such securities not then
issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own
beneficially hereunder.
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(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a
Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in
Missouri, Oklahoma or New York are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
(f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York, New York time, on such date; provided, however, that,
if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York,
New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the
Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, of the Company. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any
Person other then the Company shall mean the capital stock (or, in the
case of an unincorporated entity, the equivalent equity interest) with
the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other
Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which
ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(h) "Common Stock equivalent" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(i) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble hereof.
(j) "current per share market price" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.
(k) "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(l) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3 hereof.
(m) "Equivalent Preferred Shares" shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.
(n) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
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(o) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 24(a) hereof.
(p) "Exempt Person" shall mean (i) the Company or any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company or any
employee benefit plan of the Company, (ii) Aubrey K. McClendon, his
spouse, lineal descendants and ascendants, heirs, executors or other
legal representatives and any trusts established for the benefit of
the foregoing, or any other person or entity in which the foregoing
persons or entities are at the time of determination the direct record
and beneficial owners of all outstanding voting securities (each a
"McClendon Stockholder"), (iii) Tom L. Ward, his spouse, lineal
descendants and ascendants, heirs, executors or other legal
representatives and any trusts established for the benefit of the
foregoing (each a "Ward Stockholder"), or (iv) any Person that is
neither a McClendon Stockholder nor a Ward Stockholder but who or
which is the Beneficial Owner of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by a
McClendon Stockholder or Ward Stockholder (a "Second Tier
Stockholder"), but only if the shares of Common Stock otherwise
Beneficially Owned by such Second Tier Stockholder ("Second Tier
Holder Shares") do not exceed the sum of (A) such holder's Second Tier
Holder Shares held on the date hereof and (B) 1% of the shares of
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding.
(q) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(r) "Nasdaq" shall mean the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System.
(s) "NYSE" shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
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(t) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited
partnership or other entity, and shall include any successor (by
merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(u) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of
Certificate of Designations attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(v) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(b) hereof.
(w) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the
second paragraph hereof.
(x) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(y) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 23(a) hereof.
(z) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in
the preamble hereof.
(aa) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the first
recital of this Agreement.
(ab) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(a) hereof.
(ac) "Section 11(a)(iii) Trigger Date" shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ad) "Security" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.
(ae) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an
Acquiring Person has become such.
(af) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation
or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting
equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly,
by such Person.
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(ag) "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ah) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(b) hereof.
(ai) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.
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 and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on
the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person of, or of
the first public announcement of the intention of any Person to commence, a
tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person
becoming an Acquiring Person (including any such date which is after the date
of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such
dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will
be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Stock. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will
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<PAGE> 12
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, at the
expense of the Company, send) by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to
each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so
held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares,
in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
first- class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common 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 Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders
thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until
the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of
Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Stock which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Stock referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c) that are subsequently issued or distributed by
the Company) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
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<PAGE> 13
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date
shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them
the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of July
15, 1998 between Chesapeake Energy Corporation and UMB Bank, N.A. as
rights agent (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal executive offices of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such
Rights may be redeemed or be evidenced by separate certificates and
will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Chesapeake Energy
Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, Rights owned by or transferred to any Person who becomes an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement), and certain transferees thereof,
will become null and void and will no longer be transferable.
With respect to such certificate containing the foregoing legend,
until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented
thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Stock
after the Record Date but prior to 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 the Common Stock
which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
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<PAGE> 14
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 11, 13 and 22 hereof, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one- thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the
price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein, but the
number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of
the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such
Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
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<PAGE> 15
Company to sign such Right Certificates 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, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names
and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number
of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date
of each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of
Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered
to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon, the Rights Agent shall
countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
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<PAGE> 16
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up,
combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, at any
time after the Distribution Date and prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case
of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory
to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the
Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender
to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in
part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the Close of Business on July 27, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section
23 hereof (the "Redemption Date") and (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
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<PAGE> 17
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be
$25.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof (the "Purchase Price") and shall be payable in lawful
money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) of this
Section 7.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent
to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one one- thousandths of a
Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares with such depositary agent) and the
Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such request; (ii)
when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in
lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof;
(iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause
the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder; and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
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<PAGE> 18
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered
holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights
evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the
Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the
registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns,
subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any
purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 hereof or this
Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment or election to purchase set
forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such
transfer or exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity
of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy such
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<PAGE> 19
canceled Right Certificates, and, in such case, shall deliver a certificate of
destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. (a) The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out
of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in
its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the time that
a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other
securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed or admitted to
trading on the NYSE or listed on any other national securities exchange or
quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and
after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such
issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or listed on any other
exchange or quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.
(c) From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the
Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of
Preferred Shares (and following the time that a Person first becomes an
Acquiring Person, shares of Common Stock and other securities) upon the
exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such Preferred Shares (and
following the time that a Person first becomes an Acquiring Person, shares of
Common Stock and other securities) under the
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<PAGE> 20
Securities Act and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws (to the
extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration
statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such
filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the
earlier of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such
securities and the Final Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend,
for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in
order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act 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. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities Act (if
required) shall have been declared effective.
(d) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax
being payable by the holder of such Right
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<PAGE> 21
Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the
Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(e) The Company agrees to provide to the Rights Agent, immediately
following the later to occur of an event described in Section 11(a)(i)(B) or
Section 13 hereof or the Distribution Date, an opinion of counsel acceptable to
the Rights Agent that the shares of Common Stock underlying the Rights have
been or are being properly registered under the Securities Act and all
securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states, as applicable, or in the
alternative, the Rights are not subject to the registration under the
Securities Act and/or any securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states.
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights
shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated,
the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company
are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of
such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding
Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred
Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or
to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any
notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
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Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares or other
securities or property covered by each Right and the number of Rights
outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this
Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares
payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller
number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital
stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any
such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in
which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the
effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such
date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any
Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time
when the Preferred Share transfer books of the Company were open, such
holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than
the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.
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(ii) Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Agreement, in
the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, then (A) the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person, whether or not such Right was then
exercisable, and (B) each holder of a Right, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a)(ii) and Subsection 11(a)(iii) hereof,
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise at a price
equal to the Purchase Price (as so adjusted), in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number
of 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 one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right
is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Company's Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person
became an Acquiring Person; provided, however, that the Purchase Price
and the number of shares of Common Stock so receivable upon exercise
of a Right shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(f) hereof. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, however, from and after
the time (the "invalidation time") when any Person first becomes an
Acquiring Person, any Rights that are beneficially owned by (x) any
Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any Acquiring
Person), (y) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any such
Affiliate or Associate) who becomes a transferee after the
invalidation time or (z) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or any
such
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<PAGE> 24
Affiliate or Associate) who became a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the invalidation time pursuant to either (I) a
transfer from the Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities
or to any person with whom it has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (II)
a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a
plan, arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of
avoiding the provisions of this paragraph, and subsequent transferees
of such Persons, shall be void without any further action and any
holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no rights whatsoever with
respect to such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. The
Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions
of this Section 11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no
liability to any holder of Right 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. From and after the invalidation time, no Right Certificate
shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that
represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the
provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to
the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become void
pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. From
and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a)
hereof, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant
to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall thereafter be exercisable only in
accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii).
Notwithstanding the occurrence of an adjustment in accordance with
this Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights (other than those that have been
invalidated pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii)),
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<PAGE> 25
shall remain subject to redemption pursuant to Section 23 hereof on
the terms set forth herein.
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient
shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance
with the subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In
the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional
shares of Common Stock the Company shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable law and any material agreements then in effect to which the
Company is a party, (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the
shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) (the "Current Value")
over (2) the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of
one one-thousandths of Preferred Shares for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the time that the Acquiring Person
became such (such excess, the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each
Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii)), make adequate provision to substitute for the shares of
Common Stock issuable in accordance with subparagraph (ii) upon
exercise of the Right and payment of the applicable Purchase Price,
(1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Preferred Shares
or other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares or fractions of shares of preferred stock which, by
virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially
comparable to those of the shares of Common Stock, are deemed in good
faith by the Board of Directors
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<PAGE> 26
to have substantially the same value as the shares of Common Stock
(such shares of preferred stock and shares or fractions of shares of
preferred stock are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock
equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets,
or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having a value which, when
added to the value of the shares of Common Stock actually issued upon
exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the
Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Purchase
Price), where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected in good faith by the Board of Directors;
provided, however, that if the Company shall not make adequate
provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days
following the date that the Acquiring Person became such (the "Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, to the extent permitted by applicable law and any material
agreements then in effect to which the Company is a party, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available), and
then, if necessary, such number of fractions of Preferred Shares (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares
and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If, upon the
date any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors
shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance
upon exercise in full of the Rights, then, if the Board of Director so
elects, 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 stockholder
approval for the authorization
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of such additional shares (such 30-day period, as it may be extended,
is herein called the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the
Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the
second and/or third sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company
(x) shall provide, subject to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof and the last
sentence of this Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, that such action shall
apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution
Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or
to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to
such second 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 shares of Common Stock shall be the
current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i)) on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or
fractional value of any "Common Stock equivalent" shall be deemed to
equal the current per share market price of the Common Stock. The
Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to,
establish procedures to allocate the right to receive shares of Common
Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 11(a)(iii).
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance
of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling
them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or
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securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at
a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price
of the Preferred Shares on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the
total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be
offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and
the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on
such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or
equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible);
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
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(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of
a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination
shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion
of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value
of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current per share
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market price of the Security is determined during a period following the
announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution
on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible
into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of
such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such
subdivision, combination or reclassification then, and in each such case, the
current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the
current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price
for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the NYSE or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on
the NYSE, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading
Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on
which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction
of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange on which the security is listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
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(ii) For the purpose of an computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares
shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by 100. If neither the Common
Shares nor the Preferred Shares is publicly held or so listed or traded,
"current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken
into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which require such
adjustment and (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
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exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c),
inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the
Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment
of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after
such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior
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to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the
number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall
make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,
indicating the record date for the adjustment and, if known at the time, the
amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, such record date shall be at least 10 days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed
to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the
option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record
in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall he entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one
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one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one- thousandth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preferred Shares or other shares of capital stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may,
in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares or
other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company,
if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and
other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or
other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such
additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it, in its sole discretion, shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current per share
market price, issuance wholly for cash
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of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement
and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock)
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in any such
case the 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, of which the numerator shall be equal to the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event of which the denominator
is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a
subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common
Stock or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief
summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 23 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected
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in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and
shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment nor shall
it be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall
have received such certificate.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
Earning Power. (a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a
Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate
with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with
such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged
for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or
any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or
one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (A) each holder of a Right (other than Rights that have become void
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which
a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and
in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal
Party (as defined herein) not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of
first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by
(I) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred
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Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (II)
50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Stock of such
Principal Party (determined in accordance to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) on the
date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided
that the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock of such
Principal Party issuable upon exercise of each Right shall be further adjusted
as provided in Section 11(f) of this Agreement to reflect any events occurring
in respect of such Principal Party after the date of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this
Agreement; (C) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such
Principal Party; and (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of
Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
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 the shares of its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of
any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common
Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant
to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to,
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reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent
exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash,
shares, rights, warrants and other property.
(b) As used in this Section 13, "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(i) or (ii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the
Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the shares of
Common Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if
there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the shares of Common
Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares
outstanding, or (B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person
that is the other party to the merger, if such Person survives said
merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the
shares of Common Stock of which have the greatest aggregate market
value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other
party to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does
survive the merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the
Person resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause
(iii) of the first sentence in Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that
is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning
power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if
each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions
receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the
assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such
Persons as is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value of shares outstanding; provided, however, that in any
such case described in the foregoing clause (b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the
Common Stock of such Person is not at such time or has not been
continuously over the preceding 12-month
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period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the
Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, the term
"Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2) if such
Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one
Person, and the Common Stocks of all of such persons have been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest
aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same
Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply
to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the
Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of
such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case shall
bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as
its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer referred to in Section 13(a) hereof unless prior thereto the
Company and the Principal Party involved therein shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent an agreement confirming that the requirements of
Sections 13(a) and (b) hereof shall promptly be performed in accordance with
their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets
shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as
the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to Sections
13(a) and (b) hereof and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing
such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party will:
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(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective
(with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the Final Expiration Date, and similarly comply
with applicable state securities laws;
(ii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or
admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York
Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Stock of
the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the
New York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause
the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights
to be reported by such other system then in use;
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with
the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form)
under the Exchange Act; and
(iv) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or
preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal
Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.
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(d) In case the Principal Party has provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or
other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have
the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders
of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence
of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, shares of
Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then current per share
market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) or
securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock of such Principal
Party at less than such then current per share market price, or (ii) providing
for any special payment, tax or similar provision in connection with the
issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions
of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder
of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in
question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended,
or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable
provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of the proposed transaction.
(e) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after a Person first becomes an Acquiring Person enter into any
transaction of the type contemplated by any of clauses (i) - (iii) of Section
13(a) hereof if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or
other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
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immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer of other
transaction, the stockholders 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 or Associates or (z) the form or nature of organization of the
Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a
whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value
of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, 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
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asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the
Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date
no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall
provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of
the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of
fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a
Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise.
(c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares
of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock upon the exercise or
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exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the
Company 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 market
value of a whole share of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with
Section 14(a) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise or exchange.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of
the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right 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 Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his
own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner
provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations
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under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the
obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right thus:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates
are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or agency of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat
the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered on the registry books of the Company as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any
notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the
associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the
Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to
the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right
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Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote
for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at
any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or
to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except
as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right
Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. (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 other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection
with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs
and expenses (including attorney's fees) of defending against any claim of
liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly. The indemnification
provided for hereunder shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the
termination of this Agreement.
(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 administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Stock or
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer,
power of attorney,
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endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood
of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action.
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
stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
Rights Agent or in the
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name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound, and no implied duties or
obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting,
it may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the
Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that
any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to
taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed)
may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by my one of the Chairman of
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the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice
President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered
to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by
it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the
Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad
faith or willful misconduct
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason
of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this
Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature
thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements
and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the
Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right
Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition
contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void in accordance with Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights
(including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in
Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates
after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor
shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
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warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred
Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued,
be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed,
acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts,
instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or
the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice
or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be
liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in
acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the
Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the
option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed
to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and
the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such
omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for
any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance
with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five
Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually
receives such application, unless any such officer shall have
consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any
such action (or the
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effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall
have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director,
officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any
of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily
interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested,
or contract with or lead money to the Company or otherwise act as
fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder
either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss
to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or
misconduct.
(j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the
certificate contained in the form of assignment or the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may
be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring
Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof), the Rights Agent shall
not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting with the Company.
(k) 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
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believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(l) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice
or be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination
(including, without limitation, any dates or events defined in this
Agreement or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person,
Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and until the
rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company
of such fact, event or determination, and all notices shall be
effective if given in accordance with Section 26 hereof , and in the
absence of such notice the Rights Agent may conclusively assume that
no such event or condition exists.
(m) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the
Company, any holders of Rights or any holders of Common Stock for
interest or earnings on any monies held by the Rights Agent pursuant
to this Agreement.
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 or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and, at the expense of the Company, to the holders of the Right
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the
Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period
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of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in
writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated
Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the
registered holder of any Right Certificate or the retiring Rights Agent 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 any state of the United States so long as such
corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State
of Missouri or the State of New York, in good standing, having an office in the
State of State of Missouri or the State of New York, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject
to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at
the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of
at least $50 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed and the
duties and obligations of the retiring Rights Agent shall cease and terminate;
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 or Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect
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therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent,
as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date, the Company may with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold
pursuant to (i) the exercise of stock options, (ii) under any employee plan or
arrangement, (iii) upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities,
notes or debentures issued by the Company or (iv) a contractual obligation of
the Company in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at its option, at any time prior to the Close of Business on the 10th
business day after the Stock Acquisition Date, redeem all but not less than all
the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the
Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such
time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the
Company, in its sole
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discretion may establish. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the current market price of the
Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23 (or at such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for
the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the
only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any
such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days
after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all
the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the
Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common
Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice
of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption
Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in
Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Stock prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
at its option, at any time after any Person first becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding
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and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of 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 of the Company shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than an Exempt
Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding. From
and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13(a) hereof, any
Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a)
shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not
be exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a). The exchange of the Rights by the
Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights hold 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
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herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the
exchange of the Common 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 the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of
Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event
the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action
as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Stock, the Company
shall substitute, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be
issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction
thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share
multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market
price of one share of Common Stock as of the date of issuance of such Preferred
Shares or fraction thereof.
(d) 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 shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with
regard to which such shares of fractional Common Stock would otherwise be
issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this Section
24(d), the current market value of a whole share
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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
at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Stock
Acquisition Date propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class
to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the
holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend),
(ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision or combination of outstanding Preferred Shares),
(iv) to effect any consolidation or merger with or into, or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the
assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date
for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants,
or the date on which such reclassification. consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date
of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so
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given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10
days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares
for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13
hereof shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter
give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or if occurring prior to the
Distribution Date, the holders of the Common Stock), in accordance with Section
26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 hereof, as the case may be.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
registered or certified mail and deemed given upon receipt, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
6100 North Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by registered or certified mail and deemed given upon receipt,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
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UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent
928 Grand Avenue, 13th Floor
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Except as otherwise provided
in this Section 27, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company
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 in any
respect without the approval of any holders of the Rights, including, without
limitation, as long as the Rights are then redeemable, to extend the period
during which the Rights may be redeemed. At any time when the Rights are no
longer redeemable, except as otherwise provided in this Section 27, the Company
may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend
this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in
order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv)
change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable; provided that no such supplement or amendment
shall adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other
than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person),
and no such amendment may cause the rights again to become redeemable or cause
the Agreement again to become amendable
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other than in accordance with this sentence. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment shall
be made which decreases the Redemption Price. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company and an opinion of
counsel reasonably acceptable to the Rights Agent which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or
amendment that changes the rights and duties of the Rights Agent under this
Agreement will be effective against the Rights Agent without the execution of
such supplement or amendment by the Rights Agent.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, 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 Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common
Stock).
Section 30. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors. The
Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement,
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including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary
or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this
Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the
foregoing) that are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in
good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and
(y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State, except as to the rights and duties of the
Rights Agent which shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Missouri.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
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<PAGE> 63
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
By: /s/ Aubrey K. McClendon
------------------------------------
Aubrey K. McClendon
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
UMB Bank, N.A.,
as Rights Agent
By: /s/ Nancy Hoffman
------------------------------------
Nancy Hoffman
Senior Vice President
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<PAGE> 64
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
[FILED AS EXHIBIT 3
TO THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON
FORM 8-A]
<PAGE> 65
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 27, 2008 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.01 PER
RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
This certifies that _______________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of July 15, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Chesapeake Energy Corporation, an Oklahoma corporation (the "Company"), and UMB
Bank, N.A. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after
the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and
prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City, New York time, on July 27, 2008 at the
principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
(the "Preferred Shares") at a purchase price of $25.00 (subject to adjustment as
provided in the Rights Agreement) per one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
July 27, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.
B-1
<PAGE> 66
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.01 per
share.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of
the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of ______________________, __________.
B-2
<PAGE> 67
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
ATTEST:
By
- --------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Countersigned: [ ]
By
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
B-3
<PAGE> 68
FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _______________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers
onto ___________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated:_______________________, ____
Signature ______________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution (as
defined in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 17 Ad-15 (17 CFR 240.17
Ad-15)).
________________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
B-4
<PAGE> 69
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise
Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)
To: Chesapeake Energy Corporation
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security __________________
or other identifying number __________________
___________________________ __________________
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security __________________
or other identifying number __________________
___________________________ __________________
(Please print name and address)
Dated:__________________, ______
Signature __________________________________
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution (as
defined in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 17 Ad-15 (17 CFR 240.17
Ad-15)).
B-5
<PAGE> 70
(Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued)
________________________________________________________________________________
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
B-6
<PAGE> 71
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
<PAGE> 72
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On July 7, 1998, the Board of Directors of Chesapeake Energy
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one preferred
stock purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock,
par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company. The distribution
is payable on July 27, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record
on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase
from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred
Stock") at a price of $25.00, subject to adjustment. The following is a
summary of the Rights; the full description and terms of the Rights are set
forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and
UMB Bank, N.A., as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Copies of the Rights Agreement and the Certificate of Designation are
available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the
Rights and the Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the Rights Agreement and
the Certificate of Designation, including the definitions therein of certain
terms, which Rights Agreement and Certificate of Designation are incorporated
herein by reference.
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Initially, the Rights will attach to all certificates representing
shares of outstanding Company Common Stock, and no separate Rights Certificates
will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Company Common Stock
and the Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following
the date of public announcement that a person or group of persons has become an
Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) or (ii) 10 business days (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to
the time a person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of,
or the announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer
upon consummation of which the offeror would, if successful, become an
Acquiring Person (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution
Date").
The term "Acquiring Person" means any person who or which, together
with all of its affiliates and associates, shall be the beneficial owner of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common Stock, but shall not include (i) the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company,
(ii) Aubrey K. McClendon, his spouse, lineal descendants and ascendants, heirs,
executors or other legal representatives and any trusts established for the
benefit of the foregoing, or (iii) Tom L. Ward, his spouse, lineal descendants
and ascendants, heirs, executors or other legal representatives and any trusts
established for the benefit of the foregoing, or any other person or entity in
which the foregoing persons or entities are at the time of
<PAGE> 73
determination the direct record and beneficial owners of all outstanding voting
securities (collectively, "Exempt Persons").
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Stock, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or
a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Rights Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on July 27, 2008 (the "Expiration Date").
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of one one-thousandths of a
share 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) upon the grant to holders of
the Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase
shares of Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock with a conversion price, less than the then 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 periodic cash
dividends paid or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to in (ii) above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of each Right are also
subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Stock or a
stock dividend on the Common Stock payable in the Common Stock or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Stock occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
In the event that following a Stock Acquisition Date (the date of
public announcement that an Acquiring Person has become such) the Company is
acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or more than 50%
of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be
made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that
number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of
such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of
the Right (the "Flip-Over Right").
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<PAGE> 74
In the event that a person (other than an Exempt Person) becomes an
Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right
(other than the Acquiring Person and its affiliates and associates) will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of shares of
Common Stock (or, under certain circumstances, cash, other equity securities or
property of the Company) having a market value equal to two times the Purchase
Price of the Rights (the "Flip-In Right"). Upon the occurrence of the
foregoing event giving rise to the exercisability of the Rights, any Rights
that are or were at any time owned by an Acquiring Person shall become void.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. Upon exercise of the Rights, no fractional shares of
Preferred Stock will be issued other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock; cash will be paid
in lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples
of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) 5:00 p.m., Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma time on the 10th day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii)
the expiration of the Rights, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but
not in part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"); provided,
that (i) if the Board of Directors authorizes redemption on or after the time a
person becomes an Acquiring Person, then such authorization must be by Board
Approval (as hereinafter defined) and (ii) the period for redemption may, upon
Board Approval, be extended by amending the Rights Agreement. The term "Board
Approval" means the approval of a majority of the directors of the Company.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights described in this paragraph, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders
of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors
without the consent of the holders of the Rights at any time and from time to
time provided that such amendment does not adversely affect the interests of
the holders of the Rights. In addition, during any time that the Rights are
subject to redemption, the terms of the Rights may be amended by Board
Approval, including an amendment that adversely affects the interests of the
holders of the Rights, without the consent of the holders of Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights become exercisable for Preferred Stock (or other consideration).
-3-
<PAGE> 75
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
Each one-thousandth of a share of the Preferred Stock ("Preferred
Share Fraction") that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights will be
nonredeemable and subordinate to any other shares of preferred stock that may
be issued by the Company.
Each Preferred Share Fraction will have a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend rate of $0.01 per Preferred Share Fraction but will, in any
event, be entitled to a dividend equal to the per share dividend declared on
the Company Common Stock.
In the event of liquidation, the holder of a Preferred Share Fraction
will receive a preferred liquidation payment equal to the greater of $0.01 per
Preferred Share Fraction or the per share amount paid in respect of a share of
Company Common Stock.
Each Preferred Share Fraction will have one vote, voting together with
the Company Common Stock. The holders of Preferred Share Fractions, voting as
a separate class, shall be entitled to elect two directors if dividends on the
Preferred Stock are in arrears for six fiscal quarters.
In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in
which shares of Company Common Stock are exchanged, each Preferred Share
Fraction will be entitled to receive the per share amount paid in respect of
each share of Company Common Stock.
The rights of holders of the Preferred Stock to dividends, liquidation
and voting, and in the event of mergers and consolidations, are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Stock's dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the economic value of one Preferred Share Fraction that may
be acquired upon the exercise of each Right should approximate the economic
value of one share of the Company's Common Stock.
-4-
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 3
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF
CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION
(PURSUANT TO SECTION 1032 OF THE GENERAL
CORPORATION ACT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA)
------------------------------------
Chesapeake Energy Corporation, a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Oklahoma (hereinafter called
the "Company"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was duly adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Company as required by Section 1032 of the
General Corporation Act of the State of Oklahoma and in accordance with Article
IV of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, at a meeting duly
called and held on July 7, 1998:
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as
amended to date (hereinafter called the "Certificate of Incorporation"), the
Company is authorized to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock") from time to time, of which
4,600,000 shares have been designated as the 7% Cumulative Convertible Preferred
Stock and are currently outstanding; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of
the Company in accordance with the General Corporation Act of the State of
Oklahoma and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors
is authorized by resolution duly adopted, to designate shares of Preferred Stock
to be issued, in one or more series, to provide for the designation thereof of
the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or
other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof;
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter called the "Board of Directors"
or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Company's Certificate
of Incorporation, the Board of Directors on July 7, 1998 adopted the following
resolutions to create a new series of Preferred Stock; and be it further
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma
General Corporation Act and the
-1-
<PAGE> 2
Certificate of Incorporation, a Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock of the Corporation is hereby created, and 250,000 shares of Preferred
Stock shall be reserved for issuance as Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock in accordance with this Certificate of Designation with the designations
thereof and the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights of the shares of such series, and the
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as set forth below:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred
Stock shall be 250,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company convertible
into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock of the Company (the "Preferred Stock") (or any similar stock)
ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to
the holders of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the
"Common Stock") and of any other stock of the Company ranking junior to the
Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor, quarterly
dividends payable in cash on the last day of January, April, July, and October
in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance
of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per
share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $10.00 and (b)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, declared
on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Dividend Payment Date or,
with respect to the first Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any
share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event that the
Company shall at any time after July 27, 1998 declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were
entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding
sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
-2-
<PAGE> 3
(B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after
it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no
dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the
period between any Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock
shall nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such subsequent
Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not
earned or declared, on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the
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
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
Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly
dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on
the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount
of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth and
except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or required by
law, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
1,000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the
Company are entitled to vote. In the event the Company shall at any time after
July 27, 1998 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares
of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share
to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately
prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of
Incorporation or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of
Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except
-3-
<PAGE> 4
as otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the
Company having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law or the
Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no
special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not earned or declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding
shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
on any shares of stock ranking junior (as to dividends) to the Series A
Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (as to
dividends) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid
ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on
which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total
amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series
A Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at any time redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in
exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking junior (as to
dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock or rights, warrants or options to acquire such
junior stock;
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance
with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined
by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the
respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will
result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Company unless the Company could,
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under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares
at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be
retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares
shall upon their retirement 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 any
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be
made (A) to the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of
the Company ranking junior, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the
Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock shall have received $10.00 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividend distributions thereon, whether or not earned or
declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per
share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to
1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of
shares of Common Stock, or (B) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a
parity upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series A Preferred
Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all
such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Series A Preferred Stock liquidation preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Company,
if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in respect
thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed
ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such
parity shares in the proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event the Company shall at any time after July 27, 1998 declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso
in clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In the case the Company shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are converted into, exchanged for or changed into
other stock or securities, cash and/or any property, then in any such case each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
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converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to
the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is converted, exchanged or converted. In the event the Company shall at any time
after July 27, 1998 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the conversion, exchange or change of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall not be redeemable from any holder.
Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect
to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to all other series of
Preferred Stock and senior to the Common Stock.
Section 10. Amendment. If any proposed amendment to the Certificate of
Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designations) would alter, change
or repeal any of the preferences, powers or special rights given to the Series A
Preferred Stock so as to affect the Series A Preferred Stock adversely, then the
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately as
a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the
outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a
class, shall be necessary for the adoption thereof, in addition to such other
vote as may be required by the General Corporation Act of the State of Oklahoma.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued
in fractions of a share that 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 Preferred Stock.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on
behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
and attested by its Secretary this 7th day of July, 1998.
/s/ Aubrey K. McClendon
---------------------------------
Aubrey K. McClendon
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
Attest: /s/ Janice A. Dobbs
------------------------------
Janice A. Dobbs
Corporate Secretary
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