SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
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FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
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(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
New York 11-3096377
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(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
incorporation or organization)
450 Park Avenue, Suite 2603, New York, New York 10022
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Name of each exchange on which each
to be so registered class is to be registered
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Preference Share Purchase Rights American Stock Exchange
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
On November 11, 1997, the Board of Directors of Hospitality
Worldwide Services, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preference
share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is
payable on December 3, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on
that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the
Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preference Stock, par value
$1.00 per share (the "Preference Shares"), of the Company at a price of $80 per
one one-hundredth of a Preference Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of November 24, 1997, between the
Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of the
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights (the "Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of
record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date
and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on , 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preference
Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preference Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preference Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preference Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preference Shares with a conversion price,
less than the then-current market price of the Preference Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preference Shares of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of
earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preference Shares) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preference Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preference Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Preference Share will be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preference Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preference Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preference Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preference Shares' dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preference Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its
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consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become
an Acquiring Person, proper provisions will be made so that each holder of a
Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any
person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will
have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preference Share (or of a share of a class or
series of the Company's preference stock having equivalent rights, preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preference Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preference
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preference Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such
basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less
than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by
any person or
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group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except that from and
after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests
of the holders of the Rights.
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.
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will
cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the
Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, except
pursuant to an offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being
acquired. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business
combination approved by the Board of Directors since the Rights may be redeemed
by the Company at the Redemption Price prior to the time that a person or group
has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Common Shares.
The Rights Agreement, dated as of , 1997, between the Company
and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent, specifying the
terms of the Rights and including the form of the Certificate of Designations
setting forth the terms of the Preference Shares as an exhibit thereto is
attached hereto as an exhibit and is incorporated herein by reference. The
foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to
such exhibit.
ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.
1. Rights Agreement, dated as of November 24, 1997,
between Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, which
includes the Form of Certificate of Designations
setting forth the terms of the Series A Preference
Stock, par value $.01 per share, as Exhibit A, the
form of Right Certificate as Exhibit B and the
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preference Shares as
Exhibit C.
Pursuant to the Rights Agreement, printed Right
Certificates will not be mailed until as soon as
practicable after the earlier of the tenth day after
public announcement that a person or group has
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
Common Shares or the tenth business day (or such
later date as may be determined by action of the
Board of Directors) after a person commences, or
announces its intention to commence, a tender offer
or exchange offer the consummation of which would
result in the beneficial ownership by a
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person or group of 20% or more of the Common Shares.
2. Form of Letter from the Board of Directors of
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. to Stockholders
to be mailed with copies of the Summary of Rights.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
Dated: November 24, 1997 HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
By: /s/ Howard Anders
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Name: Howard Anders
Title: Executive Vice
President, Chief
Financial Officer
and Secretary
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EXHIBIT LIST
1. Rights Agreement, dated as of November 24, 1997, between Hospitality
Worldwide Services, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, which includes the form of Certificate of Designations setting
forth the terms of the Series A Preference Stock, par value $.01 per
share, as Exhibit A, the form of Right Certificate as Exhibit B and the
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preference Shares as Exhibit C.
2. Form of Letter from the Board of Directors of Hospitality Worldwide
Services, Inc. to Stockholders to be mailed with copies of the Summary
of Rights.
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HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
and
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, As
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of November 24, 1997
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Agreement, dated as of November 24, 1997, between Hospitality
Worldwide Services, Inc., a New York corporation (the "Company"), and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preference share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on December 3,
1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-hundredth of a Preference Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are
hereinafter defined).
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates
(as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, after the date hereof,
shall become the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20%
or more of the
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Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the
Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing
the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares
beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such
share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional
Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person". Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.
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(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the
passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (other than customary agreements with and
between underwriters and selling group members with respect to
a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other
than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for
purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote
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pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security
pursuant to this clause (B) if the agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to
a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and
in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then
reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or
indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with
respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or
disposing of any securities of the Company. Notwithstanding
anything in this definition of Beneficial
Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with
reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall
mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the
number of such securities not
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then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own
beneficially hereunder.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
(g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3 hereof.
(h) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7 hereof.
(i) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.
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(j) "Preference Shares" shall mean shares of Series A
Preference Stock, par value $1.00 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.
(k) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.
(l) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of
public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier
of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
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Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the
intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result
in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 20% or
more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and
not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right
Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in
substantially the form of EXHIBIT B hereto (a
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"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preference
Shares, in substantially the form of EXHIBIT C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as
of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will
be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof
together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the
earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration
Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have
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impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. and Continental Stock
Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of November 24, 1997 (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 Hospitality
Worldwide Services, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set
forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced
by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by
this certificate. Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. will
mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights
Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an
Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing
legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates
alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any
Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired
so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with
the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding. Section 4. Form of Right
Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
Preference Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof)
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shall be substantially the same as EXHIBIT B hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22
hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase
such number of one one-hundredths of a Preference Share as shall be set forth
therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preference Share set forth
therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such one one-hundredths of a
Preference Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.
In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall
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cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of
business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
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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-hundredths of a Preference 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 charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates. Upon receipt
by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in
case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the
Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and
upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for
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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-hundredth of a
Preference Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the close of business on December 3, 2007 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preference Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $80, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11 or 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) 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
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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 Preference Shares
certificates for the number of Preference Shares to be purchased and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preference Share as are to
be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preference Shares represented
by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash
to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section
14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,
cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of
such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights
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Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split
up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Availability of Preference Shares. The Company
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Preference Shares or any Preference Shares held in
its treasury, the number of Preference 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
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may be necessary to ensure that all Preference Shares delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preference
Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Preference 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 Preference
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 Preference Shares upon the exercise
of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no
such tax is due.
Section 10. Preference Shares Record Date. Each person in
whose name any certificate for Preference Shares is issued upon the exercise of
Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
the Preference Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the date upon
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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 Preference 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
Preference 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 Preference Shares for which the Rights
shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to
receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights,
and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preference Shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preference Shares payable
in Preference Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preference Shares, (C)
combine the outstanding Preference Shares into a smaller number of Preference
Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
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Preference 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 Preference Shares transfer books of the Company were
open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have
a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preference
Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preference Shares, such number of Common Shares of
the Company as shall equal the result
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obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preference 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 Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the
date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become
an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall
not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that
are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of
such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the
transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to
any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be
cancelled.
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(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event
the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as
may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise
of a Right, a number of Preference Shares or fraction thereof such that the
current per share market price of one Preference Share multiplied by such number
or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share
as of the date of issuance of such Preference Shares or fraction thereof.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preference Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preference Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preference Shares ("equivalent
preference shares")) or securities convertible into Preference Shares or
equivalent preference shares at a price per Preference Share or equivalent
preference share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preference Shares or equivalent preference shares) less than
the then current per share
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market price of the Preference Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such
record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
Preference Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preference
Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preference
Shares and/or equivalent preference 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 Preference Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preference Shares and/or equivalent preference
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. Preference Shares owned by or held for the account
of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such
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adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and
in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a distribution to all holders of the Preference 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
Preference 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 Preference 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 Preference Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preference 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
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the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one
Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible 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,
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in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the American
Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
American Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System
("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of the Preference Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preference
Shares are not publicly traded, the
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"current per share market price" of the Preference Shares shall be conclusively
deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as
determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If neither the Common Shares nor the
Preference Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share
market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-
millionth of a Preference Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or
security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section
11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than
the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires
such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.
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(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 Preference
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preference Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preference 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-hundredths of a
Preference 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-hundredths of a Preference Share (calculated to the nearest one
one-millionth of a Preference Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to
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this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preference 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-hundredths of a Preference Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
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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 be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed
shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein
and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preference 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
one-hundredths of a Preference 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-hundredth of the then par value, if
any, of the Preference Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company
shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be
necessary in order
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that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable
Preference 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 Preference Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preference 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 Preference
Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preference Shares at less than the
current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preference Shares or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for
Preference Shares, dividends on Preference Shares payable in Preference Shares
or issuance of rights, options or
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warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company
to holders of its Preference Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preference Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preference Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments
provided for in this Section 11(m) 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
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Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate
setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for
such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for
the Common Shares or the Preference Shares a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance
with Section 25 hereof.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after
a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with
the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price
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equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preference Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preference Shares,
such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preference Share for which a Right is then exercisable and
dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such
issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
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agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would
eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute
Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the American Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or
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admitted to trading on the American Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preference Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preference Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preference Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preference
Share). Fractions of Preference Shares in integral multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preference 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
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of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preference
Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preference
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preference
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 Preference Share. For the
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preference Share
shall be the closing price of a Preference Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent
under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the
Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders
of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or,
prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of
the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common
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Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a
Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is
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registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates
or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the
Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.
No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preference Shares or
any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and
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other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted
by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises. In no case will the Rights Agent be liable for
special, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profit), even if the Rights Agent
has been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage.
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 Preference Shares or Common Shares or for
other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set
forth in Section 20 hereof.
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Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be
eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such
Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have
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been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice
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President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the
Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights
Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company
and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount
thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the
existence
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of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice
that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preference Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preference 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.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in
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any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily
interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or
contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely
as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall
preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or
for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preference Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preference Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Right Certificates by first-class mail.
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If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or
by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be a legal business entity organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New
York (or of any other state of the United States so long as such entity is
authorized to do business in the State of New York, in good standing, having an
office in the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority) and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $25
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it
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hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or
deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or
Preference Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in
this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after
the date hereof
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(such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price").
The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at
such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in
its sole discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of
redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price
will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may
redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other
than that
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specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.
Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights
(which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange
ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or
any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal
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to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall
not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a
notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected
and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number
of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company
shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall
substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange
of a Right, a number of Preference Shares or fraction
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thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preference Share
multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market
price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preference Shares
or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the
purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share
shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the
second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company
shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of its Preference Shares or to make any other distribution to the
holders of its Preference Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend),
(ii) to offer to the holders of its Preference Shares rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preference Shares or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preference Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of
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outstanding Preference Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into
or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of
its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preference Shares, if any
such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any
action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record
date for determining holders of the Preference Shares for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the
date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preference Shares, whichever shall be
the earlier.
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(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc.
450 Park Avenue
Suite 2603
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or
demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
2 Broadway
New York, New York 10004
Attention: Compliance Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of
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any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as
shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from
time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect
to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such
supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and
the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner
which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to such time as any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds
set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum
of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known
by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the Company,
any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%.
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Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Shares).
Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of New York 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.
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Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
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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.
HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
By /s/ Robert A. Berman
----------------------------------------
Name: Robert A. Berman
Title: President
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST
COMPANY
By /s/ William F. Seegraber
----------------------------------------
Name: William F. Seegraber
Title: Vice President
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
PREFERRED STOCK
OF
HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 501 of the
New York Business Corporation Law)
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc., a corporation incorporated on
October 10, 1991 and organized and existing under the New York Business
Corporation Law (hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that
the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation as required by Section 501 of the Business Corporation Law at a
meeting duly called and held on November 28, 1997:
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") is authorized to provide for the issuance of the
shares of preferred stock, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the
applicable law of the State of New York, to establish from time to time the
number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the
designations, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors desires, pursuant to its authority as
aforesaid, to designate a new series of preferred stock, set the number of
shares constituting such series and fix the rights, preferences, privileges and
restrictions of such series.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors hereby
creates a series of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preference
Stock"), of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of
shares, and fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof, in
addition to the provisions set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation which are applicable to Preference Stock of all series, as follows:
Preference Stock:
Section 1. Designation, Amount and Par Value. The series of
Preference Stock shall be designated as "Series A Preference Stock" (the "Series
A Preference Stock"), and the number of shares so designated shall be 100,000.
The par value of each share of Preference Stock shall be $1.00. 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
Preference Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding
plus the number
<PAGE>
of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights
or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
Corporation convertible into Series A Preference Stock.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preference Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and
superior to the Series A Preference Stock with respect to dividends,
the holders of shares of Series A Preference Stock, in preference to
the holders of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be
entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December
in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share
of Series A Preference Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the
nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate
per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per
share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect
to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preference Stock. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of
shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preference 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.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Preference Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this
Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been
declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preference
Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date.
A-2
<PAGE>
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Preference Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on
such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series A Preference Stock entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares
of Series A Preference 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 Preference 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
Preference Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Preference Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which
holders of shares of Series A Preference 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 any other
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preference Stock or
any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A
Preference Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any
other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights
shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or
herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preference
Stock shall have no special
A-3
<PAGE>
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. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A
Preference Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any
manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preference Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preference Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set
forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate
of Designations creating a series of Preference Stock or any similar stock or as
otherwise required by law.
Section 5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preference Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A
Preference Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A
Preference Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preference Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preference Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
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 Preference Stock were entitled immediately prior
to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 6. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A Preference Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at
A-4
<PAGE>
any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the
preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A
Preference 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 7. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preference
Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 8. Rank. The Series A Preference Stock shall be of
equal rank in respect of the preference as to dividends and to payments upon the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, of the
Corporation, with all shares of Preference Stock of all series.
Section 9. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preference
Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders
of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preference Stock,
voting together as a single class.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
A-5
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate of
Designations, and do affirm the foregoing as true under penalties of perjury,
this 28th day of November, 1997.
HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
By: /s/ Robert Berman
---------------------------------
Robert Berman
President
By: /s/ Howard Anders
---------------------------
Howard Anders
Secretary
A-6
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 3, 2007 OR
EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01
PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
Right Certificate
HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
This certifies that , or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of November 24, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc., a New York corporation (the "Company"),
and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
December 3, 2007 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office
of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid
non-assessable share of Series A Preference Stock, par value $1.00 per share
(the "Preference Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $80 per one
one-hundredth of a Preference Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation
and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase
duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preference 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 __________, 1997, based on the Preference
Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the
Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preference 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 above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.
B-1
<PAGE>
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preference Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Preference Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share.
No fractional Preference Shares will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preference 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 Preference 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 a 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.
B-2
<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of , .
ATTEST: HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
By: ___________________
Countersigned:
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By: ___________________
Authorized Officer
B-3
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within
Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Dated: ,
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
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: HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the
Preference Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that
certificates for such Preference 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
B-5
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
Signature Guaranteed:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-6
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERENCE SHARES
On November 11, 1997, the Board of Directors of Hospitality
Worldwide Services, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one
preference share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common
stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The
dividend distribution is payable on December 3, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the
stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preference
Stock, par value $1.00 share (the "Preference Shares"), of the Company at a
price of $80 per one one-hundredth of a Preference Share (the "Purchase Price"),
subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in
a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person
or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution
Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share
certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of
Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of
the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
C-1
<PAGE>
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.
The Rights will expire on December 3, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless
the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed
or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preference
Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preference Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preference Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preference Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preference Shares with a conversion price,
less than the then-current market price of the Preference Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preference Shares of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of
earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preference Shares) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preference Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preference Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each Preference Share will be entitled to a minimum
preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In
the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preference Shares will be entitled
to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each Preference Share will have 100 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preference Share will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received
C-2
<PAGE>
per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preference Shares' dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a
Preference Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the
value of one Common Share.
In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or
group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will
have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share, or one one-hundredth of a Preference Share (or of a share of a class or
series of the Company's preference stock having equivalent rights, preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preference Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preference
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preference Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price").
C-3
<PAGE>
The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights,
including an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less
than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the
outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by
any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except
that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated
persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the
interests of the holders of the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A dated December 2, 1997. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available
free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
Form of Letter to Stockholders
[HOSPITALITY WORLDWIDE SERVICES, INC. LETTERHEAD]
[ ], 1997
To Our Stockholders:
The Company has recently declared a dividend distribution of
Preference Share Purchase Rights (the "Rights"), thereby creating a Stockholder
Rights Plan (the "Plan"). This letter describes the Plan and the reasons of the
Company's Board of
Directors (the "Board") for adopting it.
The Rights contain provisions to protect stockholders in the event of
an unsolicited attempt to acquire the Company, including a gradual accumulation
of shares in the open market, a partial or two-tier tender offer that does not
treat all stockholders equally, a squeeze-out merger and other abusive takeover
tactics which the Board believes are not in the best interests of stockholders.
These tactics unfairly pressure stockholders, squeeze them out of their
investment without giving them any real choice and deprive them of the full
value of their shares.
Over 1,700 companies, including approximately half of the Business
Week 1000 companies and Fortune 500 companies, have issued rights to protect
their stockholders against these tactics. We consider the Plan to be the best
available means of protecting both your right to retain your equity investment
in Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. and the full value of that investment,
while not foreclosing a fair acquisition bid for the Company.
The Rights are not intended to prevent a takeover of the Company and
will not do so. However, they should deter any attempt to acquire the Company in
a manner or on terms not approved by the Board. The Rights are designed to deal
with the very serious problem of another person or company using abusive tactics
to deprive the Company's Board and its stockholders of any real opportunity to
determine the destiny of the Company.
The Rights may be redeemed by the Board for one cent per Right prior
to the accumulation, through open-market purchases, a tender offer or otherwise,
of 20% or more of the Company's shares by a single acquiror or group. Because of
the redemption feature, the Rights should not interfere with any merger or
business combination approved by the Board prior to that time.
The Board believes that the issuance of the Rights does not in any
way weaken the financial strength of the Company or interfere with its business
plans. The issuance of the Rights has
<PAGE>
no dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings per share, is not taxable
to the Company or to you, and will not change the way in which you can presently
trade the Company's shares. As explained in detail below, the Rights will only
be exercisable if and when the problem arises which they were created to deal
with. They will then operate to protect you against being deprived of your right
to share in the full measure of your Company's long-term potential.
The Board was aware when it acted that some people have advanced
arguments that securities of the sort we are issuing deter legitimate
acquisition proposals. We carefully considered these views and concluded that
the arguments are speculative and do not justify leaving stockholders without
any protection against unfair treatment by an acquiror, who, after all, is
seeking his own company's advantage, not yours. The Board believes that these
Rights represent a sound and reasonable means of addressing the complex issues
of corporate policy created by the current takeover environment.
The Rights were issued on December 3, 1997 to stockholders of record
on that date and will expire in ten years. Initially, the Rights will not be
exercisable, certificates will not be sent to you, and the Rights will
automatically trade with the common shares. However, ten days after a person or
group acquires 20% or more of the Company's shares, or ten business days (or
such later date as may be determined by the Board prior to a person or group
acquiring 20% or more of the Company's shares) after a person or group announces
an offer the consummation of which would result in such person or group owning
20% or more of the shares (even if no purchases actually occur), the Rights will
become exercisable and separate certificates representing the Rights will be
distributed. We expect that the Rights will begin to trade independently from
the Company's shares at that time. At no time will the Rights have any voting
power.
When the Rights first become exercisable, unless a holder is a person
or group who has acquired 20% or more of the Company's shares, that holder will
be entitled to buy from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of a new series
of participating preference stock for $80.00. If the Company is involved in a
merger or other business combination with a person or group or affiliate at any
time after that person or group has acquired 20% or more of the Company's
shares, the Rights will entitle a holder to buy a number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company having a market value of twice the exercise price
of each Right. For example, if at the time of the business combination the
acquiring company's stock has a per share value of $60, the holder of each Right
would be entitled to receive 4 shares of the acquiring company's common stock
for $120, i.e., at a 50% discount.
-2-
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If any person or group acquires 20% or more of the Company's
outstanding common stock, the "flip-in" provision of the Rights will be
triggered and the Rights will entitle a holder (other than such person or any
member of such group) to buy a number of additional shares of common stock of
the Company having a market value of twice the exercise price of each Right.
Thus, if at the time of the 20% acquisition the Company's stock were to have a
market value per share equal to $10, the holder of each Right (other than such
person or any member of such group) would be entitled to receive 4 shares of the
Company's common stock for $20.
Following the acquisition by any person or group of 20% or more of
the Company's common stock, but only prior to the acquisition by a person or
group of a 50% stake, the Board will also have the ability to exchange the
Rights (other than Rights held by such person or group), in whole or in part,
for one share of common stock (or one one-hundredth of a share of the new series
of participating preference stock) per Right. This provision will have an
economically dilutive effect on the acquiror, and provide a corresponding
benefit to the remaining rightsholders, that is comparable to the flip-in
without requiring rightsholders to go through the process and expense of
exercising their Rights.
While, as noted above, the distribution of the Rights will not be
taxable to you or the Company, stockholders may recognize taxable income upon
the occurrence of certain subsequent events.
In addition to authorizing the purchase rights, your Board today
authorized the new series of participating preference stock purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights. The shares of the new series of participating preference
stock will be nonredeemable. Each preference share will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend equal to the greater of $1 per share or 100 times the
dividend declared on the common shares. In the event of liquidation, the holders
of the preference shares will be entitled to receive an aggregate liquidation
payment equal to the greater of $100 or 100 times the payment made per share of
common stock. Each preference share will have 100 votes, voting together with
the common shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other
transaction in which common shares are exchanged, each preference share will be
entitled to receive 100 times the amount of consideration received per common
share. These rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. In the
event of issuance of preference shares upon exercise of the Rights, in order to
facilitate trading a depositary receipt may be issued for each one one-hundredth
of a preference share. The dividend, liquidation and voting rights, and the
nonredemption feature, of the preference shares are designed so that the value
of the one-hundredth interest in a preference share purchasable with each right
will approximate the value of one share of common stock.
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In declaring the Rights dividend, we have expressed our confidence in
the future of the Company and our determination that you, our stockholders, be
given every opportunity to participate fully in that future.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
By_________________________________
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