TEEKAY SHIPPING CORP
8-A12B, EX-1, 2000-09-11
DEEP SEA FOREIGN TRANSPORTATION OF FREIGHT
Previous: TEEKAY SHIPPING CORP, 8-A12B, 2000-09-11
Next: SYMBOLLON CORP, 8-K, 2000-09-11



<PAGE>   1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           TEEKAY SHIPPING CORPORATION

                                       AND

                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
                                  RIGHTS AGENT

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                          DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2000


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





<PAGE>   2



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<C>               <S>                                                                                     <C>

Section 1.        Certain Definitions.....................................................................1

Section 2.        Appointment of Rights Agent.............................................................5

Section 3.        Issue of Right Certificates.............................................................5

Section 4.        Form of Right Certificates..............................................................7

Section 5.        Countersignature and Registration.......................................................7

Section 6.        Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
                  Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates............................................8

Section 7.        Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...........................9

Section 8.        Cancellation of Right Certificates.....................................................10

Section 9.        Availability of Common Stock...........................................................10

Section 10.       Common Stock Record Date...............................................................11

Section 11.       Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.....................11

Section 12.       Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.............................18

Section 13.       Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power...................19

Section 14.       Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares................................................20

Section 15.       Rights of Action.......................................................................21

Section 16.       Agreement of Right Holders.............................................................22

Section 17.       Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder......................................23

Section 18.       Concerning the Rights Agent............................................................23

Section 19.       Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent..............................24
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   3

<TABLE>
<C>               <S>                                                                                     <C>
Section 20.       Duties of Rights Agent.................................................................24

Section 21.       Change of Rights Agent.................................................................27

Section 22.       Issuance of New Right Certificates.....................................................28

Section 23.       Redemption.............................................................................28

Section 24.       Exchange...............................................................................29

Section 25.       Notice of Certain Events...............................................................30

Section 26.       Notices................................................................................31

Section 27.       Supplements and Amendments.............................................................32

Section 28.       Waiver.................................................................................32

Section 29.       Successors.............................................................................33

Section 30.       Benefits of This Agreement.............................................................33

Section 31.       Severability...........................................................................33

Section 32.       Governing Law..........................................................................33

Section 33.       Counterparts...........................................................................33

Section 34.       Descriptive Headings...................................................................33



Exhibit A -       Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit B -       Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares of Common Stock
</TABLE>




                                      -ii-

<PAGE>   4

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

     Agreement, dated as of September 8, 2000, between Teekay Shipping
Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of New
York, a New York banking corporation (the "Rights Agent").

     The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company (the "Common
Stock") outstanding on September 20, 2000 (the "Record Date"), each Right
initially representing the right to purchase one share of Common Stock, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized
and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common
Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as
such terms are hereinafter defined).

     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: (i) any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, as of the date of
this Agreement did not beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of Common
Stock then outstanding, who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the
outstanding Common Stock of the Company; and (ii) any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, as of the date of
this Agreement did beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of the Common
Stock then outstanding (each an "Excepted Person"), who or which, together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, acquires beneficial ownership of
additional shares of the Company's Common Stock such that the aggregate
beneficial ownership of such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates
thereof, of shares of Common Stock then outstanding, on a percentage basis,
equals or exceeds a sum (an "Excepted Person Threshold") equal to (A) the
percentage of the Company's Common Stock outstanding on the date of this
Agreement beneficially owned by such Person, together with all Affiliates and
Associates thereof, plus (B) 5.0%; but shall not include the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the


<PAGE>   5
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 (1) a Dividend Reinvestment Plan Acquisition
or (2) an acquisition or redemption of shares of Common Stock by the Company
which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate
number of shares beneficially owned by such Person (other than an Excepted
Person) to 20% or more of the shares of the Company's Common Stock then
outstanding or, with respect to an Excepted Person, to or above the applicable
Excepted Person Threshold of the shares of the Company's Common Stock then
outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person (other than an Excepted Person)
shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock
of the Company then outstanding or if an Excepted Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock representing the applicable Excepted
Party Threshold or more of the shares of the Company's Common Stock then
outstanding, in either case by reason of Dividend Reinvestment Plan Acquisitions
or share purchases or redemptions by the Company and shall, after such Dividend
Reinvestment Plan Acquisitions or share purchases or redemptions by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.

          (b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the 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,


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   6

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

          (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, whether or not
     in writing (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 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 City 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 time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   7

          (f) "Common Stock," when used with reference to the Company, means the
shares of common stock of the Company. "Common Stock" 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) "Dividend Reinvestment Plan Acquisition" shall mean an acquisition
of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a regular dividend reinvestment plan of
the Company made available by the Company to holders of its Common Stock where
such plan permits the holders to direct that some or all of the dividends paid
in respect of their shares of the Company's Common Stock be applied to the
purchase of additional shares of the Company's Common Stock.

          (i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7 hereof.

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

          (k) "Principal Party" means (i) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (a) or (b) of the first sentence of Section 13, the Person
(including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation)
that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are
so issued, the Person that is the other party to the merger of consolidation,
and (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (c) of the first
sentence of Section 13, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions; provided, however, that in any such case (x) if the Common
Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the
preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and
such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common
Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
such other Person, and (y) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which
are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of
such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate
market value of shares outstanding.



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   8

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

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

          (n) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23
hereof.

          (o) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.

          (p) "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 upon ten (10) days' prior
written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent.

SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES

          (a) Until the earlier of (i) the 10th day after the Stock Acquisition
Date and (ii) the 10th Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by
action of the Board of Directors before such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public
announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner
of shares of Common Stock aggregating 20% or more of the then outstanding shares
of Common Stock or which would result in an Excepted Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock representing the



                                      -5-
<PAGE>   9

applicable Excepted Person Threshold or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement
and before 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
shares of Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof (which
certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates as hereinafter
defined) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive
Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of
shares of Common Stock. The Company shall give the Rights Agent prompt written
notice of the Distribution Date. As soon as practicable after the Distribution
Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent (after receiving
written notice of the Distribution Date) will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested and at the
Company's expense, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so
held (subject to appropriate adjustments, as hereinafter defined). 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 Shares of Common
Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of shares of Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such
holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for
shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names
of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the
Final Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for shares
of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the
Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented thereby.

          (c) Certificates for shares of Common Stock which become outstanding
after the Record Date but before the earliest of the Distribution Date, the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

                                      -6-
<PAGE>   10

          This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
          certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Teekay
          Shipping Corporation and The Bank of New York, dated as of September
          8, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
          incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
          principal operating office of Teekay Shipping Corporation. 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. Teekay Shipping Corporation will
          mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement
          without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under
          certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
          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 shares of Common Stock
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented
thereby.

SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES

     The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of
assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same
as Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and
such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange or quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be
listed, or to conform to usage. The Right Certificates shall be in a machine
printable format and in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Rights Agent. The
Right Certificates shall show the date of countersignature. Subject to the
provisions of Sections 11 and 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle
the holders thereof to purchase such number of shares of Common Stock as shall
be set forth therein at the price per share set forth therein, but the number of
such shares and such purchase price shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.


                                      -7-
<PAGE>   11



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 Chief Financial Officer, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights
Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall
cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

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

SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES;
     MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES

     Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close
of business on the Distribution Date, and at or before the close of business on
the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a) (ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of shares 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
designated office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right



                                      -8-
<PAGE>   12

Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment by the holders of the Rights of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

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

SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS

          (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may 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 share as to which the
Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business
on September 19, 2010 (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 share of Common Stock purchasable
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $150.00, and shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof
(the "Purchase Price") and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States
of America in accordance with paragraph (c) 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 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 shares of
Common Stock certificates



                                      -9-
<PAGE>   13

for the number of shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the shares of Common Stock 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 Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his
or her duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

SECTION 8. CANCELLATION 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 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, hold such cancelled Right Certificates on behalf of the
Company.

SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF COMMON STOCK

     The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may
be necessary to ensure that all shares of Common Stock delivered upon exercise
of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares of
Common Stock (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.




                                      -10-
<PAGE>   14

     The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all U.S. 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 shares of Common Stock 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
shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock
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. COMMON STOCK RECORD DATE

     Each person in whose name any certificate for shares of Common Stock is
issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock represented thereby
on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common
Stock 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 Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock 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) If the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of



                                      -11-
<PAGE>   15

Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, (C) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common
Stock or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a
consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), 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 Common Stock transfer books of the Company were
open, he or she 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, if 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 shares of Common Stock for which a Right is
then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
shares of Common Stock as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a
Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then
current per share market price of the Company's Common Stock (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event.
If 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) (including, without limitation, Rights
beneficially owned pursuant to Section 1(c)(iii) hereof) shall be void and any
holder of such Rights (including, without limitation, any transferee of the
foregoing) 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
(including, without limitation, Rights beneficially owned pursuant to Section
1(c)(iii) hereof) whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence
or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or any transferee of the



                                      -12-
<PAGE>   16

foregoing; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of
any Rights to an Acquiring Person (or other holder of securities beneficially
owned by such Acquiring Person, including, without limitation, pursuant to
Section 1(c)(iii) hereof) 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.

          (iii) If there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued
but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall
(x) take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of
Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights or (y) (A) determine the
value of the shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"),
and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for
the shares issuable upon exercise of a Right (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the
Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock), that the Board of
Directors has deemed to have essentially the same rights, privileges and
preferences as shares of Common Stock ("Common Stock Equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of the
foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been conclusively determined by the Board of Directors;
provided, however, that if the Company has not made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, then the Company will be obligated to deliver, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase
Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary,
cash, which shares or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. The term
"Spread" means the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Purchase Price.
For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Current Value of each share of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a Right will be the Current Market Price
per share of the Common Stock on the Stock Acquisition Date and the per share or
per unit value of any Common Stock Equivalent will be deemed to equal the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on such date.

          (b) If the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of shares of Common Stock entitling them (for
a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe
for or purchase shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of
Common Stock or equivalent shares at a price per share (or having a conversion
price per share,



                                      -13-
<PAGE>   17

if a security convertible into Common Stock) less than 90% of the then current
per share market price of the Common Stock (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 shares
of Common Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of
Common Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of
Common Stock and/or equivalent 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 shares of Common Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number
of additional shares of Common Stock and/or equivalent 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. Shares of Common Stock owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed; and if 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 Common Stock (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 periodic cash dividend or a dividend payable in Common
Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in
Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date
shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Common Stock on such record date,
less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one share of Common Stock and the denominator of which shall be
such current per share market



                                      -14-
<PAGE>   18

price of the Common Stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued
upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed; and if 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) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for the 30
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior
to such date; provided, however, that if the current per share market price of
the Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common
Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities convertible into such
shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common
Stock 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 Common Stock. The closing price for each day
shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Common Stock 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 Common Stock 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 Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the
Company. If the Common Stock is not 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. The
term



                                      -15-
<PAGE>   19

"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

          (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-hundredth of a share
of Common Stock. 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 and (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any
Rights.

          (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Common Stock,
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 Common
Stock contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of
Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.

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



                                      -16-
<PAGE>   20

          (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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right
held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become
that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one hundredth) 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, with
simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent, of its election to adjust the
number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known
at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates 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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock 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 the then par value, if any, of the Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate
action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the
Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of
Common Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.



                                      -17-
<PAGE>   21

          (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 Common Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Common Stock and other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the
basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares 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 Common Stock, issuance wholly
for cash of any shares of Common Stock at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of shares of Common Stock or securities which by their
terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, dividends on Common
Stock payable in Common Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to
holders of its Common Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders.

          (n) If at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination
or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares
of Common Stock, then in any such case (A) the number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be
determined by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of shares Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event, and (B) each share of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each share of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such
event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this
Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or
paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.





                                      -18-
<PAGE>   22

SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES

          Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock
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. The Rights Agent
shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such
adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

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, in connection with such merger, all or part
of the shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other
property, or (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 equal to the then current Purchase
Price, such number of validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely
tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party, not subject to any
liens, encumbrances, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock 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 Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term
"Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Person; and (iv)
such Principal Person shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of



                                      -19-
<PAGE>   23

Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to ensure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the
Common Stock 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 Principal Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer of assets or earning power mentioned in clause (a), (b)
or (c) of this Section 13, the Principal Party, at its own expense, will:

          (i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act
     of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the Rights and
     the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
     form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
     effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best efforts
     to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
     that at all times meets the requirements of the Securities Act) until the
     Final Expiration Date;

          (ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
     securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or
     state securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
     appropriate;

          (iii) use its best efforts to list (and continue the listing of) the
     Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a
     national securities exchange or to be quoted on The Nasdaq National Market;
     and

          (iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
     for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all
     material respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under
     the Exchange Act.

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.




                                      -20-
<PAGE>   24

SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES

     (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by 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 shares of
Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of
Common Stock, the Company shall either evidence such fractional shares by
depositary receipts or 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 share of Common Stock.

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





                                      -21-
<PAGE>   25

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 shares of Common Stock); and
any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, of the shares of Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or
of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, of the shares of Common Stock), may, in his or her own behalf and for his
or her 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
or her 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 are transferable only
in connection with the transfer of the shares of Common Stock;

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

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

          (d) Rights beneficially owned by certain Persons will, under the
circumstances set forth in Section 11(a)(ii), become void;



                                      -22-
<PAGE>   26

          (e) no fractional Rights or fractional shares will be issuable or
issued upon exercise of a Right (except as provided herein);

          (f) without the approval of any holder of Rights and upon the sole
authority of the Board of Directors of the Company, this Agreement may be
supplemented or amended from time to time as provided herein, and such holder of
Rights will be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement as
amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof in respect of all
Rights held; and

          (g) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent will have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree, or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory, or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation.

SECTION 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER

     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 shares of
Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such 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 such compensation as shall be
agreed to in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent,
its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and

                                      -23-
<PAGE>   27

to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation,
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim (whether asserted by the
Company, any holder of a Right Certificate, or any other Person) of liability in
the premises, including reasonable attorney's fees and expenses.

     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 shares of Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, instruction, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed and executed by the proper person or persons, and, where necessary, to be
acknowledged, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20
hereof.

SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT

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

     In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the



                                      -24-
<PAGE>   28

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 expressly imposed by
this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Rights Agent), 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 of its selection
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as
to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such
opinion.

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

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

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

          (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due



                                      -25-
<PAGE>   29

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 of facts that would
require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt by the Right Agents of
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 shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant
to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common
Stock 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 Chief Financial Officer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in
good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights
Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights
Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the
Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action
shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not
be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in
accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than ten Business
Days after the date any of the above-specified officers of the Company actually
receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in
writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the
effective date in the case of an omission) the Rights Agent shall have received
written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be
taken or omitted.



                                      -26-
<PAGE>   30

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

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

          (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.

          (k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase has not been completed, the Rights
Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested purchase
or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

          (l) In addition to the foregoing, the Rights Agent shall be protected
and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of, any action taken or omitted
by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement if such acts or
omissions are in reliance upon (i) the proper execution of the certification
concerning beneficial ownership included in the form of assignment and the form
of election to purchase attached hereto unless the Rights Agent shall have
actual knowledge that, as executed, such certification is untrue, or (ii) the
non-execution of such certification including, without limitation, any refusal
to honor any otherwise permissible assignment or election by reason of such
non-execution.

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 90 days' notice in writing mailed to
the



                                      -27-
<PAGE>   31

Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or
certified 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. 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 or her Right Certificate for inspection
by the Company), then the Rights Agent or the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may, at the expense of the Company, apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights
Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or
of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long as
such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the
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 $50 million. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, 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.




                                      -28-
<PAGE>   32

SECTION 23. REDEMPTION

          (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Final Expiration Date,
redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $.0001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The
redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors 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, with simultaneous written notice to
the Rights Agent; 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.

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
shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors 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,



                                      -29-
<PAGE>   33

becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock then
outstanding.

          (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal
to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange
Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange, with
simultaneous written notice to the Rights Agent; 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) If there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock authorized
but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights or shall take such other action specified in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

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



                                      -30-
<PAGE>   34

SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS

          (a) If the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in
stock of any class to the holders of Common Stock or to make any other
distribution to the holders of Common Stock (other than a regular periodic cash
dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Common Stock or shares of
stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect
any reclassification of Common Stock (other than a reclassification involving
only the subdivision of outstanding Common Stock), (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 Stock payable in Common
Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common
Stock), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a
Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with Section 26 hereof,
a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock, 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 Common Stock 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
Common Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.

          (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 and to the Rights Agent, 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



                                      -31-
<PAGE>   35

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:

                  Teekay Shipping (Canada) Ltd.
                  Suite 1400, One Bentall Centre
                  505 Burrard Street
                  Vancouver, B.C.  V7X 1M5
                  CANADA

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:

                  The Bank of New York
                  101 Barclay Street
                  New York, NY  10286
                  Attention:  Stock Transfer Administration

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

SECTION 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS

     The Company may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates (i) prior to the close
of business on the Distribution Date, in any respect, and (ii) after the
Distribution Date 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. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from the Chairman of Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Chief Financial Officer of
the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section, the Rights Agent shall



                                      -32-
<PAGE>   36

execute such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding any other provision
hereof, the Rights Agent's consent must be obtained regarding any amendment or
supplement pursuant to this Section 27 which alters the Rights Agent's rights or
duties.

SECTION 28. WAIVER

     The Board of Directors of the Company may, in its sole discretion at any
time prior to the earlier to occur of a given Distribution Date or a transaction
or event under Section 13, waive the occurrence of such Distribution Date and
the application of Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13 with respect to such
Distribution Date or such Section 13 transaction or event. This waiver right
shall apply individually to each Distribution Date and Section 13 transaction or
event hereunder.

SECTION 29. SUCCESSORS

     All the covenants and provisions of this Rights 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 30. 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 shares of
Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this
Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the shares of Common Stock).

SECTION 31. SEVERABILITY

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

SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW

     This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed
to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all
purposes shall



                                      -33-
<PAGE>   37

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.

SECTION 33. COUNTERPARTS

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

SECTION 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS

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





                                      -34-
<PAGE>   38

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

                                   TEEKAY SHIPPING CORPORATION.



                                   By:  /s/ Peter S. Anturri
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                   Name:  Peter S. Anturri
                                   Its:  Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer



                                   THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent

                                   By:  /s/ Robert J. Rinaudo
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                   Name:  Robert J. Rinaudo
                                   Its:  Assistant Vice President






                                     -S-1-
<PAGE>   39


                                                                       Exhibit A

                            FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE

Certificate No. R-                                                  _____ Rights

                  NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 19, 2010 OR EARLIER IF
                  REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
                  REDEMPTION AT $.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS
                  SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

                                Right Certificate

                           TEEKAY SHIPPING CORPORATION

     This certifies that ____________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of September 8, 2000 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Teekay Shipping Corporation, a Marshall Islands corporation (the "Company"), and
The Bank of New York (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York time, on September 19, 2010 at the
designated office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, a fully paid non-assessable share of common stock (the "Common
Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $150.00 per 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 shares of Common Stock 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 September 8, 2000, based on
the Common Stock as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights
Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock 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



                                      -1-
<PAGE>   40

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 operating office of
the Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.

     This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
shares of Common Stock 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
$.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of the
Company's Common Stock.

     No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof either depositary
receipts will be issued or 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 shares of Common Stock
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights
of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the
Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise,
until the Right or Rights evidenced by this 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 an authorized signatory of the Rights
Agent.


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   41

         WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company.

         Dated as of ______________.

                                      TEEKAY SHIPPING CORPORATION



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



Countersigned:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK



By                                    Date of Countersignature:
------------------------------                                 -----------------
         Authorized Signatory





                                      -3-
<PAGE>   42




                    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 this Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with
full power of substitution.

     The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof.

Dated:_________________________

                                    ____________________________________________
                                    Signature

Signature Guarantee*

                                    ____________________________________________

*Your signature must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stock brokerage firm, savings and loan association or credit union with
membership in an approved signature medallion program).

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


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   43



              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:  TEEKAY SHIPPING CORPORATION

     The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ____________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates
for such shares of Common Stock 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)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) 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) and (2)
after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned
did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person
who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof.

Dated:__________________            ____________________________________________
                                    Signature
Signature Guarantee*

                                    ____________________________________________

___________
*Your signature must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stock brokerage firm, savings and loan association or credit union with
membership in an approved signature medallion program).





                                      -5-
<PAGE>   44

              Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate - continued

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



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

                                     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.





                                      -6-
<PAGE>   45

                                                                       Exhibit B

                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                             SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

     On September 8, 2000, the Board of Directors of Teekay Shipping Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock (the "Common Stock") of the
Company. The dividend is payable on September 20, 2000 (the "Record Date") to
the shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one share of the Company's Common Stock at a
price of $150.00 per 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 The Bank of New York, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent").

     Until the earlier to occur of: (a) 10 days following a public announcement
that (i) a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, who or which on
the date of the Rights Agreement did not beneficially own 15% or more of the
then outstanding Common Stock, has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, or (ii) a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons, who or which on the date of the Rights Agreement did
beneficially own 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock (each an
"Excepted Person"), has acquired beneficial ownership of an additional 5% or
more of the then outstanding Common Stock (each such person or group, an
"Acquiring Person"); or (b) 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 (other than an Excepted Person) of 20% or more of
the outstanding Common Stock or which would result in the beneficial ownership
by an Excepted Person of an additional 5% or more of the then outstanding Common
Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"), the
Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificates 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 Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption
or expiration of the Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the
Record Date



                                                                          Page 1
<PAGE>   46

upon transfer or new issuance of Common Stock will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or
earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of
any certificates for Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, even
without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached
thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable
following the Distribution Date (unless the effect of such Distribution Date is
waived by the Board of Directors), separate certificates evidencing the Rights
("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date (unless the
effect of such Distribution Date is waived by the Board of Directors). The
Rights will expire on September 19, 2010 (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 shares of Common Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the shares of
Common Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the shares of Common Stock of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock
at a price, or securities convertible into shares of Common Stock with a
conversion price, less than 90% of the then-current market price of the Common
Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the shares of Common Stock of
evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends
paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Common Stock)
or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

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

     If 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 (a "Flip-Over Event"),
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



                                                                          Page 2
<PAGE>   47

number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company (or certain affiliates
thereof) which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of twice
the exercise price of the Right. If 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, any affiliated or associated person or any transferee thereof
(which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon
exercise that number of shares of Common Stock having a market value of twice
the exercise price of the Right.

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued and in
lieu thereof, either depositary receipts will be issued or an adjustment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Common Stock on the last trading
day prior to the date of exercise.

     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
shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group or transferees thereof
which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment).

     At any time prior to the earlier to occur of the Distribution Date or the
Final Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.0001 per Right (the
"Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights 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. 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.

     At any time prior to the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, a
Flip-Over Event or the Final Expiration Date, the Board of Directors may waive
the occurrence of a Distribution Date and the application of the provisions of
the Rights Agreement with respect to the Distribution Date or Flip-Over Event.

     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, 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.


                                                                          Page 3
<PAGE>   48


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

     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 filed
on or about September 11, 2000. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free
of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.



                                                                          Page 4







© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission