GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LTD
8-A12G, 1998-07-13
HOUSEHOLD AUDIO & VIDEO EQUIPMENT
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<PAGE>
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                    FORM 8-A


               For Registration of Certain Classes of Securities
                    Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                      GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS                               N/A
   --------------------------------------------      ---------------------- 
   (State of incorporation                                (I.R.S. Employer
       or organization)                                Identification No.)


         135 NORTH LOS ROBLES AVENUE, SUITE 800
         PASADENA, CALIFORNIA                                      91101
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)



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



                                      NONE



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


                      PREFERRENCE SHARES PURCHASE RIGHTS
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Title of Class)
<PAGE>
 
Item 1.  Description of Registrant's Securities to Be Registered.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------- 

          On July 10, 1998, the Board of Directors of Gemstar International
Group Limited (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preference share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Ordinary Shares, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is
payable on the later of (i) July 10, 1998, or (ii) such date as permitted by the
Nasdaq Stock Market (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that
date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preference Shares, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of
$225.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred 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 American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

          Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, other
than the exempt person (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.  Mr.
Thomas Lau, a director and current holder of approximately 23.9% (on a fully
diluted basis) of the currently outstanding Common Shares of the Company, is
exempt from the definition of Acquiring Person unless he (or his affiliates or
associates) acquires additional Common Shares after the date of adoption of the
Rights Agreement.

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

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.

          The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on July 10, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

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

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

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

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.

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

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

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

          At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such
basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
Redemption Price.

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

          A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission is filed as Exhibit 2 to this Registration Statement on Form
8-A dated July 13, 1998.  A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of
charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


Item 2.  Exhibits.
- ----------------- 

1.   Form of Rights Certificate.

2.   Rights Agreement, dated as of July 10, 1998, between Gemstar International
     Group Limited and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent
     (including as an exhibit thereto the terms of the designated Junior
     Participating Preference Shares).

3.   Summary of rights to be sent to holders of Ordinary Shares of Gemstar
     International Group Limited.

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURE


          Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.


                              GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED
 


Date:  July 13, 1998          By: /s/ Larry Goldberg
                                  ____________________________
                              Name:  Larry Goldberg
                              Title: Secretary
 

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.         NAME OF ITEM                              
- -----------         ------------                              



     1.             Form of Rights Certificate.               

     2.             Rights Agreement, dated as of
                    July 10, 1998, between Gemstar
                    International Group Limited and
                    American Stock Transfer &
                    Trust Company, as Rights Agent
                    (including as an exhibit
                    thereto the terms of the designated
                    Junior Participating
                    Preference Shares).

     3.             Summary of rights to be sent to 
                    holders of Ordinary Shares
                    of Gemstar International Group Limited

                                       7

<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit 1
                           Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-                                             __________ Rights

        NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 10, 1998 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE
OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE 
ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

                               Right Certificate

                      GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED

        This certifies that Gemstar International Group Limited, or registered 
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each 
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and 
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 10, 1998 (the "Rights 
Agreement"), between Gemstar International Group Limited, a British Virgin 
Islands corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
(the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the 
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to
5:00 P.M., New York time, on July 10, 2008 at the principal office of the Rights
Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a
fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preference
Shares, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a
purchase price of $225.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
July 10, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

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

                                       1

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

          Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights 
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for 
Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Ordinary Shares, par value $0.01 per
share.

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

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

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

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
     WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and 
its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________________, 1998.

                                         GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP
                                         LIMITED
ATTEST:

By: _________________________            By: _____________________________


Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY

By: _________________________
    Authorized Signature

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
                   Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                              FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

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

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED ____________________________________________________

hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)

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

Dated: ______________, 1998


                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

        Signature must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national 
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.

_______________________________________

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

                                        ________________________________________
                                        Signature

_______________________________________

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
            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:  GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

________________________________________________________________________________

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

________________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ________________________, 1998

                                  _______________________________
                                  Signature
Signature Guaranteed:

     Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national 
securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in
the United States.

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
     Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

                                                  ____________________________
                                                  Signature

- -----------------------------------------------------------
                                    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>
 
                                                                       EXHIBIT 2
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                      GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED

                                      and

                    AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
                                  Rights Agent

                                Rights Agreement

                           Dated as of July 10, 1998


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                               -----------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               Page
                                                                               ----
<S>                                                                            <C>
Section 1.    Certain Definitions..........................................       1

Section 2.    Appointment of Rights Agent..................................       3

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

Section 4.    Form of Right Certificates...................................       5

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

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

Section 7.    Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights       6

Section 8.    Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates...........       7

Section 9.    Availability of Preferred Shares.............................       8

Section 10.   Preferred Shares Record Date.................................       8

Section 11.   Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
              Number of Rights.............................................       8

Section 12.   Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
              Number of Shares.............................................      15

Section 13.   Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
              Assets or Earning Power......................................      15

Section 14.   Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares......................      16

Section 15.   Rights of Action.............................................      17

Section 16.   Agreement of Right Holders...................................      17

Section 17.   Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder............      17
</TABLE>

                                       i
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION> 
                                                                               Page
                                                                               ----
<S>                                                                            <C>
Section 18.   Concerning the Rights Agent..................................      18                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 19.   Merger or Consolidation or Change of                                                                               
              Name of Rights Agent.........................................      18                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 20.   Duties of Rights Agent.......................................      19                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 21.   Change of Rights Agent.......................................      20                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 22.   Issuance of New Right Certificates...........................      21                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 23.   Redemption...................................................      21                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 24.   Exchange.....................................................      22                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 25.   Notice of Certain Events.....................................      23                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 26.   Notices......................................................      24                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 27.   Supplements and Amendments...................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 28.   Successors...................................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 29.   Benefits of this Agreement...................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 30.   Severability.................................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 31.   Governing Law................................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 32.   Counterparts.................................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                                 
Section 33.   Descriptive Headings.........................................      25                                               
                                                                                                                           
Section 1.    Designation and Amount.......................................     A-2                                                 

Section 2.    Dividends and Distributions..................................     A-2                                                 

Section 3.    Voting Rights................................................     A-3                                                 

Section 4.    Certain Restrictions.........................................     A-5 
</TABLE>

                                       ii
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               Page
                                                                               ----
<S>                                                                            <C>
Section 5.   Reacquired Shares.                                                 A-7

Section 6.    Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.......................     A-7

Section 7.    Consolidation, Merger, etc...................................     A-7

Section 8.    No Redemption................................................     A-9

Section 9.    Rank.........................................................     A-9

Section 10.   Amendment....................................................     A-9
</TABLE>

Exhibit A - Rights and Preferences of Series A Junior Preference Shares

Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares

                                      iii
<PAGE>
 
     Agreement, dated as of July 10, 1998, between Gemstar International Group
Limited, a British Virgin Islands corporation (the "Company"), and American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York company (the "Rights Agent").

     The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on the later of (i) July 10,
1998, and (ii) such date as permitted by the Nasdaq Stock Market (the "Record
Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become
outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date,
the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined).

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

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

     (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or the Exempt Person; provided,
however, that in the event that the Exempt Person shall after July 10, 1998
become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company
(other than by exercise of employee or director options granted prior to or
after the date hereof by the Company), then the Exempt Person shall be deemed to
be an "Acquiring Person".  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become
an "Acquiring Person" as the result of (i) an acquisition of Common Shares by
the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more
of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding or (ii) by exercise of
employee or director options granted prior to or after the date hereof by the
Company; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of
share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the
Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the
Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person", as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no

                                       1
<PAGE>
 
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,
     arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and
     between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
     public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
     exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
     otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
     Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
     to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
     such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
     accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
     agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, 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 (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

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
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 New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.

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

          (f) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean
the ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company. "Common Shares"
when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the
capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other
Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or
Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

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

          (h) "Exempt Person" means Thomas Lau, or such person or persons who
succeed to ownership of his Common Shares either by will or pursuant to
applicable statutes of descent and distribution.

          (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) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preference Shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company
having the rights and preferences set forth in Exhibit A.

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

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

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

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company hereby appoints
                      ---------------------------                              
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms
and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.

          Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates.  (a) Until the earlier of (i)
                      ---------------------------                               
the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth business day
(or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors
prior to or after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the
date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or
more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is
after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders
thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and
not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right
Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common
Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will
prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will
send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by
first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common
Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing
one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

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

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
          (c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the
following legend:

     This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
     rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Gemstar International
     Group Limited and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of July
     10, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
     incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
     principal executive offices of Gemstar International Group Limited.  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.  Gemstar International Group Limited will mail to the
     holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge
     after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances,
     as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who
     becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become
     null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the
surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In
the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such
Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which
are no longer outstanding.

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

          Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
                      ---------------------------------                        
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive

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

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

          Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
                      -----------------------------------------------------
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------         
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business
on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental 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

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and
deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery
to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.

          Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
                      ------------------------------------------------------
Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
- ------                                                                     
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in
part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right
Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof
duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,
together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the
earliest of (i) the close of business on July 10, 2008 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

          (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $225.00, and
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13
hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in
accordance with paragraph (c) below.

          (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts
representing such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent 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
duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
          Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All
                      --------------------------------------------------     
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the
Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

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

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

          Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name
                       ----------------------------                           
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of
Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to
exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice
of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

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

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

              (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have
a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of
the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Company's Common Shares
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.

          From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this
Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that
represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would
be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate
thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of
any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of
such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.

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

          (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them
(for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to
subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred
shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share
(or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into
Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Shares (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
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred
Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred
Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the
number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of
additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be
offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the
Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.
Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed;
and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.

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

          (d) (i)  For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
(as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided,
however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the
Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any
subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed
or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the
Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, a Business Day.

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

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

          (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares,
thereafter the 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
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

          (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject
to further adjustment as provided herein.

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

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

          (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise
of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which were
expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

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

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

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

          (n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with
respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.

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

          Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
                       ------------------------------------------------------
Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person
- -------------                                                                  
has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and
dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such
issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of
the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have
executed

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The
Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this
Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants,
instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which,
as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or
substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The
provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.

          Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.  (a) The Company
                       ---------------------------------------                  
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed 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 Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

          Section 17.  Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
                       -------------------------------------------------    
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby,
nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

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

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

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

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have
the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

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

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

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

          (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chief Executive Officer,
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 negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be
liable for special, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.

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

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

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
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 actual notice that such change or
adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

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

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

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

          Section 21.  Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
                       ----------------------                                   
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to
the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or
by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his
Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of
any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be either (A) 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, or (B) an affiliate of such a corporation.
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 Shares
or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates.

          Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however,
or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.

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

          Section 23.  Redemption.  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company
                       ----------                                            
may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights
at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
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; provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering
the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to
all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire
or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that
specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other
than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution
Date.

          Section 24.  Exchange.  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
                       --------                                                 
at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any
time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity
holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner
of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

          (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange

                                       22
<PAGE>
 
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

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

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

          Section 25.  Notice of Certain Events.  (a) In case the Company shall
                       ------------------------                                
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more
of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of

                                       23
<PAGE>
 
dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer,
liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for
purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

          (b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the
consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

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

               Gemstar International Group Limited
               135 North Los Robles Avenue, Suite 800
               Pasadena, California  91101
               Attention:  Corporate Secretary


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

               American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
               40 Wall Street, 46th Floor
               New York, New York  10005
               Attention:  Corporate Trust Department

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

                                       24
<PAGE>
 
          Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments. The Board of Directors may
                       --------------------------                            
from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect
to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such
supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and
the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner
which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights.

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                       25
<PAGE>
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                         GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED
ATTEST:                                                                    
                                         By: /s/ Henry C. Yuen             
                                             ------------------------------
                                             Title: Chief Executive Officer 
By: /s/ Larry Goldberg                                                     
    ---------------------------                                            
    Title: Secretary                                                       
                                                                           
ATTEST:                                  AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST   
                                         COMPANY                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
By: /s/ Susan Silber                     By: /s/ Herbert J. Lemmer         
    ---------------------------              ------------------------------ 
    Title: Assistant Secretary               Title: Vice President
                                     

                                       26
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit A


          RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES OF SERIES A JUNIOR PREFERENCE SHARES

          Clause 8 of the Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association of
Gemstar International Group Limited is hereby amended to set forth the rights
and preferences of the Junior Preference Shares, by amending and restating
Clause 8 to read in full as follows:

     8.   The authorized capital of the Company is US$5,500,000.  The authorized
          capital is made up of one class and one series of Ordinary shares
          divided into 500,000,000 shares or US$0.01 par value and one class of
          Preference Shares consisting of 50,000,000 shares of US$0.01 par
          value, of which 10,000,000 shares have been designated Series A Junior
          Participating Preference Shares (the "Series A Preference Shares").
          Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by Resolution of
          Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of
          shares of Series A Preference Shares to a number less than the number
          of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
          issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants
          or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the
          Corporation convertible into Series A Preference Shares. The Series A
          Preference Shares shall have the rights, preferences, privileges and
          restrictions set forth on Exhibit A to the Memorandum.

                    (Exhibit A continued on following page)

                                      A-1
<PAGE>
 
                                EXHIBIT A TO THE
                      GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED
                 AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

          Rights and Preferences of Series A Junior Preference Shares
          -----------------------------------------------------------

       Section 1.  Dividends and Distributions.
                   --------------------------- 

               (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
     series of Preference Shares (or any similar stock) ranking prior and
     superior to the Series A Preference Shares with respect to dividends, the
     holders of shares of Series A Preference Shares, in preference to the
     holders of Ordinary Shares of the Company, and of any other junior shares,
     shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by Resolution of
     Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly
     dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and
     December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a
     "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly
     Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
     share of Series A Preference Shares, in an amount per share (rounded to the
     nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the
     provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per
     share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share
     amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions,
     other than a dividend payable in Ordinary Shares or a subdivision of the
     outstanding Ordinary Shares (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on
     the Ordinary Shares since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
     Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
     since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A
     Preference Shares. In the event the Company shall at any time declare or
     pay any dividend on the Ordinary Shares payable in Ordinary Shares, or
     effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding
     Ordinary Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
     dividend in Ordinary Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Ordinary
     Shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of
     Series A Preference Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event
     under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying
     such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ordinary
     Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
     which is the number of Ordinary Shares that were outstanding immediately
     prior to such event.

               (B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
     Series A Preference Shares as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
     immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Ordinary
     Shares (other than a dividend payable in Ordinary Shares); provided that,
     in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the
     Ordinary Shares during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment
     Date and the next subsequent Quarterly

                                      A-2
<PAGE>
 
     Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series A
     Preference Shares shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
     Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

               (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
     outstanding shares of Series A Preference Shares from the Quarterly
     Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
     unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the
     first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such
     shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or
     unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date
     after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series
     A Preference Shares entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before
     such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
     dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly
     Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
     interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preference Shares in an
     amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
     payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share
     basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. By Resolution of
     Directors the Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
     determination of holders of shares of Series A Preference Shares entitled
     to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which
     record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the
     payment thereof.

          Section 2.  Voting Rights.
                      ------------- 

               The holders of shares of Series A Preference Shares shall have
     the following voting rights:

               (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
     forth, each share of Series A Preference Shares shall entitle the holder
     thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders
     of the Company. In the event the Company shall at any time declare or pay
     any dividend on the Ordinary Shares payable in Ordinary Shares, or effect a
     subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Ordinary
     Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
     Ordinary Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Ordinary Shares, then
     in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares
     of Series A Preference Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event
     shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator
     of which is the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after
     such event and the denominator of which is the number of Ordinary Shares
     that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

               (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other amendment
     to the Memorandum creating a series of Preference Shares or any similar
     stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preference Shares and
     the holders of Ordinary Shares and any other capital shares of the Company
     having general voting rights shall

                                      A-3
<PAGE>
 
     vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of Members of
     the Company.

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

               Section 3.   Certain Restrictions.
                            ---------------------

 
               (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
     distributions payable on the Series A Preference Shares as provided in
     Section 1 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
     dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A
     Preference Shares outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company
     shall not:

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

                    ii)  declare or pay dividends, or make any other
          distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as
          to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
          Series A Preference Shares, except dividends paid ratably on the
          Series A Preference Shares and all such parity stock on which
          dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts
          to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

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

                    iv)  redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
          consideration any shares of Series A Preference Shares, or any shares
          of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preference Shares,
          except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
          publication (as determined by Resolution of Directors) to all holders
          of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors by Resolution
          of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend
          rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
          series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair
          and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

                                      A-4
<PAGE>
 
          (B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
     purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
     Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 3,
     purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

          Section 4.   Reacquired Shares.
                       ----------------- 

          Any shares of Series A Preference Shares purchased or otherwise
     acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and
     cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall
     upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preference
     Shares and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preference Shares
     subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein or
     as otherwise required by law.

          Section 5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
                     -------------------------------------- 

          Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no
     distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking
     junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding
     up) to the Series A Preference Shares unless, prior thereto, the holders of
     shares of Series A Preference Shares shall have received $100 per share,
     plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions
     thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided
     that the holders of shares of Series A Preference Shares shall be entitled
     to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for
     adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount
     to be distributed per share to holders of Ordinary Shares, or (2) to the
     holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
     upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preference
     Shares, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preference Shares
     and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the
     holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution
     or winding up. In the event the Company shall at any time declare or pay
     any dividend on the Ordinary Shares payable in Ordinary Shares, or effect a
     subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Ordinary
     Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
     Ordinary Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Ordinary Shares, then
     in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series
     A Preference Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under the
     proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
     multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number
     of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the
     denominator of which is the number of Ordinary Shares that were outstanding
     immediately prior to such event.

          Section 6. Consolidation, Merger, etc.
                     -------------------------- 


                                      A-5
<PAGE>
 
          In case the Company shall enter into any consolidation, merger,
     combination or other transaction in which the Ordinary Shares are exchanged
     for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other
     property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preference Shares
     shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per
     share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal
     to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
     other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for
     which each Ordinary Share is changed or exchanged. In the event the Company
     shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Ordinary Shares
     payable in Ordinary Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or
     consolidation of the outstanding Ordinary Shares (by reclassification or
     otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Ordinary Shares) into a greater
     or lesser number of Ordinary Shares, then in each such case the amount set
     forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of
     shares of Series A Preference Shares shall be adjusted by multiplying such
     amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ordinary
     Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of
     which is the number of Ordinary Shares that were outstanding immediately
     prior to such event.

          Section 7. No Redemption.
                     ------------- 

          The shares of Series A Preference Shares shall not be redeemable.

          Section 8. Rank.
                     ---- 

          The Series A Preference Shares shall rank, with respect to the payment
     of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any
     other class of the Company's Preference Shares.

          Section 9. Amendment.
                     --------- 

          This Memorandum of the Company shall not be amended in any manner
     which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special
     rights of the Series A Preference Shares so as to affect them adversely
     without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the
     outstanding shares of Series A Preference Shares, voting together as a
     single class.

                                      A-6
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit B

                           Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-                                     _______ Rights

          NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 10, 1998 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO
EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

                               Right Certificate

                      GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED

          This certifies that Gemstar International Group Limited, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 10, 1998 (the "Rights
Agreement"), between Gemstar International Group Limited, a British Virgin
Islands corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
(the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the
Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to
5:00 P.M., New York time, on July 10, 2008 at the principal office of the Rights
Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a
fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preference
Shares, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a
purchase price of $225.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above,
and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
July 10, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

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


                                      B-1
<PAGE>
 
          This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

          Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Ordinary Shares, par value $0.01 per
share.

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

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

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

                                      B-2
<PAGE>
 
          WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of ___________________, 1998.

                              GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP 
                              LIMITED
ATTEST:


By: _______________________     By: __________________________________


Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY


By: __________________________
    Authorized Signature



                                      B-3
<PAGE>
 
                   Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

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

          FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)

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

Dated:  ________________, 1998

                              _______________________________________ 
                              Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

          Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.


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

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

                              __________________________________ 
                              Signature

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



                                      B-4
<PAGE>
 
             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

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

To:  GEMSTAR INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIMITED

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

______________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

______________________________________________________________________________

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

______________________________________________________________________________
                        (Please print name and address)

______________________________________________________________________________
Dated:  _____________________, 1998

                          __________________________________ 
                          Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

          Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.


                                      B-5
<PAGE>
 
       Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued 
- -------------------------------------------------------------

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

                                         _____________________________ 
                                         Signature

- ----------------------------------------------------
                                     NOTICE

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

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


                                      B-6
<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit C

                         SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES

          On July 10, 1998, the Board of Directors of Gemstar International
Group Limited (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preference share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Ordinary Shares, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is
payable on the later of (i) July 10, 1998, or (ii) such date as permitted by the
Nasdaq Stock Market (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that
date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preference Stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of
$225.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred 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 American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

          Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, other
than the exempt person (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.  Mr.
Thomas Lau, a director and current holder of approximately 23.9% (on a fully
diluted basis) of the currently outstanding Common Shares of the Company, is
exempt from the definition of Acquiring Person unless he (or his affiliates or
associates) acquires additional Common Shares after the date of adoption of the
Rights Agreement.

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

                                      C-1
<PAGE>
 
the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such
separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

          The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on July 10, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

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

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

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

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

          In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or
earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof

                                      C-2
<PAGE>
 
at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any
person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

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

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

          At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of
affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the
Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such
basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.

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

          A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
July 13, 1998.  A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from
the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

                                      C-3

<PAGE>
 
                                                                       Exhibit 3

                         SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                               PREFERRED SHARES

        On July 10, 1998, the Board of Directors of Gemstar International Group
Limited (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preference share purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Ordinary Shares, par value $0.01
per share (the "Common Share"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on the
later of (i) July 10, 1998, or (ii) such date as permitted by the Nasdaq Stock
Market (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each
Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-
hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preference Stock, par
value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of
$225.00 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred 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 American
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").

        Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public 
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, other 
than the exempt person (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial 
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business 
days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of 
Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons 
becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of 
an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of 
the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the 
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the 
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common 
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto. Mr. 
Thomas Lau, a director and current holder of approximately 23.9% (on a fully 
diluted basis) of the currently outstanding Common Shares of the Company, is 
exempt from the definition of Acquiring Person unless he (or his affiliates or 
associates) acquires additional Common Shares after the date of adoption of the 
Rights Agreement.

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

          The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights
will expire on July 10, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), until the Final 
Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or 
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

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

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

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

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

          In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other 
business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or 
earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, 
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter 
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof
<PAGE>
 
at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any
person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights
beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

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

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

     At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or 
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding 
Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in 
whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). 
The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis 
with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may 
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise 
the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the Redemption Price.

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

     A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated 
July 13, 1998. 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.


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