SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
January 24, 1996
(Date of earliest event reported)
BALL CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Indiana 1-7349 35-0160610
(State of (Commission File No.) (IRS Employer
Incorporation) Identification No.)
345 South High Street
Muncie, Indiana 47307
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(317) 747-6100
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
Rights Agreement
On January 24, 1996, the Board of Directors of Ball
Corporation (the "Company") approved the extension of the benefits afforded by
the Company's existing rights plan by adopting a new shareholder rights plan.
The new plan, like the existing plan, is intended to promote continuity and
stability, deter coercive or partial offers which will not provide fair value to
all shareholders and enhance the Board's ability to represent all shareholders
and thereby maximize shareholder values.
Pursuant to the new Rights Agreement between the Company and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent (the "1996 Rights
Agreement"), one Right will be issued for each outstanding share of common
stock, without par value, of the Company on the expiration of the existing
rights (August 4, 1996). Each of the new Rights will entitle the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value, at a price of $130 per
one one-thousandth of a share. The Rights, however, will not become exercisable
unless and until, among other things, any person acquires 15% or more of the
outstanding common stock or the Board of Directors determines that a person is
an Adverse Person. A person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the
outstanding common stock of the Company will be declared an Adverse Person if
the Board of Directors determines (a) that such beneficial ownership is intended
to cause the Company to repurchase the common stock beneficially owned by such
person or to pressure the Company to take action or enter into transactions
intended to provide such person with short-term financial gain, that are not in
the best long-term interests of the Company and its shareholders, or (b) such
beneficial ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse
impact on the Company to the detriment of the Company's shareholders,
employees, suppliers, customers or community. The new Rights are redeemable
under certain circumstances at $.01 per Right and will expire, unless earlier
redeemed, on August 4, 2006.
The description and terms of the new Rights are set forth in
the 1996 Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith and is incorporated
herein by reference.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
Exhibits:
4.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of January 24, 1996, between Ball
Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as
Rights Agent, which includes as Exhibit A the description of
Preferences and Rights of the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock and as Exhibit B the form of Rights
Certificate.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
By:/s/ R. David Hoover
_______________________________
Name: R. David Hoover
Title: Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
Date: February 13, 1996
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Description
4.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of January 24, 1996, between Ball Corporation
and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent, which
includes as Exhibit A the description of Preferences and Rights of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and as Exhibit B the form of
Rights Certificate.
BALL CORPORATION
and
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
Rights Agent
------------------------------------------------------------
Rights Agreement
Dated as of January 24, 1996
Table of Contents
Section Page
1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . 5
3. Issue of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . 6
4. Form of Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . 8
5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . 10
6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Rights Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . 10
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . 12
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
9. Reservation and Availability of Capital
Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
10. Preferred Stock Record Date . . . . . . . 17
11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and
Kind of Shares or Number of Rights . . . 18
12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
of Assets or Earning Power . . . . . . . 32
14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . 36
15. Rights of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
16. Agreement of Rights Holders . . . . . . . 38
17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . 39
19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name
of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
20. Duties of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . 41
21. Change of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . 44
22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates . . . 45
23. Redemption and Termination . . . . . . . . 46
24. Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
25. Notice of Certain Events . . . . . . . . . 49
26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
27. Supplements and Amendments . . . . . . . . 51
28. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
30. Benefits of this Agreement . . . . . . . . 52
31. Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
32. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
33. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
34. Descriptive Headings . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Exhibit A -- Preferences and Rights of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B -- Form of Rights Certificate
---------------------------------------------------------
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of January 24, 1996
(the "Agreement"), between Ball Corporation, an Indiana
corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust
Company of New York, a national banking association (the
"Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on January 24, 1996 (the "Rights
Dividend Declaration Date"), the Board of Directors of
the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of common stock,
without par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock")
outstanding at the close of business on August 4, 1996
(the "Record Date"), and has authorized the issuance of
one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for
each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between
the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered
from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date,
each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of
the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set
forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the
"Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes
of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any
Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii)
any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company,
(iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan, or (v) any such Person who has reported
or is required to report such ownership (but less than
25%) on Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report) or on Schedule 13D under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report)
which Schedule 13D does not state any intention to or
reserve the right to control or influence the management
or policies of the Company or engage in any of the
actions specified in Item 4 of such Schedule (other than
the disposition of the Common Stock) and, within 10
Business Days of being requested by the Company to advise
it regarding the same, certifies to the Company that such
Person acquired shares of Common Stock in excess of 14.9%
inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the
Rights and who, together with all Affiliates and
Associates, thereafter does not acquire additional shares
of Common Stock while the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided,
however, that if the Person requested to so certify fails
to do so within 10 Business Days, then such Person shall
become an Acquiring Person immediately after such 10
Business Day Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" solely as the
result of an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company
which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by a Person to 15% or more of the Common Stock of
the Company then outstanding as determined above;
provided, however, that if a Person becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock of
the Company then outstanding (as determined above) solely
by reason of purchases of Common Stock by the Company and
shall, after such purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock
by any means whatsoever, then such Person shall be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person."
(b) "Adverse Person" shall mean any
Person declared to be an Adverse Person by the Board of
Directors upon determination that the criteria set forth
in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) apply to such Person.
(c) "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 and in effect
on the date of this Agreement (the "Exchange Act").
(d) 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,
directly or indirectly, has the right to
acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time)
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing) or
upon the exercise of conversion rights,
exchange rights, rights, warrants or options,
or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
made by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered
securities are accepted for purchase or
exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon
exercise of Rights at any time prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights
from and after the occurrence of a Triggering
Event which Rights were acquired by such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates prior to the Distribution Date or
pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof
(the "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section
11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment
made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates,
directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership" of
(as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act), including pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the
"Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially
own," any security under this subparagraph (ii)
as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such
agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A)
arises solely from a revocable proxy given in
response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable provisions of
the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then
reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or
any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement
or understanding (whether or not in writing),
for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting
(except pursuant to a revocable proxy as
described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii)
of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any
voting securities of the Company; provided,
however, that nothing in this paragraph (c)
shall cause a person engaged in business as an
underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial
Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any
securities acquired through such person's
participation in good faith in a firm
commitment underwriting until the expiration of
forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day
other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the State of Illinois are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date
shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago, Illinois time, on such
date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago, Illinois
time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(g) "Common Stock" shall mean the common
stock, without par value, of the Company, except that
"Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person
other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of
such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity
securities or other equity interest having power to
control or direct the management, of such Person.
(h) "Person" shall mean any individual,
firm, corporation, partnership or other entity.
(i) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without
par value, of the Company, and, to the extent that there
are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the
full exercise of the Rights, any other series of
Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company
designated for such purpose containing terms
substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(j) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean
any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(k) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any
event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section
13(a) hereof.
(l) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean
the first date of public announcement (which, for
purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d)
under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring
Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(m) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with
reference to any Person, any corporation of which an
amount of voting securities sufficient to elect at least
a majority of the directors of such corporation is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such
Person, or otherwise controlled by such Person.
(n) "Triggering Event" shall mean any
Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The
Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent
for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in
accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common
Stock) in accordance with the terms 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 Rights Certificates.
(a) Until the earliest of (i) the close
of business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition
Date (or, if the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition
Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business
on the Record Date), (ii) the close of business on the
tenth business day (or such later date as the Board shall
determine) after the date that a tender or exchange offer
by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of
the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or
of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first
published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule
14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (iii) the
close of business on the tenth Business Day after the
Board of Directors determines, pursuant to the criteria
set forth in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, that a Person
is an Adverse Person (the earliest of (i), (ii) and (iii)
being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions
of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates
for the Common Stock registered in the names of the
holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for
Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for
Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock
(including a transfer to the Company). As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent
will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail,
to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or
more right certificates, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (the "Rights Certificates"), evidencing
one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject
to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an
adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common
Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at
the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding
adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so
that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers
of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) With respect to certificates for the
Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates for the Common Stock and the registered
holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered
holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of
the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such
term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any
certificates representing shares of Common Stock in
respect of which Rights have been issued shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of
all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether
originally issued or from the Company's treasury) after
the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the
Distribution Date or the Expiration Date or in certain
circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the
Distribution Date. Certificates representing such shares
of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates
for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and
entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as
set forth in the Rights Agreement between Ball
Corporation (the "Company") and First Chicago
Trust Company of New York (the "Rights Agent")
dated as of January 24, 1996, as amended from
time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), the
terms of which are hereby incorporated herein
by reference and a copy of which is on file at
the principal offices of Ball Corporation.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in
the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be
evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. Ball
Corporation will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as
in effect on the date of mailing, without
charge promptly after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was
or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Adverse
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), whether currently held by or on
behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
holder, may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the
foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the
Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates
alone and registered holders of Common Stock shall also
be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and
the transfer of any of such certificates shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto
and may have such marks of identification or designation
and such legends, summaries or endorsements 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
11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the
price set forth therein (such exercise price per one
one-thousandth of a share, the "Purchase Price"), but the
amount and type of securities purchasable upon the
exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof
shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued
pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that
represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, (ii)
a transferee of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either
(A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from
the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of
the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement
or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect
avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights
Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11
hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment
of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this
sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the
following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights
Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a
Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the
Rights represented hereby may become null and
void in the circumstances specified in Section
7(e) of such Agreement.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be
executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Vice Chairman, its President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and
shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company,
either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights
Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature and shall not
be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any
of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer
of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such
Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned
by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the
Company with the same force and effect as though the
person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights
Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by
any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the
Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the
date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such
person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its
principal office or offices designated as the appropriate
place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise
or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the
Rights Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall
show the names and addresses of the respective holders of
the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced
on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the
date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed,
Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. (a) Subject to the
provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and 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 Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate
or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates
representing Rights that have been exchanged pursuant to
Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined
or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase
a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common
Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder
in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or
exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall
make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or
Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take
any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any
such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered
holder shall have completed and signed the certificate
contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side
of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably
request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to
Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24
hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled
thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as
the case may be, as so requested. The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of
Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the
Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them,
and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of
all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the
Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute
and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the
registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so
lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e)
hereof, the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation,
the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section
9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in
whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form
of election to purchase and the certificate on the
reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, together with payment of the
aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number
of one one-thousandths of a share (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which
such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior
to the earliest of (i) the close of business on August 4,
2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at
which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23
hereof or (iii) the time at which such Rights are
exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof (the earliest of
(i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the
"Expiration Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to
the exercise of a Right shall initially be $130, and
shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be
payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of
election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so
exercised, of the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth
of a share of Preferred Stock (or other shares,
securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to
be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to
any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall,
subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of
Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent
is the transfer agent for such shares) certificates for
the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby
irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with
all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have
elected to deposit the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing such
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates
for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such
receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with
the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the
depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any,
to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance
with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder
of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after
receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such
amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified bank check
or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. In
the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay
cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements
necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or
other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares
of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the
Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and
delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder
of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after
the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becomes such, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person to holders of equity interests
in such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or to any
Person with whom the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person
has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a
transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or
understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect
the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and
void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to
such Rights, whether under any provision of this
Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all
reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this
Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with,
but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure
to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person or any of their respective
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action
with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence
of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7
unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the
Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and
(ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of
the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of
Rights Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered
for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the
Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights
Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if
surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by
it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu
thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the
provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and
the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other
Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights
Agent shall deliver all cancelled Rights Certificates to
the Company, or shall, at the written request of the
Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of
Capital Stock. (a) The Company covenants and agrees
that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out
of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out
of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock
and/or other securities or out of its authorized and
issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares
of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
that, as provided in this Agreement including Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred
Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable and
deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed
on any national securities exchange, the Company shall
use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time
as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for
such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best
efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the
earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be
delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has
been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, a registration statement under the Securities Act
of 1933 (the "Act"), with respect to the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for
such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of
the Rights. The Company will also take such action as
may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with,
the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states
in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The
Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not
to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in
clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c),
the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and
file such registration statement and permit it to become
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall
issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time
as the suspension is no longer in effect. In addition,
if the Company shall determine that a registration
statement is required following the Distribution Date,
the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until such time as a registration statement
has been declared effective. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not
have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be
permitted under applicable law or a registration
statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that
it will take all such action as may be necessary to
ensure that all one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of
delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to
payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and
agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all
federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the
Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights
Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities,
as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that
of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
deliver any certificates for a number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a
name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been
paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it
has been established to the Company's satisfaction that
no such tax is due.
Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each
person in whose name any certificate for a number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is
issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes
be deemed to have become the holder of record of such
fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented
thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights
was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment
is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer
books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares
(fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall
be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities,
as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced
thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company
with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be
exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to
vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to
exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled
to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company,
except as provided herein.
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price,
Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights. The
Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company
shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the
Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred
Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred
Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred
Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock
(including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in
which the Company is the continuing or
surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e)
hereof, the 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 Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on
such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after
such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect,
the aggregate number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case
may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time
when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the
Company were open, he or she would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive
by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event
occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for
in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition
to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event that:
(A) any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or
entity organized, appointed or established by
the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan), alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time
after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date,
become an Acquiring Person, unless the event
causing the Person to become an Acquiring
Person is a transaction set forth in Section
13(a) hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of
Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an
exchange offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock at a price and on terms determined
by at least a majority of the members of the
Board of Directors who are not officers of the
Company and who are not representatives,
nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an
Acquiring Person, after receiving advice from
one or more investment banking firms, to be (a)
at a price which is fair to stockholders
(taking into account all factors which such
members of the Board deem relevant including,
without limitation, prices which could
reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed
to realize maximum value) and (b) otherwise in
the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders (a "Qualifying Offer"); or
(B) The Board of Directors of the
Company shall declare any Person to be an
Adverse Person, upon a determination that such
Person, alone or together with its Affiliates
and Associates, has, at any time after this
Agreement has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a
filing under the Exchange Act, become the
Beneficial Owner of a number of shares of
Common Stock which the Board of Directors of
the Company determines to be substantial (which
number of shares shall in no event represent
less than 10% of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock) and a determination by the Board
of Directors of the Company, after reasonable
inquiry and investigation, including
consultation with such persons as such
directors shall deem appropriate and
consideration of such factors as are permitted
by applicable law, that (a) such Beneficial
Ownership by such Person is intended to cause
the Company to repurchase the shares of Common
Stock beneficially owned by such Person or to
cause pressure on the Company to take action or
enter into a transaction or series of
transactions intended to provide such Person
with short-term financial gain under
circumstances where the Board of Directors
determines that the best long-term interests of
the Company would not be served by taking such
action or entering into such transaction or
series of transactions at the time or (b) such
Beneficial Ownership is causing or reasonably
likely to cause a material adverse impact
(including, but not limited to, impairment of
relationships with customers or impairment of
the Company's ability to maintain its
competitive position) on the business or
prospects of the Company to the detriment of
the Company's shareholders, employees,
suppliers or customers, or communities in which
offices or other facilities of the Company are
located;
then, promptly following the occurrence of any event
described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof,
proper provision shall be made so that each holder
of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as
shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying
the then current Purchase Price by the then number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, and (y) dividing that product (which,
following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be
referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of
the current market price (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on
the date of such first occurrence (such number of
shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number
of shares of Common Stock which are authorized
by the Company's Amended Articles of
Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved
for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii)
of this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A)
determine the value of the Adjustment Shares
issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the
"Current Value"), and (B) with respect to each
Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make
adequate provision to substitute for the
Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of a Right
and payment of the applicable Purchase Price,
(1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase
Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares, or units of shares, of
preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock,
which the Board has deemed to have essentially
the same value or economic rights as shares of
Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock
being referred to as "Common Stock
Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the
Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any
combination of the foregoing, having an
aggregate value equal to the Current Value
(less the amount of any reduction in the
Purchase Price), where such aggregate value has
been determined by the Board based upon the
advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board; provided,
however, that if the Company shall not have
made adequate provision to deliver value
pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30)
days following the later of (x) the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y)
the date on which the Company's right of
redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires
(the later of (x) and (y) being referred to
herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a
Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the
extent available) and then, if necessary, cash,
which shares and/or cash have an aggregate
value equal to the Spread. For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the term "Spread" shall
mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over
(ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board
determines in good faith that it is likely that
sufficient additional shares of Common Stock
could be authorized for issuance upon exercise
in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90)
days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date,
in order that the Company may seek shareholder
approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such thirty (30) day period,
as it may be extended, is herein called the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that
action is to be taken pursuant to the first
and/or third sentences of this Section
11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall provide,
subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such
action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding
Rights, and (2) may suspend the exercisability
of the Rights until the expiration of the
Substitution Period in order to seek such
shareholder approval for such authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the
appropriate form of distribution to be made
pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of
any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public
announcement at such time as the suspension is
no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each
Adjustment Share shall be the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per
share or per unit value of any Common Stock
Equivalent shall be deemed to equal the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock on
such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a
record date for the issuance of rights (other than the
Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a
period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days
after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having
the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares
of Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or
securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent
preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock
or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible
into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less
than the current market price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on
such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall
be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred
Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent
preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market
price, and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record
date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred
Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be offered for
subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible).
In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery
of consideration part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be
as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for
the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.
Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such
a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights
or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted to be the Purchase Price 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 a distribution to all holders of
Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly cash
dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in
stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights
or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record
date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
current market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record
date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent and the holders of the Rights) of the portion of
the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per
share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in
the event that such distribution is not so made, the
Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would have been in effect if such record date had
not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any
computation hereunder, other than computations made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
share of such Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date,
and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section
11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market Price per share of
Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the
average of the daily closing prices per share of such
Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days
immediately following such date; provided, however, that
in the event that the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock is determined during a period following
the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of
(A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock
payable in shares of such Common Stock or securities
convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than
the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or
reclassification of such Common Stock, and the
ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or
the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the
commencement of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or
ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, then,
and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be
properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend
trading. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale
takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported
in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares
of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed
or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices
in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of
Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional market maker making a market in the
Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such date
no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock,
the fair value of such shares on such date as determined
in good faith by the Board shall be used. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal
national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open
for the transaction of business or, if the shares of
Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the
Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, Current Market Price per share shall mean the
fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as
set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of
this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence
thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner
provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly
held or listed or traded in a manner described in clause
(i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per
share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to
be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be
appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits,
stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the
Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement)
multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of the
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the
Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded,
Current Market Price per share of the Preferred Stock
shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes
of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of a Unit
shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one share
of Preferred Stock divided by 1,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (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 ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or
other share or one-ten millionth of a share of Preferred
Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first
sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required
by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the
earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the
transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the
Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof,
the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become
entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other
than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other
shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the
Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment
from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect
to the Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b),
(c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with
respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms
to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the
Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase
Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at
the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable
from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights,
all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have
exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon
each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such
adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(calculated to the nearest one-ten millionth) obtained by
(i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of
a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the
date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust
the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of
the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number
of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that
number of Rights (calculated to the nearest
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 Rights Certificates
have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later
than the date of the public announcement. If Rights
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates
on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause
to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates
held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new
Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which
such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.
Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for
herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the
adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on
the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-
thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a share and
the number of one one-thousandth of a share which were
expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would
cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the
then stated value, if any, of the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable
upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any
corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may
validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable
such number of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred
Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11
shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be
made effective as of a record date for a specified event,
the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of
such event the issuance to the holder of any Right
exercised after such record date the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and
other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase
Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a
due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such
holder's right to receive such additional shares
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the
occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled
to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith
judgment the Board of Directors of the Company shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock
at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance
wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that
it shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date,
(i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies
with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell
or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more
than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other
Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of
its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger
or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in
effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the
shareholders of the Person who constitutes, or would
constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates
and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees
that, after the Distribution Date, it will not, except as
permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time
such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that
such action will diminish substantially or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the
contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Company
shall at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration
Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a
dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number
of shares, the number of Rights associated with each
share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or
delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date,
shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of
Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common
Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated
with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such
event by a fraction the numerator which shall be the
total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the
occurrence of such event.
(q) The failure of the Board of Directors
to declare a Person to be an Adverse Person following
such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of shares of
Common Stock representing 10% or more of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall not imply that such Person
is not an Adverse Person or limit the Board of Directors'
right at any time in the future to declare such Person to
be an Adverse Person.
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase
Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is
made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the
Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting
forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts
accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with
the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such
certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate
representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained.
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or
Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
(a) In the event that, following the
Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into,
any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company
in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger,
(y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof)
shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the
Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or
surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger
and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all
or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall
be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person or cash or any other
property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of
related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating
more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
Person or Persons (other than the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions
each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then,
and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by
Section 13(d) hereof), proper provision shall be made so
that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued,
fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of
Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse
claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for
which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section
11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number
of such one one-thousandths of a share for which a Right
was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in
effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and
dividing that product (which, following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as
the "Purchase Price" for each Right and for all purposes
of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per
share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the
date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; (ii) such
Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this
Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being
specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11
hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following
the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such
Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not
limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary
to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation
to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following
the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any
transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of
the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person
that is the issuer of any securities into which
shares of Common Stock of the Company are
converted in such merger or consolidation, and
if no securities are so issued, the Person that
is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any
transaction described in clause (z) of the
first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person
that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the
Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has
not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange
Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary
of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has
been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one
Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and
have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to
whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common
Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any
such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the
Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and
unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth
in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of
any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in
paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party
will
(i) prepare and file a
registration statement under the Act, with
respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, and will use its best efforts
to cause such registration statement to (A)
become effective as soon as practicable after
such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the Expiration
Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of
the Rights historical financial statements for
the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates
which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under
the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply
to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other
transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event shall
occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights which have not theretofore
been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the
manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, Section 13 shall not be
applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares
of Common Stock pursuant to a Qualifying Offer (or a
wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons),
(ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per share of
Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common
Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender
offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of
consideration being offered to the remaining holders of
shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is
the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to
such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon consummation
of any such transaction contemplated by this Section
13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional
Shares.
(a) The Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the
Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or
to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence
fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights,
there shall be paid to the registered holders of the
Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional
Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the current market value of
a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the
current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional
Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing
price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on
the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on
which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if
the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or,
if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported
by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any
such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker
is making a market in the Rights the fair value of the
Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock
(other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock). In lieu
of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered
holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value
of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall
be one one-thousandth of the closing price of a share of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior
to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of
fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to
the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in
cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of
this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share
of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share
of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the
acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his or her
right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by
this Section 14.
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of
action in respect of this Agreement are vested in the
respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder
of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution
Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), may, in his or her own behalf and for his
or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the
Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his
or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such
Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of
Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders
of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for
any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to
specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to
this Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders.
Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents
and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with
every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the
Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry
books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and
certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section
7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem
and treat the person in whose name a Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute
owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on
the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the
Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last
sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the
Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or other Person as a result of its inability to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by
reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or
other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory
or administrative agency or commission, or any statute,
rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or
otherwise restraining performance of such obligation;
provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts
to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or
otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not
Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights
Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented
thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder
of any Rights 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
Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on
demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements
incurred in the administration and execution of this
Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any
loss, liability, 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.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected
and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common
Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument
of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement, 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.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change
of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with
which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a
party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate
trust or stock transfer 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, however, 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 Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent;
and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have
the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in
this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the
Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the
Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time
any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such
Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The
Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations
imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders
of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with
legal counsel (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
(including, without limitation, the identity of any
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person and the determination
of "current market price") 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 the Chairman of the Board, the
President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights
Agent; and 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 only for its own negligence, bad faith or
willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable
for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or
recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as
to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but
all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed
to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under
any responsibility in respect of the validity of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Rights
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 Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible
for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11, Section 13 or Section 24 hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such
adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts
that would require any such adjustment (except with
respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights
Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common
Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will
perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be
performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the
carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized
and directed to accept instructions with respect to the
performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of
the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with
its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action
taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(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,
however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall
require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds
or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable
grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability
is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right
Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise
or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an
affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the
Rights Agent shall not take any further action with
respect to such requested exercise of transfer without
first consulting with the Company.
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
thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the
Company, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and
to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent
shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become
incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a
successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail
to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30)
days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent
or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with
such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection
by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.
Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) 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, which is authorized
under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and/or
stock transfer power and is subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority and which has
at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined
capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) a
wholly-owned subsidiary of a corporation as described in
clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same
powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act
or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver
and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property
at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver
any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary
for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of
any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred
Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Failure
to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the
legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights
Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Rights
Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of
this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its
Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under
the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the
redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued
or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or
awarded as of the Distribution Date, or upon the
exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any
other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the
Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of
Rights in connection with such issuance or sale;
provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company
shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would
create a significant risk of material adverse tax
consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such
Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such
Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent
that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been
made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. Redemption and Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of
(i) the close of business on the tenth day following the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date
shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close
of business on the tenth day following the Record Date),
or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not
less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $0.01 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred
to as the "Redemption Price"). The Board of Directors
may not redeem any Rights following a determination
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)(B) that any Person is an
Adverse Person. Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be
exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right of
redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at
its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of
Common Stock (based on the "current market price", as
defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock
at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption
of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of
Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each
Right so held. Promptly after the action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the
Company shall give notice of such redemption to the
Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding
Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each
holder's last address as it appears upon the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the
Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of
redemption will state the method by which the payment of
the Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. Exchange.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company
may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person or is determined to be an Adverse
Person pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)(B), 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 7(e) hereof) for
shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share
of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to
reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the
"Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such
exchange at any time after any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or
any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner
of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Common Stock then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange
of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
24 and without any further action and without any notice,
the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the
only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be
to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied
by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give
public notice of any such exchange; provided, however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice
shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The
Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the
Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange
will state the method by which the exchange of the Common
Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of
any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be
exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro
rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights
which have become void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this
Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute
shares of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock,
as such term is defined in paragraph (b) of Section 11
hereof) for shares of Common Stock exchangeable for
rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock)
for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted
to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the
Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3(A) of the rights,
powers and preferences attached hereto as Exhibit A, so
that the fraction of a share of Preferred Stock delivered
in lieu of each share of Common Stock shall have the same
voting rights as one share of Common Stock.
(d) In the event that there shall not be
sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not
outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action
as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of
Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares
of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of
Common Stock, there shall be paid to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which
such fractional share of Common Stock would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the current market value of a whole share of Common
Stock. For the purposes of this subsection (e), the
current market value of a whole share of Common Stock
shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section
11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at
any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any
dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the
holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or retained
earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders
of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or
to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or
shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a
reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect
any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction
which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect
any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of
its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer),
in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or
any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each
of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give
to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent
feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend,
distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale,
transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to
take place and the date of participation therein by the
holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii)
above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock
for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such
other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date
of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of the shares of
Preferred Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth
in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then, in any
such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable
thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate,
to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26
hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which
shall specify the event and the consequences of the event
to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and
(ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to
Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to
Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
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:
Ball Corporation
345 South High Street
Muncie, Indiana 47302
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or
demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate
to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or
made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Company) as follows:
First Chicago Trust Company
of New York
525 Washington Boulevard
Suite 4660
Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
Attention: Tenders and Exchanges
Administration
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the
holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the
Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates
representing shares of Common Stock) shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address
of such holder as shown on the registry books of the
Company.
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior
to the Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company and the Rights
Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the
approval of any holders of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution
Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this
Section 27, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if
the Company so directs, supplement or amend this
Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein
which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time
period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the
provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company may
deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely
affect the interests of the holders of Rights
Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person); provided, this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to
clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating
to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the
Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time
period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or
the benefits to, the holders of Rights (other than an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person and its Affiliates and
Associates). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with
the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall
execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to the
Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights
shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Stock.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and
provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the
Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the
benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the
Board of Directors, etc. For all purposes of this
Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular
percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of
which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made
in accordance with the last sentence of Rule
13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
shall have the exclusive power and authority to
administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and
powers specifically granted to the Board or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the
provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Agreement (including a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect
to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in
good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on
the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights
and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to
any liability to the holders of the Rights.
Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to
any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and
the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the
Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be
for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date,
registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. Severability. If any term,
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; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such
term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable
and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in
its good faith judgment that severing the invalid
language from this Agreement would adversely affect the
purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of
redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be
reinstated and shall not expire until the close of
business on the tenth day following the date of such
determination by the Board of Directors. Without
limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are
not officers of the Company and who are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of an
Acquiring Person to act is held by any court of competent
jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall be made by the
Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with
applicable law and the Company's Amended Articles of
Incorporation and bylaws.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement,
each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder
shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of
the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
such State applicable to contracts made and to be
performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may
be executed in any number of counterparts and each of
such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be
an original, and all such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive
headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction of any of the
provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have
caused this Agreement to be duly executed and their
respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BALL CORPORATION
By/s/ Elizabeth A. Overmyer By/s/ R. David Hoover
___________________________ ____________________________
Name: Elizabeth A. Overmyer Name: R. David Hoover
Title: Corporate Secretary Title: Executive Vice
President and Chief
Financial Officer
Attest: FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
By/s/ Ralph Persico By/s/ Michael Kane
_______________________ ____________________________
Name: Ralph Persico Name: Michael Kane
Title: Customer Service Title: Assistant Vice
Officer President
Exhibit A
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF SERIES A JUNIOR
PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
BALL CORPORATION
The voting powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional and other special rights of the
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions
thereof, are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares
of such series shall be designated as "Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of shares
constituting such series shall be 120,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights
of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred
Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock with respect to
dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to
receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last 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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share
(rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a)
$0.01 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all
non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common
Stock, without par value, of the Corporation (the "Common
Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after January 24, 1996 (the
"Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of
shares, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend
or distribution on the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock as provided in Paragraph (A) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution
on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no
dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the
Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.01 per share on
the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock 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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid
dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends
at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all
such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend
or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall
be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote
of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the
outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to
which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by
law, the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares
of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all
matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(C) (i) If at any time dividends on
any Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to
six (6) quarterly dividends thereon, the
occurrence of such contingency shall mark the
beginning of a period (herein called a "default
period") which shall extend until such time
when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all
previous quarterly dividend periods and for the
current quarterly dividend period on all shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock then outstanding shall have been declared
and paid or set apart for payment. During each
default period, all holders of Preferred Stock
(including holders of the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock) with dividends
in arrears in an amount equal to six (6)
quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a class,
irrespective of series, shall have the right to
elect two (2) Directors.
(ii) During any default period, such
voting right of the holders of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock may be exercised
initially at a special meeting called pursuant
to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or
at any annual meeting of stockholders, and
thereafter at annual meetings of stockholders,
provided that neither such voting right nor the
right of the holders of any other series of
Preferred Stock, if any, to increase, in
certain cases, the authorized number of
Directors shall be exercised unless the holders
of ten percent (10%) in number of shares of
Preferred Stock outstanding shall be present in
person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of
the holders of Common Stock shall not affect
the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock
of such voting right. At any meeting at which
the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise
such voting right initially during an existing
default period, they shall have the right,
voting as a class, to elect Directors to fill
such vacancies, if any, in the Board of
Directors as may then exist up to two (2)
Directors or, if such right is exercised at an
annual meeting, to elect two (2) Directors. If
the number which may be so elected at any
special meeting does not amount to the required
number, the holders of the Preferred Stock
shall have the right to make such increase in
the number of Directors as shall be necessary
to permit the election by them of the required
number. After the holders of the Preferred
Stock shall have exercised their right to elect
Directors in any default period and during the
continuance of such period, the number of
Directors shall not be increased or decreased
except by vote of the holders of Preferred
Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the
rights of any equity securities ranking senior
to or pari passu with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock.
(iii) Unless the holders of
Preferred Stock shall, during an existing
default period, have previously exercised their
right to elect Directors, the Board of
Directors may order, or any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less
than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding,
irrespective of series, may request, the
calling of a special meeting of the holders of
Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon
be called by the President, a Vice-President or
the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of
such meeting and of any annual meeting at which
holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote
pursuant to this Paragraph (C)(iii) shall be
given to each holder of record of Preferred
Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him
or her at his or her last address as the same
appears on the books of the Corporation. Such
meeting shall be called for a time not earlier
than 20 days and not later than 60 days after
such order or request or in default of the
calling of such meeting within 60 days after
such order or request, such meeting may be
called on similar notice by any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less
than ten percent (10%) of the total number of
shares of Preferred Stock outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting
shall be called during the period within 60
days immediately preceding the date fixed for
the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the
holders of Common Stock, and other classes of
stock of the Corporation if applicable, shall
continue to be entitled to elect the whole
number of Directors until the holders of
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their
right to elect two (2) Directors voting as a
class, after the exercise of which right (x)
the Directors so elected by the holders of
Preferred Stock shall continue in office until
their successors shall have been elected by
such holders or until the expiration of the
default period, and (y) any vacancy in the
Board of Directors may (except as provided in
Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3) be filled
by vote of a majority of the remaining
Directors theretofore elected by the holders of
the class of stock which elected the Director
whose office shall have become vacant.
References in this Paragraph (C) to Directors
elected by the holders of a particular class of
stock shall include Directors elected by such
Directors to fill vacancies as provided in
clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(v) Immediately upon the expiration
of a default period, (x) the right of the
holders of Preferred Stock as a class to elect
Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any
Directors elected by the holders of Preferred
Stock as a class shall terminate, and (z) the
number of Directors shall be such number as may
be provided for in the Amended Articles of
Incorporation or by-laws irrespective of any
increase made pursuant to the provisions of
Paragraph (C)(ii) of this Section 3 (such
number being subject, however, to change
thereafter in any manner provided by law or in
the Amended Articles of Incorporation or
by-laws). Any vacancies in the Board of
Directors effected by the provisions of clauses
(y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may be
filled by a majority of the remaining
Directors.
(D) Except as set forth herein, holders of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have
no special voting rights and their consent shall not be
required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote
with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for
taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other
dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2
are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not
declared, on shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends
on, make any other distributions on, or redeem
or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock ranking
junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends
on 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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends
paid ratably on the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and all such
parity stock on which dividends are payable or
in arrears in proportion to the total amounts
to which the holders of all such shares are
then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or
otherwise acquire for consideration shares of
any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, provided that
the Corporation may at any time redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any
such parity stock in exchange for shares of any
stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either
as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration any shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any
shares of stock ranking on a parity with the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
except in accordance with a purchase offer made
in writing or by publication (as determined by
the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other
relative rights and preferences of the
respective series and classes, shall determine
in good faith will result in fair and equitable
treatment among the respective series or
classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any
subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under Paragraph
(A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such
shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock purchased
or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after
the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares
of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new
series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or
resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the
conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding
Up. (A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise),
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior
thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have received $1000
per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not
declared, to the date of such payment (the "Series A
Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of the
full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no
additional distributions shall be made to the holders of
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common
Stock shall have received an amount per share (the
"Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii)
1,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in
subparagraph (C) below to reflect such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with
respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii),
the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the
full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and holders of
shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and
proportionate share of the remaining assets to be
distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1
with respect to such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on
a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not
sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of
the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation
preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if
any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such
parity shares in proportion to their respective
liquidation preferences. In the event, however, that
there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or
(iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment
Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of
Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In
case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation,
merger, combination or other transaction in which the
shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into
other stock or securities, cash and/or any other
property, then in any such case the shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same
time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per
share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate
amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other
property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into
which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed
or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any
dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or
(iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of 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 Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. Redemption. The shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be redeemable
at a price equal to the product of (a) the current market
price of the Common Stock and (b) the Adjustment Number.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all
other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to
the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets,
unless the terms of any such series shall provide
otherwise.
Section 10. Amendment. The Amended Articles
of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be further
amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to
affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority or more of the outstanding shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in
proportion to such holders fractional shares, to exercise
voting rights, receive dividends, participate in
distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights
of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock.
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 4, 2006 OR EARLIER IF
REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.01 PER
RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY
AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ADVERSE PERSON (AS
SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).
ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH
AGREEMENT.](1)
Rights Certificate
BALL CORPORATION
This certifies that , or
registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number
of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the
owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of
January 24, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Ball
Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the "Company"), and
First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a national
banking association (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (Chicago,
Illinois time) on August 4, 2006 at the office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its
successors as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully
paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of
the Company, at a purchase price of $130 per one one-
thousandth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate
with the Form of Election to Purchase and related
Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of
shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set
forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of
, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such
date. The Company reserves the right to require prior to
(1) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be
inserted only if applicable and shall replace the
preceding sentence.
the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights
be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock
will be issued.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement),
if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who,
after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person, such Rights shall
become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any
right with respect to such Rights from and after the
occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the
Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of
Preferred Stock or other securities, which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events.
This Rights 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
Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include
the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such
Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on
file at the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent
and are also available upon written request to the Rights
Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other
Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing
Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled
such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate
shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled
to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of
whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights
Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may
be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $0.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier
of the close of business on (i) the tenth day following
the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be
extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date. In addition, the Rights may be
exchanged, in whole or in part, for shares of the Common
Stock, or shares of preferred stock of the Company having
essentially the same value or economic rights as such
shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company authorizing any such exchange,
and without any further action or any notice, the Rights
(other than Rights which are not subject to such
exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable
holders to receive the shares issuable upon such
exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be
issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced
hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples
of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced
by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be
entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for
any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of
any other securities of the Company 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 Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or
obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been
countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper
officers of the Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of ,
ATTEST: BALL CORPORATION
____________________ By_______________________
Secretary Title:
Countersigned:
FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
OF NEW YORK
By______________________
Authorized Signature
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
hereby sells, assigns and transfer unto
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title
and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint _________________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of
the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Dated: ___________________, 19__
___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking
the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is
not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf
of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or Adverse
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are defined
pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best
knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person.
Dated: __________________, 19__ ______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon
the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular,
without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the
Rights Certificate.)
To: BALL CORPORATION
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to
exercise __________ Rights represented by this Rights
Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which
may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and
requests that certificates for such shares be issued in
the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights
Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be
registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated: _______________, 19__
______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking
the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on
behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best
knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person
or Adverse Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person or Adverse Person.
Dated: ___________, 19__ ___________________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to
Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as
written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever.
