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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OR (G) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
DELAWARE 84-1213501
(STATE OF INCORPORATION (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
OR ORGANIZATION)
16825 NORTHCHASE DRIVE, SUITE 1300
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77060
(281) 873-2674
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OF THE ACT:
TITLE OF EACH CLASS NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE ON WHICH
TO BE SO REGISTERED EACH CLASS IS TO BE REGISTERED
None None
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of debt securities and
is effective upon filing pursuant to General Instruction A.(c)(1), please
check the following box. [ ]
If this Form relates to the registration of a class of debt securities
and is to become effective simultaneously with the effectiveness of a concurrent
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to general
instruction A(c)(2), please check the following box. [ ]
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(G) OF THE ACT:
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
(TITLE OF CLASS)
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INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
On May 16, 1997 the Board of Directors of American Oncology Resources,
Inc. (the "Corporation") declared a dividend distribution of one Series A
Preferred Share Purchase Right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation. The
dividend is payable to the stockholders of record on June 2, 1997 (the "Record
Date"), and with respect to shares of Common Stock issued thereafter until the
Distribution Date (as defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect
to shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date. Except as set
forth below, each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Corporation one one-thousandth of a share of Series
A Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the
Corporation at a price of $55.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
(the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent"), dated as of May 29, 1997.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates
representing shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and no separate Right
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the shares of
Common Stock upon the earliest to occur of (i) 10 days following a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons, with certain exceptions, having
acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (except pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10
days (or such later date as the Board may determine) following the commencement
of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer
the consummation of which would result in a person or group becoming an
Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being
called the "Distribution Date"). A person or group whose acquisition of shares
of Common Stock causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an
"Acquiring Person." The date that a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person
is the "Stock Acquisition Date."
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the shares of Common Stock. Until
the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) new
certificates in respect of Common Stock issued after the Record Date upon
transfer or new issuance of shares of Common Stock will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date
(or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer
of any certificates for shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record
Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being
attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate. As soon as
practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the
shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (and
to each initial record holder of certain shares of Common Stock issued after the
Distribution Date), and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on May 16, 2007 unless earlier redeemed by the
Corporation as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (except
pursuant to a tender or exchange offer which is for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock at a price and on terms which a majority of certain members of the
Board of Directors determines to be adequate and in the best interests of the
Corporation, its stockholders and other relevant constituencies, other than such
Acquiring Person, its affiliates and associates (a "Permitted Offer")), each
holder of a Right will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to
receive upon exercise the number of shares of Common Stock or of one-one
thousandths of a share of Preferred Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other
securities of the Corporation) having a value (immediately prior to such
triggering event) equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of the event described
above, all Rights that are, or under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any
affiliate or associate thereof will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the
holders of all of the surviving
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corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of the Corporation's assets or
earning power is sold or transferred, in either case with or to an Acquiring
Person or any affiliate or associate or any other person in which such Acquiring
Person, affiliate or associate has an interest or any person acting on behalf of
or in concert with such Acquiring Person, affiliate or associate, or, if in such
transaction all holders of shares of Common Stock are not treated alike, any
other person, then each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have
been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over
Right") to receive, upon exercise, common shares of the acquiring company having
a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The holder of a
Right will continue to have the Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder
exercises or surrenders the Flip-In Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares, shares
of Common Stock or other securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price
less than the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights
or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the shares of Common Stock or a
stock dividend on the shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock
or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the shares of Common Stock
occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $10.00 per share but, if greater, will be entitled
to an aggregate dividend per share of 1,000 times the dividend declared per
Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares
will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per
share; thereafter, and after the holders of the shares of Common Stock receive a
liquidation payment of $1 per share, the holders of the Preferred Shares and the
holders of the shares of Common Stock will share the remaining assets in the
ratio of 1,000 to 1 (as adjusted) for each Preferred Share and share of Common
Stock so held, respectively. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation
or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are exchanged, each
Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per
share of Common Stock. These rights are protected by customary antidilution
provisions. In the event that the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends on the
Preferred Shares is equivalent to six (6) full quarterly dividends or more, the
holders of the Preferred Shares shall have the right, voting as a class, to
elect two directors in addition to the directors elected by the holders of the
shares of Common Stock until all cumulative dividends on the Preferred Shares
have been paid through the last quarterly dividend payment date or until non-
cumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one year.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are one one-thousandth or integral multiples of one one-
thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Corporation,
be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last
trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) the close of business
on the tenth day after a person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) the
expiration of the Rights, and under certain other circumstances, the Corporation
may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right
(the "Redemption Price") which redemption shall be effective upon the action of
the Board of Directors. Additionally, at any time following the Stock
Acquisition Date and before the expiration of the Rights, the Corporation may
redeem the then outstanding Rights in whole, but not in part, at the Redemption
Price, provided that such redemption is in connection with a merger or other
business combination transaction or series of transactions involving the
Corporation in which all holders of Common Stock are treated alike but not
involving an Acquiring Person or its affiliates or associates.
All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may
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be amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency,
to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights
(excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person), or, subject to certain
limitations, to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights
become exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed as an exhibit to this
Registration Statement. This summary of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.
ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.
4. Form of Rights Agreement dated as of May 29, 1997 between
American Oncology Resources, Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, as Rights Agent, which includes as Exhibit A the form of
Certificate of Designations, as Exhibit B the form of Right
Certificate and as Exhibit C the Summary of Rights to purchase
Preferred Shares. In accordance with the terms of the Rights
Agreement, Rights Certificates will not be mailed to Stockholders
until after the Distribution Date (as defined therein).
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
(Registrant) AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
Date: May 29, 1997
By: /s/ R. Dale Ross
---------------------------------
R. Dale Ross
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
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EXHIBIT 4
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
Rights Agreement
Dated as of May 29, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Section I CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
Section II APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Section III ISSUANCE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Section IV FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE.
Section V COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
Section VI TRANSFER SPLIT-UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT
CERTIFICATES.
Section VII EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
Section VIII CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Section IX RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.
Section X PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE.
Section XI ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES OR NUMBER
OF RIGHTS.
Section XII CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Section XIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR EARNING
POWER.
Section XIV FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
Section XV RIGHTS OF ACTION.
Section XVI AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDER.
Section XVII RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER.
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Section XVIII CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
Section XIX MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Section XX DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Section XXI CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT.
Section XXII ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
Section XXIII REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
Section XXIV EXCHANGE.
Section XXV NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
Section XXVI NOTICES.
Section XXVII SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS.
Section XXVIII DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
Section XXIX SUCCESSORS.
Section XXX BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
Section XXXI SEVERABILITY.
Section XXXII GOVERNING LAW.
Section XXXIII COUNTERPARTS.
Section XXXIV DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS.
EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES
Schedule A Grandfathered Stockholders
Exhibit A Form Of Certificate of Designations designating the relative rights,
preferences and Limitations of the Series A Preferred Stock of
American Oncology Resources, Inc.
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Exhibit B Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
DEFINED TERM CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
Acquiring Person........................................ Section 1(a)
Act..................................................... Section 1(b)
Adjustment Shares....................................... Section 11(a)(ii)
Adjusted Number of Shares............................... Section 11(a)(iii)
Adjusted Purchase Price................................. Section 11(a)(iii)
Affiliate............................................... Section 1(c)
Agreement............................................... Preface
Appointment of Rights Agent............................. Section 2
Associate............................................... Section 1(c)
Beneficial Owner........................................ Section 1(d)
Beneficially Own........................................ Section 1(d)
Business Day............................................ Section 1(e)
Capital Stock Equivalent................................ Section 11(a)(iii)
Close of Business....................................... Section 1(f)
Common Stock............................................ Section 1(g)
Corporation............................................. Preface
Current Per Market Price................................ Section 11(d)
Current Per Share Market Price.......................... Section 11(d)(i)
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Distribution Date....................................... Section 3(a)
Equivalent Preferred Shares............................. Section 11(b)
Exchange Act............................................ Section 1(c)
Final Expiration Date................................... Section 7(a)
Grandfathered Stockholder............................... Section 1(j)
Interested Stockholder.................................. Section 1(k)
Permitted Offer......................................... Section 1(l)
Person.................................................. Section 1(m)
Preferred Shares........................................ Section 1(n)
Principal Party......................................... Section 13(b)
Proration Factor........................................ Section 11(a)(iii)
Purchase Price.......................................... Section 4(a)
Record Date............................................. Preface
Redemption Date......................................... Section 7(a)
Redemption Price........................................ Section 23
Right................................................... Preface
Right Certificate....................................... Section 7(a)
Rights Agent............................................ Section 23
Rights Agreement........................................ Preface
Section 11(a)(ii) Event................................. Section 11(a)(ii)
Section 13 Event........................................ Section 13(a)
Security................................................ Section 11(d)(i)
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Shares Acquisition Date................................. Section 1(r)
Subsidiary.............................................. Section 1(s)
Summary of Rights....................................... Section 3(b)
Then Outstanding........................................ Section 1(d)(iii)
Trading Day............................................. Section 11(d)(i)
Transaction............................................. Section 1(t)
Transaction Person...................................... Section 1(u)
Triggering Event........................................ Section 1(v)
Voting Securities....................................... Section 13(a)
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of May 29, 1997 (the Agreement), between
American Oncology Resources, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent").
WHEREAS, on May 16, 1997 the Board of Directors of the Corporation
authorized and declared a dividend of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for
each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation outstanding at the
close of business on June 2, 1997 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing
the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has
further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (as such number may
hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions hereof) with respect to each
share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and
the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that
Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become
outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the
Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions
of Section 22 of this Agreement.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
Section I. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
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(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 then outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than as a
result of a Permitted Offer (as hereinafter defined)) or was such a Beneficial
Owner at any time after the date hereof, whether or not such person continues to
be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common
Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term "Acquiring Person" shall not
include (i) the Corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Corporation, (iii) any
employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, (iv) any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, (v) any Person,
who or which together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common
Stock as a result of the acquisition of shares of Common Stock directly from the
Corporation, (B) no Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" (X) as a
result of the acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Corporation which, by
reducing the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, increases the
proportional number of shares beneficially owned by such Person together with
all Affiliates and Associates of such Person; except that if (i) a Person would
become an Acquiring Person (but for the operation of this subclause (X)) as a
result of the acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Corporation, and (ii)
after such share acquisition by the Corporation, such Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares
of Common Stock, then such Person shall be deemed an Acquiring Person, or (Y) if
(i) within 8 days after such Person would otherwise have become an Acquiring
Person (but for the operation of this subclause (Y)), such Person
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notifies the Board of Directors that such Person did so inadvertently and (ii)
within 2 days after such notification, such Person is the Beneficial Owner of
less than 15% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and (C) in determining
whether any Person is an Acquiring Person as of any date, shares owned by any
Grandfathered Stockholder as of the date hereof and listed on Schedule A that
are owned by such Grandfathered Stockholder as of such date shall not be deemed
to be beneficially owned by such Person.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
(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
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding, 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, (X) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or
on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until
such tendered securities are accepted for purchase
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or exchange; (Y) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior
to the occurrence of a Triggering Event; or (Z) 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; or (B)
the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding;
provided, further, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or
to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding
to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given
to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
other Person (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 (other than customary agree ments with and between underwriters
and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities) relating to the acquisition, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any
securities of the Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the
contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's
Beneficial Ownership of
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securities of the Corporation, shall mean the number of such securities then
issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then
actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own
beneficially hereunder.
(e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or day
on which banking institutions in the state of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York
City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business
Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(g) "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Corporation shall mean
the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation or, in the event
of a subdivision, combination or consolidation with respect to such Common
Stock, the Common Stock resulting from such subdivision, combination or
consolidation. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than
the Corporation shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the
greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a
Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control
such first-mentioned Person.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
(i) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
(j) "Grandfathered Stockholder" shall mean at any time any of the Persons
listed on Schedule A hereto.
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(k) "Interested Stockholder" shall mean any Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or any other Person in which any
such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other
Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
(l) "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender or exchange offer which is for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms determined, prior
to the purchase of shares under such tender or exchange offer, by at least a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of the
Corporation and who are not Acquiring Persons or Affiliates, Associates,
nominees or representatives of an Acquiring Person or a Transaction Person, to
be adequate (taking into account all factors that such Directors deem relevant
including, without limitation, prices that could reasonably be achieved if the
Corporation or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize
maximum value) and otherwise in the best interests of the Corporation and its
stockholders (other than the Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof on
whose basis the offer is being made) taking into account all factors that such
directors may deem relevant.
(m) "Person" shall mean any individual firm, partnership, corporation,
trust, association, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(n) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Preferred Stock, with
a par value of $.01 per share, of the Corporation having the relative rights,
preferences and limitations set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(o) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
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(p) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(q) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event described in clause (x), (y) or
(z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(r) "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 the Exchange Act) by the Corporation or
an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(s) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other Person
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(t) "Transaction" shall mean any merger, consolidation or sale of assets
described in Section 13(a) hereof or any acquisition of Common Shares of the
Corporation which would result in a Person becoming a Transaction Person.
(u) "Transaction Person" with respect to a Transaction shall mean (x) any
Person who (i) is or will become an Acquiring Person if the Transaction were to
be consummated, and (ii) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director
of the Corporation which director is in office at the time of consideration of
the Transaction, or (y) an Affiliate or Associate of such a Person.
(v) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
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(w) "Voting Stock" shall mean (i) the Common Stock and (ii) any other
capital stock of the Company entitled to rate generally in the election of
directors or entitled to rate together with the Common Stock in respect of any
merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets,
liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Section II. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Corporation hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of Common Stock) in accordance with the
terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights
Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.
Section III. ISSUANCE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
the close of business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii)
the close of business on the tenth day (or such later date as may be determined
by action of the Corporation's Board of Directors) after the date of the
commencement by any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary
of the Corporation or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established
by the Corporation for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the
first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the
Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the
Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established by the Corporation for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) to commence (which intention to commence remains in
effect for five Business Days after such announcement), a tender or exchange
offer the
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consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person
(including, in the case of both (i) and (ii), any such date which is after the
date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights), the earlier of
such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date" (x) the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by
separate Right Certificates, and (y) Rights will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Stock (including a
transfer to the Corporation); provided, however, that if a tender offer is
terminated prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, then no Distribution
Date shall occur as a result of such tender offer. As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights
Agent will countersign, and the Corporation will send or cause to be sent by
first class, postage-prepaid mail to each record holder of Common Stock as of
the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder
shown on the records of the Corporation, a Right Certificate, substantially in
the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for
each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by
such Right Certificates.
(b) As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Corporation
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit C
hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at
the address of such holder shown on the records of the Corporation. With
respect to certificates for Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date,
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until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates
for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof together
with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution
Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the
surrender for transfer of any certificate for shares of Common Stock outstanding
on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached
thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such
shares of Common Stock.
(c) Certificates for Common Stock which become outstanding (including,
without limitation, reacquired shares of Common Stock referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date,
shall be deemed also 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 a Rights Agreement between American Oncology
Resources, Inc. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of
May 29, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal executive offices of American Oncology Resources, Inc. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights
will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced
by this certificate. American Oncology Resources, Inc. will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge
after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances
set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person
who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain related persons,
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
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall
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also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common
Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Corporation purchases or
acquires any shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock shall
be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Corporation shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock which are no
longer outstanding.
Section IV. Form of Right Certificate. (a) The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
thereof) shall 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 Corporation 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 Right Certificates shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-
thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (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 Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights which are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e)
of this Agreement and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
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replacement or adjustment of any other Right Certificate referred to in this
sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement). Accordingly, this Right Certificate and the Rights represented
hereby are null and void.
Provisions of Section 7(e) of this Rights Agreement shall be operative whether
or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.
Section V. Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature and shall be attested by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or
by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the
Corporation, such Right Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Corporation by any person who, at the actual date of the execution
of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign
such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
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(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 such Right Certificate or transfer, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
certificate number and the date of each of the Right Certificates.
Section VI. Transfer Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right 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 earlier of the Redemption Date or the
Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event,
other securities, as the case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right
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 combined or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make
such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the
Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated
to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of
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assignment on the reverse side of such Right 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 Corporation shall
reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be,
as so requested. The Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Corporation and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Corporation's request,
reimbursement to the Corporation and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Corporation will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section VII. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
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
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payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total number of one one-
thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities, as the case may be) as to
which such surrendered Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i)
the close of business on May 16, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"), or (ii) the
time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the
"Redemption Date").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $55.00, shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in the next sentence and in Sections
11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at
any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date,
the Corporation shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or
consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of dividends in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in any such case, each share of Common Stock
outstanding following such subdivision, combination or consolidation shall
continue to have a Right associated therewith and the Purchase Price following
any such event shall be proportionately adjusted to equal the result obtained by
multiplying the Purchase Price immediately prior to such event by a fraction the
numerator of 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. The adjustment
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provided for in the preceding sentence shall be made successively whenever such
a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or
consolidation is effected.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares (or other
securities, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 6 hereof by certified check, cashier's
check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the
Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased
and the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply
with all such requests, or (B) if the Corporation, in its sole discretion, shall
have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the
Rights hereunder into a depositary, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred
Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent
with the depositary agent) and the Corporation will direct the depositary agent
to comply with such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the
Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such
certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such
name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) when appropriate,
after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate. In the event that the
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Corporation is obligated to issue other securities (including shares of Common
Stock) of the Corporation pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Corporation will
make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii), the Rights Agent shall return such Right Certificate to
the registered holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise indicating
thereon that the rights represented by such Right Certificate no longer include
the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement and if less
than all the Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so exercised, the
Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number of Rights
represented thereby which continue to include the rights provided by Section
11(a)(ii).
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, or the
Rights Agent shall place an appropriate notation on the Right Certificate with
respect to those Rights exercised.
(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 an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes
such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or
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Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the
Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders
of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has a continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Corporation 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
Corporation 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 Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its
failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Corporation 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 Right 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 Corporation shall reasonably request.
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Section VIII. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation or to any of
its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled
form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Corporation shall
deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights
Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or
acquired by the Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The
Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Corporation,
or shall, at the written request of the Corporation, destroy such cancelled
Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction
thereof to the Corporation.
Section IX. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES. (a) The
Corporation covenants and agrees that at all times prior to the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any authorized and issued
Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will
be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights and,
after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, shall, to the extent
reasonably practicable, so reserve and keep available a sufficient number of
shares of Common Stock (and/or other securities) which may be required to permit
the exercise in full of the Rights pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) So long as the Preferred Shares (and, after the occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, Common Stock or any other securities) issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or on
Nasdaq, the Corporation shall use its best efforts
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to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares
reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or on Nasdaq upon
official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action
as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or shares of Common
Stock and or other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares or
other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly
authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares or securities.
(d) The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all U.S. federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
maybe payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates
or of any Preferred Shares (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities,
as the case maybe) upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depository receipts for the Preferred
Shares (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise, or to issue or to deliver any
certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares (or shares of Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of any
Rights, until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by
the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has
been established to the Corporation's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax
is due.
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(e) The Corporation shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the Stock Acquisition Date, a registration statement under
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 and the rules and regulations thereunder)
until the date of the expiration of the rights provided by Section 11(a)(ii).
The Corporation will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue
sky laws of the various states.
Section X. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares (or shares of 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 the Preferred
Shares (or shares of 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 Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which
the Preferred Shares (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may
be) transfer books of the Corporation are closed, such person shall be deemed to
have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Corporation are open.
Section XI. 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
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number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Corporation 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 capital stock issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such
date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Corporation
were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to
be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of
the shares of capital stock of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of one
Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section
11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), 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).
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(ii) In the event any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and
Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person, then proper provision shall be
made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section
7(e) hereof) shall, for a period of 60 days after the later of the occurrence of
any such event or the effective date of an appropriate registration statement
under the Act pursuant to Section 9 hereof, have a right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of shares of Common
Stock (or, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share) as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and dividing that product by (y) 50% of
the then current per share market price of the Corporation's Common Stock
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of such first
occurrence (such number of shares being referred to as the "Adjustment Share");
provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give rise to the
foregoing adjustments also subject to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, then
only the provisions of Section 13 hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be
made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii);
(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient treasury shares or
authorized but unissued (and unreserved) shares of Common Stock to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) and the Rights become so exercisable (and the Board has not determined to
make the Rights exercisable into fractions of a Preferred Share),
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent necessary
and permitted by
23
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applicable law, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, a number of (x) shares of (or fractions of a share of) Common
Stock (up to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may permissibly
be issued), plus (y) one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share plus (z) other
equity securities (or fractions thereof) of the Corporation (or, in the
discretion of the Board of Directors, debt) which the Board of Director of the
Corporation has determined to have the same aggregate current market value
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) and (ii) hereof, to the extent
applicable,) as one share of Common Stock (such number of, or fractions of,
Preferred Shares, debt, or other equity securities or debt of the Corporation
being referred to as a "capital stock equivalent"), equal in the aggregate to
the number of Adjustment Shares; provided, however, if sufficient shares of
Common Stock and/or capital stock equivalents are unavailable, then the
Corporation shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock or
capital stock equivalents for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, including
the calling of a meeting of stockholders; and provided, further, that if the
Corporation is unable to cause sufficient shares of Common Stock and/or capital
stock equivalents to be available for issuance upon exercise in full of the
Rights, then each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive the
Adjusted Number of Shares upon exercise at the Adjusted Purchase Price (as such
terms are hereinafter defined). As used herein, the term "Adjusted Number of
Shares" shall be equal to that number of (or fractions of) shares of Common
Stock (and/or capital stock equivalents) equal to the product of (x) the number
of Adjustment Shares and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock (and/or capital stock equivalents)
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available for issuance upon exercise of the Rights and the denominator of which
is the aggregate number of Adjustment Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise in
full of all Rights (assuming there were a sufficient number of shares of Common
Stock available) (such fraction being referred to as the "Proration Factor").
The "Adjusted Purchase Price" shall mean the product of the Purchase Price and
the Proration Factor. The Board of Directors may, but shall not be required to,
establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Stock and capital
stock equivalents upon exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights.
(b) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights (other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such
record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering
price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares
so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the
convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current per
share market price, and the denominator of which
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shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be
offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities
so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event
shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than
the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation
issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be
paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash,
the value of such consideration shall be determined in good faith by the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Corporation shall not
be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Corporation shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a
dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price (as
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determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one
Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share
market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall
the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this
Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such
date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market
price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement
by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such
Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such
shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security
and prior to the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend
date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision,
combination or reclassifi-
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cation, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be
appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent
of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security
is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported
in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed on principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over the counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("Nasdaq") or such other system then
in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board
of Directors of the Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker is
making market in the Security, the fair value of the Security on such date as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be
used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is
open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.
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(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share
market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the
method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly
traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be
conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Stock
as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i), (appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof), multiplied by 1,000. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred
Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market
price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in
a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights
Agent.
(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 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten
thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from
the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date.
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(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 of the Corporation other than
Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c),
inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to
the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation 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-thousandths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) The Corporation 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-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number
of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.
Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall
become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one 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 Corporation shall make a public announcement of its
election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the
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record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(h), the Corporation shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right
Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Corporation, shall
cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Corporation, new
Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall
be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and
shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates
on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(i) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of
a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(j) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of one one-
thousandths of a Preferred Share,
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shares of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights,
the Corporation shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Corporation may validly and legally
issue such number of fully paid and non-assessable one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share, shares of Common Stock or other securities at such adjusted
Purchase Price.
(k) 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 Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
Preferred Shares, Common Stock or other securities of the Corporation, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares, Common Stock or
other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(l) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Corporation shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that (i) any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, (ii)
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares at less than the current market
price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by
their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, (iv)
stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or
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warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Corporation to
holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(m) The Corporation 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 Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section
11(n) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Corporation in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(n)
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
Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or
more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof), if (x)
at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer
there are any charter or by-law provisions or any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect or other actions
taken, which would materially 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 stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Corporation
shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless
prior thereto the Corporation and such other Person shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement evidencing compliance
with this Section 11(m).
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(n) The Corporation 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 the purpose of which is to, or if
at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(o) The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only result in
the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised and shall
not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this Rights
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13.
Section XII. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF SHARES.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the
Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock
and the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.
Section XIII. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER. (a) In the event that, on or following the Stock Acquisition
Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or
merge with and into, any Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or
consolidation all holders of Common Stock are not treated alike, any other
34
<PAGE>
Person, (y) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with, any
Interested Stockholder or, if in such merger or consolidation all holders of
Common Stock are not treated alike, any other Person, and the Corporation shall
be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger
(other than, in a case of any transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or
consolidation which would result in all of the Voting Securities of the
Corporation outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent
(either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into securities of the
surviving entity) all of the Voting Securities of the Corporation or such
surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and
the holders of such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or
consolidation), or (z) the Corporation 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 Corporation and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Interested Stockholder or
Stockholders or, if in such transaction all holders of Common Stock are not
treated alike, any other Person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of
the Corporation in one or more transactions each of which does not violate
Section 11(n) hereof), then, and in each such case (except as provided in
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 a price equal to the then current
Purchase Price, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of
Preferred Shares, such number of freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens,
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall equal
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the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable (without taking into account any adjustment previously made pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current
per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such 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 Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation" 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; and (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 the Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise
of the Rights.
(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 Common Shares of the Corporation 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 (including, if applicable, the
Corporation if it is the surviving corporation); and
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(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 of the foregoing
cases, (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; (2) in case such
Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the
Common Stock 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; and (3) in case such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons
that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set
forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having
an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both
or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain
shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as
their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such
interests.
(c) The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of
shares of its authorized 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 Corporation and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
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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, sale or transfer mentioned in paragraph (a) of this
Section 13, the Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(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 Final Expiration Date;
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights and the
securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolida tions or sales or other transfers. The rights under this
Section 13 shall be in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and adjustments
under Section 11(a)(ii) and shall survive any exercise thereof.
(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
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<PAGE>
pursuant to a Permitted 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 Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such Permitted
Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration offered in such transaction is the
same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section XIV. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Corporation
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any
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<PAGE>
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 Corporation. 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 Corporation shall be used.
(b) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are one one-thousandth or integral multiples
of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are one one-thousandth or integral multiples of one one-
thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the
Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate
agreement between the Corporation and a depositary selected by it; provided that
such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall
have the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as
beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary
receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not one one-
thousandth or integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the
Corporation shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the
time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the
purposes of this
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Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (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 one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 giving rise to the right to receive Common Stock,
capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other securities upon
the exercise of a Right, the Corporation shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares or units of such Common Stock, capital stock equivalents or
other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractions of shares of such Common Stock, capital stock equivalents or
other securities. In lieu of fractional shares or units of such Common Stock,
capital stock equivalents or other securities; the Corporation may pay to the
registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of a share or unit of such Common Stock, capital stock equivalents
or other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market
value shall be determined in the manner set forth in Section 11(d) hereof for
the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise and, if such
capital stock equivalent is not traded, each such capital stock equivalent shall
have the value of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional share upon exercise
of a Right (except as provided above).
Section XV. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in
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the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any
registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Corporation to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section XVI. Agreement of Right Holder. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock.
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal
office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed
or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate form
fully executed;
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(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(f) hereof, the Corporation and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is
registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificate
or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the
Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the
Corporation 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 Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a
Right or a beneficial interest in 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 Corporation must use its commercially reasonable best efforts to
have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as
possible.
Section XVII. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
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Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Corporation 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 other distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall
have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section XVIII. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Corporation 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 fees of counsel and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights
Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense,
incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection
with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs
and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The
indemnity provided for herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the
termination of this Agreement.
The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the Corporation,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
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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 XIX. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock
transfer or all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent
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may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign
such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section XX. Duties Of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only
those duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms
and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right
Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel, 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 an Acquiring Person and the
determination of the current market price of any Security) be proved or
established by the Corporation prior to taking or suffering any action
hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or
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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 Right
Certificates (except its countersignature on such Right Certificates) or be
required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall
be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 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 Right Certificates after receipt of the
certificate described in Section 12 hereof); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or
reservation of any Preferred Shares or shares of Common Stock to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as
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to whether any Preferred Shares or shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President, any
Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation, and to apply
to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and
shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith or lack
of action in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights
Agent for written instructions from the Corporation may, at the option of the
Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by
the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on or after which such
action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of the Rights Agent in
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business
Days after the date any officer of the Corporation actually receives such
application unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an
earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in
the case of an omission),
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the Rights Agent shall have received written instruction in response to such
application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which
the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Corporation 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 Corporation 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 it self 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 Corporation resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial lability 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 Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase,
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as the case may be, has not been completed, the Rights Agent shall not take any
further action with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first
consulting with the Corporation.
Section XXI. 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 Corporation and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class
mail. The Corporation 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 or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to holders
of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation
shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation shall fail to
make such appointment within a period of sixty (60) days after giving notice of
such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Corporation), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States of America or of the State of New
York (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is
authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York), in
good standing, having an office in any one or more of such states, which is
authorized under
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such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $10,000,000. 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 Corporation shall file
notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer
agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in
writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect 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 XXII. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Corporation may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights
in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of
shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates
made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date, the Corporation (a) shall with respect to shares
of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to
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the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon
the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued
by the Corporation, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, issue Right
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) the Corporation shall not be
obligated to issue any such Right Certificates if, and to the extent that, the
Corporation shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Corporation or the
Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no Right
Certificate shall he issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section XXIII. Redemption and Termination.
(a) (i) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option,
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $.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"), at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the close of business on the
tenth day following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (or if such date
shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the tenth day following the Record
Date), or (y)] the Final Expiration Date. The Corporation may, at its option,
pay the Redemption Price either in shares of Common Stock (based on the "current
per share market price," as defined in Section 11(d) hereof, of the Common Stock
at the time of redemption) or cash; provided that if the Corporation elects to
pay the Redemption Price in shares of Common Stock, the Corporation
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shall not be required to issue any fractional shares of Common Stock and the
number of shares of Common Stock issuable to each holder of Rights shall be
rounded down to the next whole share. Notwithstanding anything contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the
first occurrence of a Section 13(a)(ii) Event until the Company's right of
redemption hereunder has expired.
(ii) In addition, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its
option, at any time following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and
the expiration of any period during which the holder of Rights may exercise the
rights under Section 11(a)(ii) but prior to any Section 13 Event redeem all but
not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (x) in
connection with any merger, consolidation or sale or other transfer (in one
transaction or in a series of related transactions) of assets or earning power
aggregating 50% or more of the earning power of the Corporation and its
subsidiaries (taken as a whole) in which all holders of Common Stock are treated
alike and not involving (other than as a holder of Common Stock being treated
like all other such holders) an Interested Stockholder or (y)(aa) if and for so
long as the Acquiring Person is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner of 15% of
the shares of Common Stock, and (bb) at the time of redemption no other Persons
are Acquiring Persons.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 23(a), in the event that a
majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation is comprised of (i)
persons elected at a meeting of or by written consent of stockholders who were
not nominated by the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such
meeting or action by written consent, and/or (ii) successors of such persons
elected to the Board of Directors for the purpose of either facilitating a
transaction
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described in Section 13(a) (a "Transaction") with an Interested Stockholder or
circumventing, directly or indirectly the provisions of this Section 23(b), then
(I) the Rights may not be redeemed for a period of 180 days following the
effectiveness of such election if such redemption is reasonably likely to have
the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with an Interested
Stockholder and (II) the Rights may not be redeemed following such 180-day
period, if (x) such redemption is reasonably likely to have the purpose or
effect of facilitating a Transaction with an Interested Stockholder and (y)
during such 180-day period, the Corporation enters into any agreement,
arrangement or understanding with any Interested Stockholder which is reasonably
likely to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with any
Interested Stockholder.
(c) In the case of a redemption permitted under Section 23(a)(i),
immediately upon the date for redemption set forth (or determined in the manner
specified in) in a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
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. In the case of a redemption permitted only under Section 23(a)(ii),
evidence of which shall have been filed, with the Rights Agent, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and represent only the right to receive the
Redemption Price upon the later of ten (10) Business Days following the giving
of such notice or the expiration of any period during which the rights under
Section 11(a)(ii) may be exercised. The Corporation shall promptly give public
notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or
any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the
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validity of such redemption. Within ten (10) days after such date for
redemption set forth in a resolution of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Corporation shall mail a notice of redemption to
all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption
will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
Neither the Corporation nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem,
acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than
that specifically set forth in this Section 23 and other than in connection with
the purchase of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.
(d) The Corporation may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations
with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner
of redemption of the Rights in accordance with this Agreement and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at their
last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent of
the Common Stock, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights and Right
Certificates shall be null and void without any further action by the
Corporation.
Section XXIV. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation
may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common Stock of the
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Corporation 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 Corporation, any Subsidiary of the
Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, or any such
Subsidiary, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation shall
promptly 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
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effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Corporation, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as such
term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for some or all of the shares of Common
Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each share of Common Stock,
as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the
Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a
Preferred Share 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
or Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section
24, the Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize
additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Shares for issuance upon exchange
of the Rights.
Section XXV. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Corporation shall
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regularly scheduled quarterly cash dividend),
(ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock
of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any
reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification
involving only the subdivision of outstanding
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Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Corporation in a transaction which
does not violate Section 11(n) 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 or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning
power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other
Person or Persons (other than the Corporation and/or any of its Subsidiaries in
one or more transactions each of which does not violate Section 11(n) hereof),
or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,
then, in each such case the Corporation shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action to the extent feasible and file a certificate with the Rights Agent to
that effect, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares if any such date, is to be fixed,
and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause
(i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for
determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in
the case of any such other action, at least 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 Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then (i) the Corporation shall
as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in
accordance with Section 26
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hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event which notice shall describe
such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all 64 references in the preceding paragraph (a) to
Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer also to Common Shares and
or, if appropriate, other securities of the Corporation.
Section XXVI. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Corporation 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:
American Oncology Resources, Inc.
16825 Northchase Drive, Suite 1300
Houston, Texas 77060
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
40 Wall Street, 46th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock shall be sufficiently given or
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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 Corporation.
Section XXVII. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution
Date, the Corporation and the Rights Agent shall, if the Corporation so directs,
supplement or amend any, provision of this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Common Stock. From and after the Distribution Date, the Corporation
and the Rights Agent shall, if the Corporation so directs, supplement or amend
this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right 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
Corporation may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect
the interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, however,
that 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.
Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the
Corporation 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, provided that such supplement or amendment does
not adversely affect the rights or obligations of the Rights Agent under Section
18 or Section 20 of this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
interests
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of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the
holders of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Rights
Agreement to the contrary, in the event that a majority of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation is comprised of (i) persons elected at a meeting of
or by written consent of stockholders and who were not nominated by the Board of
Directors in office immediately prior to such meeting or action by written
consent and/or (ii) successors of such persons elected to the Board of Directors
for the purpose of either facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction Person
or circumventing directly or indirectly the provisions of this Section 27, then
for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness of such action, this Rights
Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented in any manner reasonably likely
to have the purpose or effect of facilitating a Transaction with a Transaction
Person.
Section XXVIII. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board, or the Corporation, 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, without limitation, a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement and
whether any proposed amendment adversely affects the interests of the holders of
Right Certificates). For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock or other securities outstanding at any
particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage
of such outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other securities of which any
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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 as in effect on the date of this 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 Corporation, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all
other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Right Certificates.
Section XXIX. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section XXX. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Corporation,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and,
prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement but this Agreement shall be for the sole
and exclusive benefit of the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
Common Stock).
Section XXXI. 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.
62
<PAGE>
Section XXXII. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such State.
Section XXXIII. 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 XXXIV. 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.
63
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the date and year first above written.
THE CORPORATION:
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
THE RIGHTS AGENT:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
64
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE A
Grandfathered Stockholders
--------------------------
NAME OF NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY
GRANDFATHERED STOCKHOLDER GRANDFATHERED STOCKHOLDER
------------------------- --------------------------------------
Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe 6,352,154
65
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
Form of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS,
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
of
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151(g)
of the Delaware General Corporation Law)
It is hereby certified that:
1. The name of the corporation is AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
(hereinafter called the "Corporation").
2. That, pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended to date, of the said Corporation
and pursuant to the provisions of Section 151(a) of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, the Board of Directors on May 16, 1997 duly adopted, by all
necessary action on the part of the Corporation, the following resolution
creating a series of five-hundred thousand (500,000) shares of Preferred Stock
designated as Series A Preferred Stock;
<PAGE>
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board
of Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of
Series A Preferred Stock, with a par value of $.01 per share, of the Corporation
and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative
rights, preferences and limitations thereof (in addition to the provisions set
forth in the Certificate of Incorporation which are applicable to the Preferred
Stock of all classes and series) as follows:
SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
Section 1. Designation, Par Value and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series A Preferred Stock" (hereinafter referred to as
"Series A Preferred Stock"), the shares of such series shall be with par value
of $.01 per share, and the number of shares constituting such series shall be
500,000; provided, however, that, if more than a total of 500,000 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the
"Rights") issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 29, 1997
between the Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights
Agent (as amended from time to time) (the "Rights Agreement"), the Board of
Directors of the Corporation, pursuant to Section 151(a) of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be
properly executed, acknowledged and filed providing for the total number of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized to be issued to be increased (to
the extent that the Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest
number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon
exercise of the Rights.
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<PAGE>
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 Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of assets legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first business day of January, April,
July and October 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 Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
equal to the greater of (a) $10.00 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, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation
(the "Common Stock") or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A 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
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<PAGE>
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on
the Series A 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 Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A 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 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 Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share by share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be not more than 30 days prior to the date
fixed for the payment thereof.
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<PAGE>
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Except as provided in paragraph C of this Section 3 and subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred
Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted
to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of shares
of Series A 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, on the date used to determine stockholders of record for any
meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, a default in preference
dividends (as defined in subparagraph (v) below) on the Series A Preferred Stock
shall exist, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall have the right,
voting as a class as described in subparagraph (ii) below, to elect two
directors (in addition to the directors elected by holders of Common Stock of
the Corporation). Such right may be exercised (a) at any meeting of
stockholders for the election of directors or (b) at a meeting of the holders of
shares of Voting Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), called for the
purpose in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation, until all such
cumulative dividends (referred to above) shall have been paid in full or until
non-cumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one year.
(ii) The right of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect two
directors, as described above, shall be exercised as a class concurrently with
the rights of holders of any other series of Preferred Stock upon which voting
rights to elect such directors have been conferred and are then exercisable.
The Series A Preferred Stock and any additional series of Preferred
A-70
<PAGE>
Stock which the Corporation may issue and which may provide for the right to
vote with the foregoing series of Preferred Stock are collectively referred to
herein as "Voting Preferred Stock."
(iii) Each director elected by the holders of shares of Voting Preferred
Stock shall be referred to herein as a "Preferred Director." A Preferred
Director so elected shall continue to serve as such director for a term of one
year, except that upon any termination of the right of all of such holders to
vote as a class for Preferred Directors, the term of office of such directors
shall terminate. Any Preferred Director may be removed by, and shall not be
removed except by, the vote of the holders of record of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Voting Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for the
election of directors present (in person or by proxy) and voting together as a
single class (a) at a meeting of the stockholders, or (b) at a meeting of the
holders of shares of such Voting Preferred Stock, called for such purpose in
accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation, or (c) by written consent signed
by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Voting Preferred
Stock then entitled to vote for the election of directors, taken together as a
single class.
(iv) So long as a default in any preference dividends on the Series A
Preferred Stock shall exist or the holders of any other series of Voting
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect Preferred Directors, (a) any vacancy
in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled (except as provided in the
following clause (b)) by an instrument in writing signed by the remaining
Preferred Director and filed with the Corporation and (b) in the case of the
removal of any Preferred Director, the vacancy may be filled by the vote or
written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Voting
Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for the
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<PAGE>
election of directors, present (in person or by proxy) and voting together as a
single class, at such time as the removal shall be effected. Each director
appointed as aforesaid by the remaining Preferred Director shall be deemed, for
all purposes hereof, to be a Preferred Director. Whenever (x) no default in
preference dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall exist and (y) the
holders of other series of Voting Preferred Stock shall no longer be entitled to
elect such Preferred Directors, then the number of directors constituting the
Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be reduced by two.
(v) For purposes hereof, a "default in preference dividends" on the Series
A Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have occurred whenever the amount of
cumulative and unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall be
equivalent to six full quarterly dividends or more (whether or not consecutive),
and, having so occurred, such default shall be deemed to exist thereafter until,
but only until, all cumulative dividends on all shares of the Series A Preferred
Stock then outstanding shall have been paid through the last Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or until, but only until, non-cumulative dividends have been paid
regularly for at least one year.
(E) Except as set forth herein (or as otherwise required by applicable
law), holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no general or special
voting rights and their consent shall not be required for taking any corporate
action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued
A-72
<PAGE>
and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of
Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any
shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any
shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends
paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration (except as
provided in (iv) below) shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior 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 Preferred Stock;
(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either
as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series
A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or
by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences
A-73
<PAGE>
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 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
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the
Certificate of Incorporation, in any other Certificate of Designation creating a
series of Preferred Stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of holders of any shares of
any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series
A Preferred Stock with respect to rights upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up (voluntary or otherwise), 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 Preferred Stock unless,
prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have
received $1,000 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
A-74
<PAGE>
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 Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Capital Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) (such number in clause
(ii), the "Adjustment Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the
Series A Liquidation Preference and the Capital Adjustment in respect of all
outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively,
holders of Series A Preferred Stock and holders 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 Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and 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 Capital Adjustment, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
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
A-75
<PAGE>
in any such case the shares of Series A 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.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A 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 Certificate 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
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
Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
A-76
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf
of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer this
29th day of May, 1997.
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
By:_______________________________
R. Dale Ross
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
A-77
<PAGE>
Exhibit B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate
NO. R.- ____ RIGHTS
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MAY 16, 2007, OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE CORPORATION.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN
THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
This certifies that ___________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of May 29, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement") between American
Oncology Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Corporation at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Houston, Texas time on May 16,
2007 unless the Rights evidenced hereby shall have been previously redeemed by
the Corporation, at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent,
one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Corporation, at
a purchase price of $55.00 per one one-thousandth of Preferred Share (the
"Purchase Price"),
<PAGE>
upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of
Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share
which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase
Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of June 2, 1997
based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
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 Right
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or
(iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a
transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such,
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
of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share or other securities which may be
purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events,
including Triggering Events (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement).
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by
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<PAGE>
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
Corporation and the holders of the Right 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 principal executive offices of the
Corporation and the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for
another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares or other securities as the Rights evidenced by the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to
purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder
shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights
Agreement) payable in cash.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are one one-
thousandth or integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share,
which may, at the election of the Corporation, be
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<PAGE>
evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive or subscription rights, or
otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall
have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
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<PAGE>
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Corporation.
Dated as of:___________________
ATTEST: AMERICAN ONCOLOGY RESOURCES, INC.
By:
- ------------------------------- --------------------------------
Leo E. Sands R. Dale Ross
Secretary Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
Name:
Title:
B-82
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers
-------------------
unto
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address of transferee)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______ Attorney, to transfer the
within Right Certificate on the books of the within named Corporation with full
power of substitution.
Dated:
------------------
---------------------------------------
Signature
B-83
<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being sold assigned or transferred by or on behalf of
a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof
(as such terms are defined in the Right Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and
to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------------
Signature
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed by the registered holder
if such holder desires to exercise Rights
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<PAGE>
represented by the Right Certificate.)
To the Rights Agent:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares, shares
of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights
and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares, Common Stock or other
securities be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security or other identifying number
----------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number
----------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
Dated:
----------------------
----------------------------------------
Signature
B-85
<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (a bank,
stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union with membership in an
approved signature guarantee program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or
was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement) and (2) after due inquiry and to the best
knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the
Rights Agreement).
----------------------------------------
Signature
NOTICE
B-86
<PAGE>
The signature on the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election and
certificates must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or
the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the
Corporation and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights
evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
B-87
<PAGE>
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On May 16, 1997 the Board of Directors of American Oncology Resources, Inc.
(the "Corporation") declared a dividend distribution of one Series A Preferred
Share Purchase Right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation. The dividend is
payable to the stockholders of record on June 2, 1997 (the "Record Date"), and
with respect to shares of Common Stock issued thereafter until the Distribution
Date (as defined below) and, in certain circumstances, with respect to shares of
Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date. Except as set forth below,
each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles the registered holder to
purchase from the Corporation one one-thousandth of a share of Series A
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the
Corporation at a price of $55.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
(the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent"), dated as of May 29, 1997.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will
be distributed. The Rights will separate from the shares of Common Stock upon
the earliest to occur of (i) 10 days following a person or group of affiliated
or associated persons, with certain exceptions, having acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (except
pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 days (or such
later date as the Board may determine) following the commencement of, or
announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring
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Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"). A person or group whose acquisition of shares of Common
Stock causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i) above is an "Acquiring
Person." The date that a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person is the
"Stock Acquisition Date."
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be transferred with and only with the shares of Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights) new
certificates in respect of Common Stock certificates issued after the Record
Date upon transfer or new issuance of shares of Common Stock will contain a
notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the
surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of Common Stock
outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on
the Distribution Date (and to each initial record holder of certain shares of
Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date), and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on May 16, 2007 unless earlier redeemed by the
Corporation as described below.
In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer which is for all outstanding shares of Common
Stock at a price and on terms which a majority of certain members of the Board
of Directors determines to be adequate and in the best interests of the
Corporation, its stockholders and other relevant constituencies, other than such
Acquiring Person, its affiliates and associates (a "Permitted Offer")), each
holder of a Right will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to
receive upon exercise the number of shares of Common Stock or of one-one
thousandths of a share of Preferred Shares (or, in certain circumstances, other
securities of the Corporation) having a value (immediately prior to such
triggering event) equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.
Notwithstanding the
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foregoing, following the occurrence of the event described above, all Rights
that are, or under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement were,
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate thereof
will be null and void.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the
holders of all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than
50% of the Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, in
either case with or to an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate or any
other person in which such Acquiring Person, affiliate or associate has an
interest or any person acting on behalf of or in concert with such Acquiring
Person, affiliate or associate, or, if in such transaction all holders of shares
of Common Stock are not treated alike, any other person, then each holder of a
Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall
thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive, upon exercise,
common shares of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. The holder of a Right will continue to have the
Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders the Flip-In
Right.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares, shares of
Common Stock or other securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of
certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a
price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price
less than the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights
or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock split of the shares of Common Stock or a
stock dividend on the shares of Common Stock payable
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in shares of Common Stock or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the
shares of Common Stock occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution
Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential
quarterly dividend payment of $10.00 per share but, if greater, will be
entitled to an aggregate dividend per share of 1,000 times the dividend declared
per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred
Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000
per share; thereafter, and after the holders of the shares of Common Stock
receive a liquidation payment of $1 per share, the holders of the Preferred
Shares and the holders of the shares of Common Stock will share the remaining
assets in the ratio of 1,000 to 1 (as adjusted) for each Preferred Share and
share of Common Stock so held, respectively. Finally, in the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are
exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the
amount received per Share of Common Stock. These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions. In the event that the amount of accrued and
unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares is equivalent to six (6) full quarterly
dividends or more, the holders of the Preferred Shares shall have the right,
voting as a class, to elect two directors in addition to the directors elected
by the holders of the shares of Common Stock until all cumulative dividends on
the Preferred Shares have been paid through the last quarterly dividend payment
date or until non-cumulative dividends have been paid regularly for at least one
year.
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are one one-thousandth or integral multiples of one one-
thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Corporation,
be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last
trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) the close of business on
the tenth day after a person becomes an Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration
of the Rights, and under certain other circumstances, the Corporation may redeem
the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price
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of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price") which redemption shall be effective
upon the action of the Board of Directors. Additionally, at any time following
the Stock Acquisition Date and before the expiration of the Rights, the
Corporation may redeem the then outstanding Rights in whole, but not in part, at
the Redemption Price, provided that such redemption is in connection with a
merger or other business combination transaction or series of transactions
involving the Corporation in which all holders of Common Stock are treated alike
but not involving an Acquiring Person or its affiliates or associates.
All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors of the Corporation prior to the Distribution Date. After the
Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board in order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes
which do not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person), or, subject to certain limitations, to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights
become exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
May 29, 1997. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from
the Corporation. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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