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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
AVANT! CORPORATION
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(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
Delaware 94-3133226
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(STATE OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION) (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
IDENTIFICATION NO.)
46871 Bayside Parkway
Fremont, California 94538
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(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)
If this Form relates to the If this Form relates to the
registration of a class of debt registration of a class of debt
securities and is effective upon securities and is to become
filing pursuant to General effective simultaneously with the
Instruction A(c)(1) please check effectiveness of a concurrent
the following box. 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(b) OF THE ACT:
TITLE OF EACH CLASS NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE ON WHICH
TO BE SO REGISTERED EACH CLASS IS TO BE REGISTERED
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Not Applicable Not Applicable
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
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(TITLE OF CLASS)
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ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.
On September 4, 1998, the Board of Directors of Avant! Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(the "Common Shares") outstanding on October 2, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the
stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Preferred
Shares"), of the Company, at a price of $100.00 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 Company and Harris Trust Company of California, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or, in the case of
(i) a Grandfathered Stockholder, as defined in the Rights Agreement, other than
a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, as defined in the Rights Agreement,
20%, or (ii) a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, the greater of 15% or such
percentage as is beneficially owned by each Amerindo Holder, as defined in the
Rights Agreement, plus 1%, or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or, in the case of (i) a Grandfathered
Stockholder other than a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, 20%, or (ii) a
Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, the greater of 15% or such percentage as
is beneficially owned by each Amerindo Holder plus 1%, or more of such
outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached to the Rights
Agreement as Exhibit C.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date or upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on September 4, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless
the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed
by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-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 Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend
payment of 1000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 1000 times the aggregate payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which
Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive
1000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, if the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are or were at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of
such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), such Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of
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a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common
stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a
market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that
any person becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that
each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring
Person and its Affiliates and Associates (which will thereafter be void), will
thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares
having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. If the
Company does not have sufficient Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to
issue Common Shares, or if the Board of Directors so elects, the Company shall
deliver upon payment of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or
securities equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a
Right; provided that, if the Company fails to meet such obligation within 30
days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of an event triggering the
right to purchase Common Shares and (y) the date on which the Company's right to
redeem the Rights expires, the Company must deliver, upon exercise of a Right
but without requiring payment of the exercise price then in effect, Common
Shares (to the extent available) and cash equal in value to the difference
between the value of the Common Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of a
Right and the exercise price then in effect. The Board of Directors may extend
the 30-day period described above for up to an additional 60 days to permit the
taking of action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional Common
Shares to permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the
Rights.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by any person or group of a majority of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or
in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to
adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from
and after such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment
may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the
Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).
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Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
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
attached hereto as Exhibit 1.
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ITEM 2. EXHIBITS.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
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<S> <C>
1 Rights Agreement, dated as of September 4, 1998 between the
Company and Harris Trust Company of California, including the
Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Form of Right Certificate and Summary of Rights
to Purchase Preferred Shares attached thereto as Exhibits A, B
and C, respectively.
</TABLE>
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
AVANT! CORPORATION
Date: September 18, 1998 By: /s/ David Stanley
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David Stanley,
General Counsel
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EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
------ -----------
<S> <C>
1 Rights Agreement, dated as of September 4, 1998 between the
Company and Harris Trust Company of California, including the
Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, Form of Right Certificate and Summary of Rights
to Purchase Preferred Shares attached thereto as Exhibits A, B
and C, respectively.
</TABLE>
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AVANT! CORPORATION
and
HARRIS TRUST COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA
Rights Agent
Rights Agreement
Dated as of September 4, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Page
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<S> <C> <C>
Section 1. Certain Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. . . . . . . . 12
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
Expiration Date of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right
Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 9. Status and Availability of Preferred Shares . . . . . . . . 16
Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
Shares or Number of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 12. Certificate of Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets or Earning Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 15. Rights of Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Stockholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name
of Rights Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Section 23. Redemption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Section 24. Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 26. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Section 28. Successors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Section 30. Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Section 31. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Section 32. Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Section 33. Descriptive Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Section 34. Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. . . . . . . . . . .A-1
Exhibit B Form of Right Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Exhibit C Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-1
</TABLE>
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Agreement, dated as of September 4, 1998, between Avant! Corporation,
a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust Company of California
(the "Rights Agent").
The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (a "Common Share")
outstanding on the Close of Business on October 2, 1998 (the "Record Date") and
has authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each additional Common
Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Close of
Business on the Final Expiration Date, each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), or
such different amount and/or kind of securities as shall be hereinafter
provided.
Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meanings indicated:
"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 in the case of (i) a Grandfathered Stockholder other than a Second Tier
Grandfathered Stockholder, 20%, or (ii) a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder,
the greater of 15% or such percentage as is beneficially owned by each Amerindo
Holder plus 1%, or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding but
shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
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Company, or (iv) any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms
of any such employee benefit plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) no Person
shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common
Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
to 15% (or such other percentage as would otherwise result in such person
becoming an Acquiring Person) or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if a Person shall so become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% (or such other percentage) or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding by reason of an acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of an additional 1% of the outstanding Common Shares of the
Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"; and (2)
if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person
who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently, and such
Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares
so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, then such Person shall
not be deemed to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this
Agreement.
"Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.
A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own" any securities:
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(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), written or otherwise, or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or
options, or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed to
be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
to a tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until
such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right
to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to
such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated
under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under
the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary
agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect
to a bona fide public offering of securities), written or
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otherwise, for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent
contemplated by the proviso to section (B) of the immediately preceding
paragraph (ii)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in the states of California and Illinois are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
"Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Fremont,
California time, on such date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Fremont, California time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
"Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the
Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.
"common stock equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii)(B)(3) hereof.
"Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii)(A)(1) hereof.
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"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof.
"equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a)
hereof.
"Final Expiration Date" shall mean September 4, 2008.
"Grandfathered Stockholder" shall mean (i) Amerindo Investment
Advisors Inc. and its Affiliates and Associates (each an "Amerindo Holder"),
other than any Person who or which is not such an Affiliate or Associate on the
date of this Agreement and who or which subsequently acquires direct or indirect
control of Amerindo Investment Advisors Inc. without the prior written approval
of the board of directors of the Company (such Person a "Non-grandfathered
Stockholder"); and (ii) any Person not covered by (i), above, except a
Non-grandfathered Stockholder, who or which is the Beneficial Owner of Common
Shares beneficially owned by an Amerindo Holder (each such Person a "Second Tier
Grandfathered Stockholder").
"Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership,
limited partnership, limited liability partnership, business trust, limited
liability company, unincorporated association or other entity, and shall include
any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
"Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b)
hereof.
"Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company having such rights
and preferences upon adoption as are set forth in the form of Certificate of
Designation set forth as Exhibit A hereto.
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"Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23
hereof.
"Right Certificate" shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
"Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the earlier of the date of (i)
the public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring
Person has become such or (ii) the public disclosure of facts by the Company or
an Acquiring Person indicating that an Acquiring Person has become such.
"Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)(A)
hereof.
"Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any 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.
"Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
"Summary of Rights" shall mean the Summary of Rights to Purchase
Preferred Shares in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable.
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Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares
Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first
public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than any of the
Persons referred to in the preceding parenthetical) to commence, a tender or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the
Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or, in the case of (i) a
Grandfathered Stockholder other than a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder,
20%, or (ii) a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, the greater of 15% or such
percentage as is beneficially owned by each Amerindo Holder plus 1%, or more of
the then outstanding Common Shares (such date being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y)
the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the
Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent
will, if requested, at the expense of the Company, send) by first-class,
insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown
on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate evidencing one Right for each
Common Share so
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held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such
Right Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of the Summary of Rights by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as
of the Record Date, until the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the
holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
Until the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the
Redemption Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date), the
surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the
Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto,
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares evidenced thereby.
(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the
Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement
between Avant! Corporation and Harris Trust Company of
California, as Rights Agent, dated as of September 4, 1998
(the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal executive offices of Avant! Corporation.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
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certificate. Avant! Corporation will mail to the holder
of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without
charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under
certain circumstances, Rights that are or were acquired or
beneficially owned by Acquiring Persons (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Close of Business on the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the
Common Shares represented by certificates shall be evidenced by such
certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed
canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any
Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and
the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B
hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such
legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem
appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or
regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock
exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Right
Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the
Purchase Price, but the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and
the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
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Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION. The Right
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the
Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company, 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,
either manually or by facsimile. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to
be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause
to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration of the transfer of
the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Subject
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of
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Business on the Distribution Date, and prior to the earlier of the Redemption
Date or the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have
been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered
then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent,
and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the
Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the
person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case
may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient
for any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new
Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
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Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate (other
than a holder whose Rights have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
or have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may exercise the Rights
evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at its principal
office, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, prior to the earliest
of (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the time at
which the right to exercise the Rights terminates pursuant to Section 23 hereof,
or (iii) the time at which the right to exercise the Rights terminates pursuant
to Section 24 hereof.
(b) The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share to be purchased upon the exercise of a Right shall initially be
One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) (the "Purchase Price"), shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall
be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with
paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and an amount equal to any
applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by cash, certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of one one-thousandths of a
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Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from any
depositary agent for the Preferred Shares depositary receipts representing such
number of one 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
Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in
lieu of issuance of fractional Preferred Shares in accordance with Section 14
hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause
the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate
shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right
Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of
Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate following 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 Company shall reasonably request.
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<PAGE>
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. STATUS AND AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered
upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for
such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and
validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable shares.
(b) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person
other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts
for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
to deliver any certificates
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<PAGE>
or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights
until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the
holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available, out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares
or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights
in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
Section 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred
Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date
upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and
payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made.
Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right
Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER OF SHARES OR NUMBER
OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine
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the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date, he would have owned
upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend,
subdivision, combination or reclassification; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.
(ii) Subject to the following paragraph of this subparagraph
(ii) and to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person shall become
an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Company's Common Shares (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person became
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an Acquiring Person. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring
Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any
action that would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by
the Rights.
From and after the occurrence of such an event, any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by such Acquiring Person (or any Associate
or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) on or after the earlier of (x) the date
of such event and (y) the Distribution Date shall be void and any holder of such
Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose
Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the
transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void
pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to
any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right
Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person
whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate
or Affiliate thereof shall be canceled.
(iii) In the event that the number of Common Shares which are
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or
subscribed for, or reserved or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes
other than upon exercise of the Rights, are not sufficient to permit the holder
of each Right to purchase the number of Common Shares to which he would be
entitled upon the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 11, or should the
Board of Directors so elect, the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1)
the value of the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (calculated
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as provided in the last sentence of this subparagraph (iii)) pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess,
the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to
substitute for such Common Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, any one or more of the following having an aggregate value determined by
the Board of Directors to be equal to the Current Value: (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Shares or other equity securities of
the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of
preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined to
have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such shares of preferred stock,
"common stock equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, or (5) other
assets; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision
to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following
the first occurrence of an event triggering the rights to purchase Common Shares
described in Section 11(a)(ii) (the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date"), then the
Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a
Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common
Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and
cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of
the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full
of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the
extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii)
Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the
authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some
action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
hereof and
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the last paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action shall apply
uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the
value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall make a
public announcement, and shall deliver to the Rights Agent a statement, stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended. At such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect, the Company shall make another
public announcement, and deliver to the Rights Agent a statement, so stating.
For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be
the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) of the Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value
of any common stock equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the
Common Shares on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be adjusted 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
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record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering
price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares
so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the
convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market
price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares
outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares
and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase
(or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially
convertible); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the consideration to be
paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the
shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In
case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which
shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the
event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any
such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date
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shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date,
less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of
indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants
applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
"current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose
of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading
Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the current per share market price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares,
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and
prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be appropriately
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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 the principal national securities exchange on which the
Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then
in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board
of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which
the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security
is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current
per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred
Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market
price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)
(appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring
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after the date hereof), multiplied by 1000. If neither the Common Shares nor
the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per
share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.
(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required
unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any adjustments which by reason of
this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and
taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-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 three years
from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred
Shares, the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right
shall thereafter be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths
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of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of
the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one
ten-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights in substitution
for any adjustment in the number of one 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 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 hundred-thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date
may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter,
but, if the
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Right Certificates have been distributed, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been
distributed, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be
distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right
Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to
which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the
option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record
in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates to be so
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of
Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-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.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value of
the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall
take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary
in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
non-assessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
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(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that
an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if
any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine
to be advisable in order that any (i) combination or subdivision of the
Preferred Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any 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) dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred
Shares or (v) issuance of any rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) In the event that at any time after the date of this
Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise other than by payment of dividends in Common
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Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case
(i) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after
such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying
the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable
immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the
denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately
after such event, and (ii) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such
event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each
Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect
to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made
successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,
combination or consolidation is effected.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTMENT. Whenever an adjustment is
made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a)
prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of
the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and
with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of
such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right
Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any
adjustment nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless
and until it shall have received such certificate.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, directly or indirectly, (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
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with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the
Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or
more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so
that (A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal
to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,
such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as
successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result
obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and
dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (B) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (D) such
issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient
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number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection
with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof
shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to
the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the
kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are
any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or
arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would
eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive
mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. For purposes hereof, the
"earning power" of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good
faith by the Company's Board of Directors on the basis of the operating earnings
of each business operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries during the three
fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the case of any
business not operated by the Company or any Subsidiary during three full fiscal
years preceding such date, during the period such business was operated by the
Company or any Subsidiary).
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of
the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a),
the current
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market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not
listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are 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 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 Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a
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depositary selected by it; PROVIDED, that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and
preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to each registered holder 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 as the
fraction of one Preferred Share that such holder would otherwise receive upon
the exercise of the aggregate number of rights exercised by such holder. For
the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred
Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives any right to receive fractional Rights or fractional shares
upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of
this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) may, without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), on his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided
in such Right
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Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHT HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books maintained by the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with a completed form of
certification; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the
person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
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exercise of the Rights represented thereby nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
Section 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT. The Company agrees to pay
to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim or liability in connection therewith. The
indemnification provided for hereunder shall survive the expiration of the
Rights and the termination of this Agreement. The costs and expenses of
enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be paid by the Company.
The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and 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 Preferred Shares or for
other
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securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper person or persons. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of
such loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action.
Section 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
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
the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
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In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and no implied
duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights
Agent. The Rights Agent shall perform those duties and obligations upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it
may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and
the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good
faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
President, a Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization
to
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the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except as to its countersignature thereof) or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Sections 11 or 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 actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by
any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Shares to be issued
pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any
Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
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reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President, the
Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for
advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable
for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with instructions of any such officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for
written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent,
set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights
Agent under this Agreement and the date on 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 ten Business Days after the date
any officer of the Company 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), the
Rights Agent shall have received, in response to such application, written
instructions with respect to the proposed action or omission specifying a
different 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 Company or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights
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Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal
entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be
answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such
act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(k) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or
be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without
limitation, any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of
any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement
unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by
the Company of such fact, event or determination.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by registered or
certified mail, and, at the expense of the Company, to the holders of the Right
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or
any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights
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Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail,
and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall
fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of
such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or
by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good
standing, having an office in the State of California which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust 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 $100
million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the
same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally
named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights
Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at
the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance,
conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares
and the 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,
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however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem
all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of
$0.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock
dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption
of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion may establish.
(b) Immediately upon the time of the effectiveness of the
redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 or such
earlier time as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in
the action ordering such redemption (although not earlier than the time of such
action) (such time the "Redemption Date"), and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights shall terminate and the
only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the
Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
redemption;
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PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such
action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant
to paragraph (a), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the
holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear
upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date,
on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. If the payment of the Redemption Price is
not included with such notice, each such notice shall state the method by which
the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any
of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, other than in connection with the purchase
of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part
of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange
at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any
entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),
together with all
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<PAGE>
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of a
majority of the Common Shares then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to 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 Common Shares equal to
the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice
of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any
notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange
will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will
be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights
which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected PRO RATA based
on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company,
at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents for
Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (or an appropriate number of common stock equivalents) for
each Common Share, 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 Common Share shall have
the same voting rights as one Common Share.
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<PAGE>
(d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common
Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents authorized by the Company's
certificate of incorporation and not outstanding or subscribed for, or reserved
or otherwise committed for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
Rights, to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional Common Shares, Preferred Shares or common stock equivalents
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share.
For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the current per share market value of a
whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall after the Distribution Date
propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding
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<PAGE>
Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or
to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,
of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.
(b) In case any event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to
each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
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<PAGE>
Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Avant! Corporation
46871 Bayside Parkway
Fremont, California 94538
Attention: General Counsel
Copy to:
Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve
Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
155 Constitution Drive
Menlo Park, California 94025
Attention: Steven M. Spurlock
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by registered or certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt
and, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
Harris Trust Company of California
601 S. Figueroa Street
Suite 4900
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Attention: Neil Rosso
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.
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<PAGE>
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. The Company may from time to
time, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend
this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in
order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
or to make any change to or delete any provision hereof or to adopt any other
provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that from and after such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended or supplemented
in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights (other than an Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates). Any
supplement or amendment authorized by this Section 27 will be evidenced by a
writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the
rights and duties of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will be effective
against the Rights Agent without the execution of such supplement or amendment
by the Rights Agent.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or entity other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
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<PAGE>
Section 30. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 31. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of 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 32. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 33. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
Section 34. ADMINISTRATION. The Board of Directors of the Company
shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer and interpret the
provisions of this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors or the Company or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement. All such actions,
calculations, determinations and interpretations which are done or made by the
Board of Directors in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the
Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties and
shall not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the
Rights.
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<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Rights
Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunder affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: AVANT! CORPORATION
/s/ David Stanley By: /s/ Gerald C. Hsu
- --------------------------- -----------------------------
Attest: HARRIS TRUST COMPANY OF
CALIFORNIA, as Rights Agent
/s/ Michael O. Goedecke By: /s/ Neil T. Rosso
- --------------------------- -----------------------------
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<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
FORM
of
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
of
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
AVANT! CORPORATION
-----------------------------------------------
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
-----------------------------------------------
Avant! Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the
"Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by
the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on September 4, 1998:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the "Restated Certificate of
Incorporation"), the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred
Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Corporation
and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative
rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of this series
shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the
"Series A Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A
Preferred Stock shall be 75,000. Such number of shares may be increased or
decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; PROVIDED, that no decrease
shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less
- A-1 -
<PAGE>
than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved
for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or
upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
series of Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the
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 funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September
and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a
"Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the
nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 1000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and
1000 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 $0.0001 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the
Corporation 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. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such
amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).
(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section
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, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to
- A-2 -
<PAGE>
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 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof
to 1000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the
Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, including any other Certificate of Designations creating a series
of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other
capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise required by
law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.
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<PAGE>
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 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; or
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A 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 (as to dividends and upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock.
(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 canceled 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 or in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, including any
Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock, or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation the holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate
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<PAGE>
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders
of shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid
dividends. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a
subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares
of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then
in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 7. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock
or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the
exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. AMENDMENT. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation
shall not be amended in any manner, including in a merger or consolidation,
which would alter, change, or repeal 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 at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.
Section 9. RANK. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with
respect to the payment of dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution and
winding up, junior to all series of Preferred Stock.
- A-5 -
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designation is executed on
behalf of the Corporation by its President this 4th day of September, 1998.
AVANT! CORPORATION
By:
------------------------------
Gerald C. Hsu
President and Chief Executive Officer
- A-6 -
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R- _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 OR EARLIER IF
REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION AT $0.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS
SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS THAT ARE OR WERE ACQUIRED OR
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR ANY ASSOCIATES
OR AFFILIATES THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID.
Right Certificate
AVANT! CORPORATION
This certifies that _______________________, or registered assigns, is the
registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles
the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights
Agreement, dated as of September 4, 1998 (the "Rights Agreement"), between
Avant! Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust
Company of California (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any
time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Fremont, California time, on September 4,
2008, at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per
share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $100.00
per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the certification and
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
September 4, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
As provided in the
- B-1 -
<PAGE>
Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, if the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are or were at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of
such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), such Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company and the 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 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, at the Company's
option, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the
Company at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in
whole or in part for shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per
share, or Preferred Shares.
No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
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<PAGE>
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________, ____.
Attest: AVANT! CORPORATION
By:
- ----------------------------- -----------------------------
Countersigned:
HARRIS TRUST COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA
Rights Agent
By:
-------------------------
Authorized Signature
- B-3 -
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED _________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto _________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ____________________________,
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: _____________ ___, _____
---------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
- -----------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
---------------------------------
Signature
- -----------------------------------------------------
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<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To AVANT! CORPORATION:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for
such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: _____________ ___, _____
--------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
- B-5 -
<PAGE>
Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.
- B-6 -
<PAGE>
Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).
--------------------------------
Signature
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must
conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every
particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.
- B-7 -
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED SHARES
On September 4, 1998, the Board of Directors of Avant! Corporation
(the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a
"Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(the "Common Shares") outstanding on October 2, 1998 (the "Record Date") to the
stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder
to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Preferred
Shares"), of the Company, at a price of $100.00 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 Company and Harris Trust Company of California, as
Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or, in the case of
(i) a Grandfathered Stockholder, as defined in the Rights Agreement, other than
a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, as defined in the Rights Agreement,
20%, or (ii) a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, the greater of 15% or such
percentage as is beneficially owned by each Amerindo Holder, as defined in the
Rights Agreement, plus 1%, or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10
business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 15% or, in the case of (i) a Grandfathered
Stockholder other than a Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, 20%, or (ii) a
Second Tier Grandfathered Stockholder, the greater of 15% or such percentage as
is beneficially owned by each Amerindo Holder plus 1%, or more of such
outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the
"Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the
Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common
Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.
The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date or upon transfer or new
issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
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<PAGE>
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a
copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate
certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to
holders of record of the Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the
Rights.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The
Rights will expire on September 4, 2008 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless
the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed
by the Company, in each case, as described below.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights
or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or
securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than
the then current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or
retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-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 Common Shares or a stock
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.
Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be
redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend
payment of 1000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of
liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an
aggregate payment of 1000 times the aggregate payment made per Common Share.
Each Preferred Share will have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common
Shares. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which
Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive
1000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by
customary antidilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation
and voting rights, the value of the one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred
- C-2 -
<PAGE>
Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of
one Common Share.
From and after the occurrence of an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, if the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are or were at any time on or after the earlier of (x) the date of
such event and (y) the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement) acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), such Rights shall become void, and any holder of such Rights shall
thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights.
In the event that, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold,
proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person
becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder
of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and its
Affiliates and Associates (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have
the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market
value of two times the exercise price of the Right. If the Company does not
have sufficient Common Shares to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares,
or if the Board of Directors so elects, the Company shall deliver upon payment
of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or securities equivalent in
value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right; provided that, if
the Company fails to meet such obligation within 30 days following the later of
(x) the first occurrence of an event triggering the right to purchase Common
Shares and (y) the date on which the Company's right to redeem the Rights
expires, the Company must deliver, upon exercise of a Right but without
requiring payment of the exercise price then in effect, Common Shares (to the
extent available) and cash equal in value to the difference between the value of
the Common Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of a Right and the
exercise price then in effect. The Board of Directors may extend the 30-day
period described above for up to an additional 60 days to permit the taking of
action that may be necessary to authorize sufficient additional Common Shares to
permit the issuance of Common Shares upon the exercise in full of the Rights.
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to
the acquisition by any person or group of a majority of the outstanding Common
Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by such person or group which have become
- C-3 -
<PAGE>
void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right
(subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary
receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.
At any time prior to the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part, at a price of $0.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of
the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such
conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights
will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive
the Redemption Price.
The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of
the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from
and after such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment
may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the
Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and Associates).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.
A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated
September 18, 1998. A copy of the Agreement is available free of charge from
the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which
is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- C-4 -
