CHECKFREE CORP \GA\
8-K, EX-4.1, 2000-10-03
BUSINESS SERVICES, NEC
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                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

                       AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                       -----------------------------------

         WHEREAS, as of December 16, 1997, CheckFree Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Corporation"), and The Fifth Third Bank ("Fifth Third"),
entered into a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement");

         WHEREAS, the Corporation and Fifth Third amended the Rights Agreement
in the Amendment No.1 to Rights Agreement, dated February 5, 1999; and

         WHEREAS, the Corporation and Fifth Third wish to further amend the
Rights Agreement;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

         1. The Corporation represents that this Amendment No. 2 complies with
the requirements of Section 27 of the Rights Agreement.

         2. The Corporation and Fifth Third hereby agree that Section 1(ff) of
the Rights Agreement shall be amended to read in its entirety as follows:

                  "(ff) "15% Stockholder" shall mean any Person that, together
         with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
         Beneficial Owner of such number of Voting Shares of the Company as
         constitutes a percentage of the then outstanding Voting Shares that is
         equal to or greater than 15%; provided, however, that the term "15%
         Stockholder" shall not include: (i) an Exempt Person; (ii) any Person
         that, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
         became the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Voting Shares of the
         Company on or prior to October 1, 2000 ("Existing Owner"), unless and
         until such Existing Owner, after October 1, 2000, becomes the
         Beneficial Owner of additional Voting Shares representing 1% or more of
         the Voting Shares or, after first becoming the Beneficial Owner of less
         than 15% of the Voting Shares, again becomes the owner of 15% or more
         of the Voting Shares; or (iii) any Person if such Person would not
         otherwise be a 15% Stockholder but for a reduction in the number of
         outstanding Voting Shares resulting from a stock repurchase program or
         other similar plan of the Company or from a self-tender offer of the
         Company, which plan or tender offer commenced on or after the date
         hereof, provided, however, that the term "15% Stockholder" shall
         include such Person from and after the first date upon which (A) such
         Person, since the date of the commencement of such plan or tender
         offer, shall have acquired Beneficial Ownership of, in the aggregate, a
         number of Voting Shares of the Company equal to 1% or more of the
         Voting Shares of the Company then outstanding and (B) such Person,
         together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall
         Beneficially Own 15% or more of the Voting Shares of the Company then
         outstanding. In calculating the percentage of the outstanding Voting
         Shares that are Beneficially Owned by a Person for purposes of this
         subsection (ff), Voting Shares that are Beneficially Owned by such
         Person shall be deemed outstanding, and Voting Shares that are not
         Beneficially Owned by such Person and that are subject to issuance upon
         the exercise or conversion of outstanding conversion rights, exchange
         rights, rights (other than Rights), warrants or options shall not be
         deemed outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of
         Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person that
         would otherwise be a 15% Stockholder pursuant to the foregoing
         provisions of this Section 1(ff) and Section 1(b) hereof has become
         such inadvertently, and such Person (a) promptly notifies the Board of
         Directors of such status and (b) as promptly as practicable thereafter,
         either divests of a sufficient number of Voting Shares so that such
         Person would no longer be a 15% Stockholder, or causes any other
         circumstance, such as the existence of an agreement respecting Voting
         Shares, to be eliminated such that such Person would no longer be a 15%
         Stockholder as defined pursuant to this Section 1(ff) and 1(b), then
         such Person shall not be deemed to be a 15% stockholder for any
         purposes of this Agreement. Any determination made by

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         the Board of Directors of the Company as to whether any Person is or is
         not a 15% Stockholder shall be conclusive and binding upon all holders
         of Rights."

         3. Except as otherwise amended hereby, the Rights Agreement, as
amended, shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation and Fifth Third have executed this
Amendment No. 2 to Rights Agreement as of the 30th day of September, 2000.

                                           CHECKFREE CORPORATION



                                           By:   /s/ Peter J. Kight
                                               --------------------------------
                                                 Peter J. Kight
                                                 Chairman of the Board  and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer


                                           FIFTH THIRD BANK



                                           By:   /s/ Geoffrey D. Anderson
                                               --------------------------------
                                                 Geoffrey D. Anderson
                                                 Assistant Vice President



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