WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
as Rights Agent
Dated as of January 4,
2007
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Page
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SECTION 1.
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1
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SECTION 2.
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Appointment of Rights
Agent
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4
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SECTION 3.
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Issue of Right
Certificates
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4
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SECTION 4.
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Form of Right
Certificates
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6
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SECTION 5.
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Countersignature and
Registration
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6
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SECTION 6.
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Transfer, Split Up,
Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates
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7
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SECTION 7.
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Exercise of Rights;
Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
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8
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SECTION 8.
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Cancellation and
Destruction of Right Certificates
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9
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SECTION 9.
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Availability of
Preferred Shares
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10
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SECTION 10.
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Preferred Shares Record
Date
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10
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SECTION 11.
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Adjustment of Purchase
Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights
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11
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SECTION 12.
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Certificate of Adjusted
Purchase Price or Number of Shares
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18
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SECTION 13.
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Consolidation, Merger
or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power
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18
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SECTION 14.
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Fractional Rights and
Fractional Shares
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20
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SECTION 15.
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22
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SECTION 16.
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Agreement of Right
Holders
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22
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SECTION 17.
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Right Certificate
Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
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22
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SECTION 18.
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Concerning the Rights
Agent
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23
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SECTION 19.
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Merger or Consolidation
or Change of Name of Rights Agent
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23
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SECTION 20.
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24
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SECTION 21.
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26
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SECTION 22.
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Issuance of New Right
Certificates
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26
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SECTION 23.
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27
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SECTION 24.
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28
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SECTION 25.
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30
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SECTION 26.
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30
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SECTION 27.
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Supplements and
Amendments
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31
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SECTION 28.
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Determination and
Actions by the Board of Directors, Etc.
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31
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i.
Table of
Contents
(continued)
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Page
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SECTION 29.
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32
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SECTION 30.
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Benefits of this
Agreement
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32
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SECTION 31.
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32
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SECTION 32.
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32
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SECTION 33.
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32
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SECTION 34.
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32
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ii.
This Rights Agreement
(“Agreement”), dated as of January 4, 2007,
between PlanetOut
Inc. , a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
(“Rights Agent”).
The Board of
Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of
one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each
Common Share (as such term is hereinafter defined) outstanding at
the close of business on January 31, 2007 (the “Record
Date”), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as such term is hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become
outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest to occur of
the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided,
however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common
Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date
and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of
Section 22 hereof.
Accordingly, in
consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set
forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1.
Certain Definitions
. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any
Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter
defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such
term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares
then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the term
Acquiring Person shall not include (i) the Company,
(ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of
the Company, (iii) any employee benefit or compensation plan
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any
entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company or (v) any Person, together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, who is the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares outstanding as of the
date of this Agreement until such time after the date of this
Agreement that such Person, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, shall become the Beneficial Owner of any
additional Common Shares (other than by means of a dividend made by
the Company on the Common Shares outstanding or pursuant to a
split, subdivision or other reclassification of the Common Shares
undertaken by the Company) and shall then beneficially own more
than 15% of the Common Shares outstanding and (B) no Person
shall become an “Acquiring Person” either (x) 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 more of the Common Shares then outstanding; provided,
however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of
15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of
share purchases by the Company and shall, following written notice
from, or public disclosure by the Company of such share purchases
by the Company, become the
1.
Beneficial
Owner of any additional Common Shares without the prior consent of
the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 15% of the
Common Shares then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to
be an “Acquiring Person,” or (y) if the Board of
Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would
otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such
inadvertently, and such Person divests, as promptly as practicable
(as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors), following
receipt of written notice from the Company of such event, of
Beneficial Ownership of 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 (a), then
such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring
Person” for any purposes of this Agreement; provided,
however, that if such Person shall again become the Beneficial
Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, such
Person shall be deemed an “Acquiring Person,” subject
to the exceptions set forth in this Section 1(a).
(b) “Affiliate” and
“Associate” shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this
Agreement; provided, however, that the limited partners of a
limited partnership shall not be deemed to be Associates of such
limited partnership solely by virtue of their limited partnership
interests.
(c)
A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner”
of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” any
securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates is deemed to beneficially own, within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Rights
Agreement;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and
selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering
of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on
behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or
Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase
or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a
revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in
accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated
under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on
Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or
successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
by any other Person with which such Person or any of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with
and between underwriters
2.
and selling
group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of
securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)
hereof) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided,
however, an agreement, arrangement or understanding for
purposes of this Section 1(c)(iii) shall not be deemed to
include actions, including any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, or statements by any member of the Company’s
Board of Directors on the date of this Agreement, any subsequent
directors of the Company (the “Successor Directors”)
who have been nominated by a majority of directors who are
directors as of the date of this Agreement or who are Successor
Directors, or by any Person of whom such a director is an Affiliate
or Associate, provided, however that this exception shall not apply
to a particular Person or Persons if and to the extent that such
Person or Persons, after the date of this Agreement, acquires
Beneficial Ownership of more than an additional 5% of the then
outstanding Common Shares of the Company unless (A) the shares
are acquired directly from the Company or as part of an employee
benefit or compensation plan of the Company or a subsidiary of the
Company or (B) the Person establishes to the satisfaction of
the directors of the Company that it is acting on its own behalf
and not in concert with any other Person and will not, upon
completion of any purchases, be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more
of the outstanding Common Shares.
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.
(d) “Business Day” shall mean any day other
than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions
in the State of California are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
(e) “Close of Business” on any given date
shall mean 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on such date; provided,
however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean
5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(f) “Common Shares” shall mean the shares
of common stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company;
provided, however, that, “Common Shares,” when
used in this Agreement in connection with a specific reference to
any Person other than the Company, shall mean the capital stock (or
equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other
Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned
Person.
(g) “Distribution Date” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(h) “Final Expiration Date” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(i) “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any
Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person or any other Person in which any such Acquiring Person,
Affiliate or Associate has an interest, or any other Person acting
directly or indirectly on behalf of or in concert with any such
Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate.
3.
(j) “Person” shall mean any individual,
firm, corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor
(by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(k) “Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.001
per share, of the Company having the designations and the powers,
preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and
restrictions set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designation
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
(l) “Purchase Price” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 7(b) hereof.
(m) “Redemption Date” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(n) “Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean
the first date of public announcement by the Company or an
Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such provided,
however that, if such Person is determined not to have become an
Acquiring Person pursuant to clause (y) of Subsection 1(a)(B)
hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have
occurred.
(o) “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean
any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting
power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
(p) “Transaction” shall mean any merger,
consolidation or sale of assets described in Section 13(a) hereof
or any acquisition of Common Shares which would result in a Person
becoming an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined).
(q) “Transaction Person” with respect to a
Transaction shall mean (i) any Person who (x) is or will
become an Acquiring Person or a Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined) if the Transaction were to be consummated and
(y) directly or indirectly proposed or nominated a director of
the Company which director is in office at the time of
consideration of the Transaction, or (ii) an Affiliate or Associate
of such a Person.
SECTION 2.
Appointment of Rights
Agent . The
Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the
Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the
Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from
time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary
or desirable.
SECTION 3.
Issue of Right
Certificates .
(a)
Until the earlier of the Close of Business on (i) 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 (determined in accordance with
Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act) by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any
entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention
of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
for
4.
or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer
(which intention to commence remains in effect for five Business
Days after such announcement), the consummation of which would
result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including any
such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to
the issuance of the Rights, the earlier of such dates being herein
referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the
Rights will be evidenced 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 Rights (and the right to
receive Right Certificates therefor) will be transferable only in
connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare
and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company
will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if
requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to
each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on
the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (a “Right Certificate”),
evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to the
adjustment provisions of Section 11 of this Rights Agreement.
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 (directly or through the Rights Agent or its
transfer agent) a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the
“Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of
Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common
Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution
Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered
in the names of the holders thereof. Until the Distribution Date
(or the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration
Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented 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 Distribution Date, the Redemption Date
or the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on,
written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
This certificate
also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as
set forth in a Rights Agreement between PlanetOut Inc. (the
“Company”) and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Rights Agent
(the “Rights Agent”), dated as of January 4, 2007,
as amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and
a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of
the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written
request therefor. As described in the Rights Agreement, Rights
issued to any Person who becomes an
5.
Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the
Rights Agreement) and certain related persons, whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder,
shall become null and void.
With respect to
such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or, if earlier, the earlier of the Redemption
Date or the Final Expiration Date), the Rights associated with the
Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced
by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any
such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event
that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the
Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights
associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed 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. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission
of a legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this
Rights Agreement or the rights of any holder of the
Rights.
SECTION 4.
Form of Right
Certificates .
(a)
The Right Certificates (and the form of election to purchase
Preferred Shares, the form of assignment and the form of
certification 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 or quotation system on which the
Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 7, 11 and 22 hereof, 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 (as defined in Section
7(b)), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as
provided herein.
(b)
Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights which are null and
void pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
adjustment of any other Right Certificate referred to in this
sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following
legend:
The Rights
represented by this Right Certificate are or were beneficially
owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Right
Certificate and the Rights represented hereby are null and
void.
The provisions of
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be operative whether or not the
foregoing legend is contained on any such Right
Certificate.
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
6.
President, its
Vice Chairman of the Board, its Chief Financial Officer, or any of
its Vice Presidents, 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 an Assistant
Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned
by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have
signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer
of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and
issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued
and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be
signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual
date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at
the date of the execution of this 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 office designated for such purpose, books for registration
and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books
shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the
Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
SECTION 6.
Transfer, Split Up,
Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates
. Subject to the provisions of
Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof,
at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date,
and at or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of the
Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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 office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on
the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided
such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as
the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent
shall, subject to Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14 and
Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to the person
entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the
case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Right Certificates.
Upon receipt by
the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation
of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss,
7.
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 issue, execute
and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights
Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in
lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
Notwithstanding
any other provisions hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may
amend this Rights Agreement to provide for uncertificated Rights in
addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights
Certificates.
SECTION 7.
Exercise of Rights; Purchase
Price; Expiration Date of Rights .
(a)
The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in
whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights
Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or such other number of shares
or other securities) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or
prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on
January 4, 2017 (the “Final Expiration Date”),
(ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”), or
(iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided
in Section 24 hereof.
(b)
The purchase price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $30 (the
“Purchase Price”) and 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 duly executed,
accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be
purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax
required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,
cashier’s check, bank draft or money order payable to the
order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent for the Preferred
Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be
purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its
transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Company, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to deposit the
Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder
into a depository, requisition from the depositary agent 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
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
8.
cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In
the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the
Company other than Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of
the Company pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make
all arrangements necessary so that such other securities are
available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.
In addition, in
the case of an exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights Agent shall return such Right
Certificate to the registered holder thereof after imprinting,
stamping or otherwise indicating thereon that the rights
represented by such Right Certificate no longer include the rights
provided by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and, if fewer than all
the Rights represented by such Right Certificate were so exercised,
the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right Certificate the number
of Rights represented thereby which continue to include the rights
provided by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d)
In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall
exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby (other than a
partial exercise of rights pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) as
described in Section 7(c) hereof), 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)
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 this
Section 7.
(f)
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither
the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake
any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence
of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7
unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and
signed the certification following the form of election to purchase
set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered
for such exercise, (ii) tendered the Purchase Price (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)
to the Company in the manner set forth in Section 7(c), and
(iii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably
request.
SECTION 8.
Cancellation and Destruction
of 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 delivered or 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 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 from time to all canceled Right Certificates to
the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company,
destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates and, in such case, shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Company.
9.
Subject to
applicable law and regulation, the Rights Agent shall maintain, in
a retrievable database, electronic records of all cancelled or
destroyed Rights Certificates which have been cancelled or
destroyed by the Rights Agent. Upon written request (and at the
expense) of the Company, the Rights Agent shall provide to the
Company or its designee copies of such electronic
records..
SECTION 9.
Availability of Preferred
Shares . The
Company covenants and agrees that so long as the Preferred Shares
(and, after the time a person becomes an Acquiring Person, Common
Shares or any other securities) issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or
quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or
quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.
The Company
covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and
other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of
Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be
duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable shares or other securities.
The Company
further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable
any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may
be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right
Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of
Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay
any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the
Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered
holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary
receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until
any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by
the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company’s reasonable
satisfaction that no such tax is due.
As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company shall use its
best efforts to:
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), with
respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
on an appropriate form, will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at
all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final
Expiration Date; and
(ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights
and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under
the blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
appropriate.
10.
SECTION 10.
Preferred Shares Record
Date . Each person
in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares or other
securities is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all
purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the
Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered with the
forms of election and certification duly executed and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares or other
securities transfer books of the Company are closed, such person
shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business
Day on which the Preferred Shares or other securities transfer
books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights
evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as such,
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.
(i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred
Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the
outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in
which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase
Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or
of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital
stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be
entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of
capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately
prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer
books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon
such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration
to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would
require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made
prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof and the provisions of
the next paragraph of this Section 11(a)(ii), in the event any
Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of
a
11.
Right shall,
for a period of 60 days after the later of such time any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person or the effective date of an
appropriate registration statement filed under the Act pursuant to
Section 9 hereof (provided, however that, if at any time prior
to the expiration or termination of the Rights there shall be a
temporary restraining order, a preliminary injunction, an
injunction, or temporary suspension by the Board of Directors, or
similar obstacle to exercise of the Rights (the
“Injunction”) which prevents exercise of the Rights, a
new 60-day period shall commence on the date the Injunction is
removed), 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 as
shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that
product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price
of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
on the date such Person became an Acquiring Person; provided,
however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give rise
to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provisions of
Section 13 hereof, then only the provisions of Section 13
hereof shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii). In the event that any Person shall become
an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the
Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish
the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the time
any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of such Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of such
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person became such, or
(iii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such
Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person’s becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any
Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or
(B) a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined is
part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary
purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 11(a)(ii), shall
become null and void without any further action and no holder of
such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such
Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.
The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the
provisions of this Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 4(b) hereof
are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of
Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to
make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right
Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any
Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant
to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or
to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate;
and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for
transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant
to the preceding sentence shall be canceled.
(iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if a majority of
the Board of Directors then in office determines that
12.
such action is
necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the interests of
holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that the Board of
Directors has not exercised the exchange right contained in Section
24(c) hereof and there are not sufficient treasury shares and
authorized but unissued Common Shares to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii), the Company shall) take all such action as may be necessary
to authorize, issue or pay, upon the exercise of the Rights, cash
(including by way of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property,
Common Shares, other securities or any combination thereof having
an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Shares which
otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, which aggregate value shall be
determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common
Shares shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof. Any
such election by the Board of Directors must be made within
60 days following the date on which the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred. Following the
occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days
following the date on which the event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall have occurred to the extent
that such directors have not determined whether to exercise their
rights of election under this Section 11(a)(iii). In the event
of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended.
(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 designations and the powers, preferences and
rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions as the
Preferred Shares (“equivalent preferred shares”)) or
securities convertible into Preferred Sha
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