Exhibit 1
BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
and
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY
Rights Agent
RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of December 21, 2004
Table of Contents
Section 1 Certain definitions 1
Section 2 Appointment of Rights Agent 6
Section 3 Issue of Rights Certificates 7
Section 4 Form of Rights Certificates 8
Section 5 Countersignature and Registration 9
Section 6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates 9
Section 7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights 10
Section 8 Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates 12
Section 9 Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock 12
Section 10 Preferred Stock Record Date 14
Section 11 Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
or Number of Rights 14
Section 12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares 23
Section 13 Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets 23
Section 14 Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 25
Section 15 Rights of Action 27
Section 16 Agreement of Rights Holders 27
Section 17 Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder 28
Section 18 Duties of Rights Agent 28
Section 19 Compensation and Indemnification of the Rights Agent 30
Section 20 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent 30
Section 21 Change of Rights Agent 31
Section 22 Issuance of New Rights Certificates 32
Section 23 Redemption 00
-x-
Xxxxxxx 00 Xxxxxxxx 00
Section 25 Notice of Certain Events 34
Section 26 Notices 34
Section 27 Supplements and Amendments 35
Section 28 Successors 36
Section 29 Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. 36
Section 30 Benefits of this Agreement 36
Section 31 Severability 36
Section 32 Governing Law 37
Section 33 Counterparts 37
Section 34 Descriptive Headings 37
Exhibit A-- Certificate of Designation
Exhibit B-- Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit C-- Form of Summary of Rights
-ii-
RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 21, 2004 (this
"AGREEMENT"), between Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, a New York
corporation (the "RIGHTS AGENT"), as Rights Agent.
RECITALS
A. On December 22, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Company (the
"BOARD") adopted a shareholder rights plan (the "EXISTING RIGHTS PLAN") and
executed a Rights Agreement, dated as of December 22, 1999 between the Company
and the Rights Agent (the "1999 AGREEMENT");
B. the Existing Rights Plan is scheduled to expire on December 21,
2004;
C. on December 15, 2004, the Board determined it desirable and in the
best interests of the Company and its shareholders for the Company to renew the
Existing Rights Plan upon its expiration and to implement such renewal by
executing this Agreement and declaring the dividend distribution referred to in
clause D of these recitals;
D. on December 15, 2004 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"), the
Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share of common
stock, par value $0.02 per share, of the Company (the "COMMON STOCK")
outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on the "Expiration
Date" under the 1999 Agreement, December 21, 2004 (the "RECORD DATE"), and has
authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common
Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued
or delivered from the Company's treasury) and the Distribution Date (as
hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
of the Company (the "PREFERRED STOCK") having the rights, powers and preferences
set forth in the Certificate of Designation, Rights and Preferences filed with
the
Delaware Secretary of State on December 22, 1999, the form of which is
attached hereto as EXHIBIT A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth (the "RIGHTS");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean (x) any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii)
any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary
of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established
by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (iv) any
member of the Existing Control Group (except set forth under paragraph (y)
below); and (y) any member of the Existing Control Group who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall increase
his or its Beneficial Ownership by 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding from the number of shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned
by such Person on the date hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no
Person shall become an "ACQUIRING PERSON" as the result of an acquisition of
shares of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of
Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the shares
of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a
Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by
the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock of the Company,
then such Person shall be deemed to be an "ACQUIRING PERSON" if such Person
is then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding; and (ii) 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
(a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as
practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person
would no longer be an "ACQUIRING PERSON," then such Person shall not be
deemed an "ACQUIRING PERSON" for any purposes of this Agreement unless and
until such Person shall again become an "ACQUIRING PERSON." The term
"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
issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to beneficially own
hereunder.
(b) "ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act.
(d) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of, and shall be
deemed to "BENEFICIALLY OWN," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of
time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, other rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of,
or to "BENEFICIALLY OWN," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
for purchase or exchange, or
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(B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to
the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined), or (C)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the
occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such
Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined) or pursuant to Section 3(a)
or Section 22 hereof (the "ORIGINAL RIGHTS") or pursuant to Section
11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any
Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose
of or has "BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP" of (as determined pursuant to Rule
13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act),
including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall not
be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of, or to "BENEFICIALLY OWN," any
security under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement,
arrangement or understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy
or consent given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation
made pursuant to, and in accordance with the applicable provisions of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is
not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the
Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing),
for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph
(ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of
the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (c)
shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of
securities to be the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of, or to "BENEFICIALLY OWN,"
any securities acquired through such Person's participation in good
faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty
(40) days after the date of such acquisition, and then only if such
securities continue to be owned by such Person at such expiration of
forty days.
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(e) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized
or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(f) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.
(g) "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the Common Stock, par value of $.02 per
share, of the Company, except that "COMMON STOCK" when used with reference to
any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock of such Person
with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity
interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(h) "CURRENT MARKET PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(i) "CURRENT VALUE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(j) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall mean the earlier of (i) the Close of
Business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day
after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of
Business on the Record Date), or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as the Board of Directors shall determine)
after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan, or any member of the Existing Control Group) is first published or sent or
given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act, if, upon consummation thereof, such Person would become
an Acquiring Person, in either instance other than pursuant to a Qualifying
Offer.
(k) "EQUIVALENT PREFERRED STOCK" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b) hereof.
(l) "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(m) "EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24
hereof.
(n) "EXISTING CONTROL GROUP" shall mean Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxx and his
Affiliates or Associates.
(o) "EXISTING RIGHTS PLAN" shall have the meaning set forth in the
clause A of the recitals in this Agreement.
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(p) "EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(a) hereof.
(q) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.
(r) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity, and shall include any
successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(s) "PREFERRED STOCK" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company, and,
to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of
the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar
to the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(t) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.
(u) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)
hereof.
(v) "QUALIFYING OFFER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(w) "RECORD DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in clause D of the
recitals in this Agreement.
(x) "RIGHTS" shall have the meaning set in clause D of the recitals
in this Agreement.
(y) "RIGHTS AGENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the parties
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.
(z) "RIGHTS CERTIFICATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(a) hereof.
(aa) "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in clause D of the recitals in this Agreement.
(bb) "SECTION 11(a)(ii) EVENT" shall mean any event described in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(cc) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in clauses (x),
(y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(dd) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.
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(ee) "STOCK ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such
other than pursuant to a Qualifying Offer.
(ff) "SUBSIDIARY" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation or other entity of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
(gg) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.
(hh) "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(b) hereof.
(ii) "TRADING DAY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(d)(i) hereof.
(jj) "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any
Section 13 Event.
(kk) "1999 AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in clause A of
the recitals in this Agreement.
Section 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby appoints
the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights
(who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date
also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days prior written notice to the Rights
Agent.
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Section 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be evidenced
(subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for
Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured,
postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the Close
of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more right certificates, in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto (the "RIGHTS CERTIFICATES"), evidencing one Right for
each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In
the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock
has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of
the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate
rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights
Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash
is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.
(b) The Company will make available, as promptly as practicable
following the Record Date, a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the
form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS"), to any holder of
Rights who may so request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date (as
such term is defined in Section 7(a) hereof). With respect to certificates for
the Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date,
the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Stock and the
registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of
the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7(a) hereof), the transfer
of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which
Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with such shares of Common Stock.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock
which are issued (whether originally issued or from the Company's treasury)
after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the
Expiration Date. Rights shall also be issued to the extent provided in Section
22 in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether originally
issued or from the Company's treasury) after the Distribution Date and prior to
the Expiration Date. Certificates for shares of Common Stock which become
outstanding after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights,
and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder
hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the
Renewed Rights
Agreement between Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the
"COMPANY") and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company
(the "RIGHTS AGENT") dated as of December 21, 2004 (the
"RENEWED RIGHTS
7
AGREEMENT"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated
herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
principal offices of the Company. Under certain
circumstances, as set forth in the
Renewed 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
Renewed Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of
mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in
the
Renewed Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by,
any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in
the
Renewed Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or
on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may
become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
Section 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase
and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
dated as of the Record Date and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as
shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price
per one one-thousandth of a share, the "PURCHASE PRICE"), but the amount and
type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a), Section
11(i) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such
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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 such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance
of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or
were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the
Renewed
Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and
the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in
the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such
Agreement.
Section 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman, its President, its
Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile
signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile
thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates
shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile
signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights
Certificate as set forth herein, shall be a proper officer of the Company to
sign such Rights Certificate as set forth herein, although at the date of the
execution of this
Renewed Rights Agreement any such person was not such an
officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the
appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or
transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face
by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
Section 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution
Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any
Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates representing
Rights that may have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
shares of Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may
be) as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such
holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights
Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the
Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor
the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and deliver to
the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the
case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights
Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company
and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered
owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE; EXPIRATION DATE OF
RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent
at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of one one-thousandths of a share (or shares of Common Stock,
other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such
surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the
Close of Business on December 19,
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2014, or such later date as may be established by the Board of Directors prior
to the expiration of the Rights (such date, as it may be extended by the Board,
the "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 23 hereof, (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged
(the "EXCHANGE DATE") as provided in Section 24 hereof or (iv) the time at which
the Rights expire pursuant to Section 13(d) hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii),
(iii) and (iv) being herein referred to as the "EXPIRATION DATE").
(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $72.55
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11
and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed,
accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase
Price per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of Common
Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(f) and 20(k) hereof, thereupon
promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred
Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such
shares) certificates for the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes
its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall
have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable
upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from
the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which
case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to, or
upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after
receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price
(as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be
made in cash or by certified bank check or bank draft payable to the order of
the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other
securities (including shares of Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or
distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will
make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other
property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all of the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or
11
upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person which the Board, in its sole discretion, determines is or was
involved in or caused or facilitated, directly or indirectly (including through
any change in the Board), such Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has
as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become
null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have
any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision
of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to
ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates
or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with
respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder of any Rights Certificate upon the
occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such
registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained
in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights
Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Rights Certificates purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request
of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case
shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL STOCK.
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(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, shares of
Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement
including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise
in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the
occurrence of a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with this Agreement, or
as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the case may
be, a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the shares of Common
Stock or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the Expiration
Date. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to
ensure compliance with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states
in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily
suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set
forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement and permit it to become effective. In addition, if the Company shall
determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution
Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until
such time as a registration statement has been declared effective. Upon any
suspension of exercisability of Rights referred to in this Section 9(c), the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the
Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of
this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have
been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law
or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, all shares
of Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
13
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates
and of any certificates for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required
to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or
delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or
shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in respect
of a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any
certificates for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
(or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a
name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights
until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of
such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been
established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name
any certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is
issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or
shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented
thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights
Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the
Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however,
that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to
have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the
Preferred Stock (or shares of Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the
Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be
entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF SHARES
OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered
by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time
after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on
the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock,
(B) subdivide the
14
outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification
in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except
as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e)
hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right
exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon
payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate
number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital
stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when
the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open,
such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification. If an event occurs which
would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i)
and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in
this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be
made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Agreement,
in the event that any Person shall, at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring
Person, unless the event causing such Person to become an
Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a)
hereof, or is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to an all cash tender offer or an all cash exchange
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price
and on terms determined by at least a majority of the
members of the Board of Directors who are not officers of
the Company and who are not representatives, nominees,
Affiliates or Associates of an Acquiring Person, after
receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms,
to be (a) at a price which is fair to stockholders (taking
into account all factors which such members of the Board
deem relevant including, without limitation, prices which
could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets
were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum
value) and (b) otherwise in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders (hereinafter, a "QUALIFYING
OFFER"), then, promptly following the occurrence of such
event, proper provision shall be made so that, upon the
expiration of the Redemption Period (as defined in Section
23(a)), each holder of a Right (except as
15
provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common
Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by
(x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then
number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y)
dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "PURCHASE
PRICE" for each Right and for all purposes of this
Agreement) by 50% of the Current Market Price (determined
pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock
on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares,
the "ADJUSTMENT SHARES").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of Common
Stock which are authorized by the Company's certificate of
incorporation, but which are not outstanding or reserved for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights
are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the
Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of
this Section 11(a), the Company shall (A) determine the
value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of
a Right (the "CURRENT VALUE"), and (B) with respect to each
Right (subject to Section 7(e) hereof), make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the
exercise of a Right and payment of the applicable Purchase
Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3)
shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of
shares, of preferred stock, such as the Preferred Stock,
which the Board has deemed to have essentially the same
value or economic rights as shares of Common Stock (such
shares of preferred stock being referred to as "COMMON SHARE
EQUIVALENTS")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5)
other assets, or (6) any combination of the foregoing,
having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less
the amount of any reduction in the Purchase Price), where
such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based
upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by the Board; provided, however, that
if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty
(30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of
a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the
Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a)
expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein
as the "SECTION 11(a)(ii) TRIGGER
16
DATE"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon
the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring
payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which
shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the
Spread. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term
"SPREAD" shall mean the excess of (i) the Current Value over
(ii) the Purchase Price. If the Board determines in good
faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of
Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise
in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth
above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more
than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder
approval for the authorization of such additional shares
(such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is
herein called the "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD"). To the extent that
action is to be taken pursuant to the first and/or third
sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (1) shall
provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (2) may
suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such
stockholder approval for such authorization of additional
shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution
to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine
the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended,
as well as a public announcement at such time as the
suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of each Adjustment Share shall
be the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock on the
Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the per share or per unit
value of any share of Common Share Equivalent shall be
deemed to equal the Current Market Price per share of Common
Stock 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 Stock entitling them
to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45)
calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock ("EQUIVALENT
PREFERRED STOCK")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per share of
Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a
security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less
than the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof)
per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding
on such record date, plus the number of shares of
17
Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares
of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so to be offered (and/or
the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such
record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or
Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into
which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In
case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or
all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration
shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights and
shall be conclusive for all purposes. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held
for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose
of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever
such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are
not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution
to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly
cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets
(other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend
payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants
(excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be
in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the
Rights) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of
Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market Price
(as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.
Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is
fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase
Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per such share of Common Stock for the thirty (30)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of
computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Market
Price per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
the daily closing prices per such share of Common Stock for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock is
determined during a period following the
18
announcement by the issuer of such share of Common Stock of (A) a dividend or
distribution on such share of Common Stock payable in such shares of Common
Stocks or securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than
the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such
shares of Common Stock, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the
requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth
above, then, and in each such case, the Current Market Price shall be
appropriately adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System (the
"NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares
of Common Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the shares of Common Stock selected by the Board. If on any such
date no market maker is making a market in the shares of Common Stock, the fair
value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall
be used. The term "TRADING DAY" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business or, if the Common Stock is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the
Common Stock is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market
Price per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner
as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the Current Market Price per share of
Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000 (as
such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock
dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after
the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per share of
Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the Preferred Stock is publicly
held or so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share of the Preferred
Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this
Agreement, the Current Market Price of one one-thousandth of
19
a share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of one
share of Preferred Stock divided by 1,000.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding (other than the
last sentence of this Section 11(e)), no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall
be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at
least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.
All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to
the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or one-ten
millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the
first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11
shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of
the transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than
Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in
Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l) and (m), and the
provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares; provided however, that
the Company shall not be liable for its inability to reserve and keep available
for issuance upon exercise of the Rights pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof a
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company greater than the number then
authorized by the Company's certificate of incorporation, but not outstanding or
reserved for any other purposes.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of
a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one ten-millionth)
obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share
covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of
the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in
the number of one
20
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a
Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of
Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of
Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of
Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a
public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase
Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have
been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public
announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights
Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and
upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option
of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or
the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a
share and the number of one one-thousandths of a share which were expressed in
the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of
its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue such number of fully paid and nonassessable one one-thousandths of a share
of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
over and above the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment;
provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such
21
holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right
to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the
Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or
subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares
of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock
shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section
11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or
(iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one
transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other
instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would
substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after
such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who
constitutes, or would constitute, the "PRINCIPAL PARTY" for purposes of Section
13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by
such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in
the event that the Company shall at any time after the Rights Dividend
Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on
the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number
of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued
or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall
22
equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with
each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator
of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event.
Section 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13
hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) if a
Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a
Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to prepare such certificate or
make such filings or mailings shall not affect the validity of, or the force or
effect of, the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully
protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein
contained.
Section 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.
(a) Subject to Section 23 of this Agreement, in the event that,
following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company
shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a
Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o)
hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of
such consolidation or merger, (y) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall
consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in
connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other
securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company
shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell
or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons
(other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in
each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof), proper
provision shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided
in Section 7(e) hereof, shall, upon the expiration of the Redemption Period (as
defined in Section 23(a)), thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
non-assessable and freely tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable
immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a
23
Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section
13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-thousandths of a share for
which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to
such first occurrence), and (2) dividing that product (which, following the
first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "PURCHASE
PRICE" for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Section 13 Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "COMPANY"
shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, thereafter be deemed to refer to such
Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section
11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first
occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such
steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of
shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such
transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its
shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights;
and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect
following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a),
the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which
shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such
merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued,
the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in
clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the
Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of
the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such
transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stock of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the
Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its
Common Stock which have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the
exercise in full of the Rights in
24
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such
Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after
the date of any such Section 13 Event, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration statement under
the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate
form, and will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as
practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with
a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Act) until the Expiration Date;
(ii) take such other action as may be necessary to
enable the Principal Party to issue the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, including but not
limited to the registration or qualification of such
securities under all requisite securities laws of
jurisdictions of the various states and the listing of such
securities on such exchanges and trading markets as may be
necessary or appropriate; and
(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical
financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange
Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become
exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in subparagraphs
(x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a
Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Qualifying
Offer (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the
price per share of Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the
price per share of Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock
whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and
(iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares
of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of
consideration paid pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.
Section 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights,
except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to
distribute Rights
25
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market
value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading
Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have
been otherwise issuable. The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be
the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such
day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either
case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting
system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading, or if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other
system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of
Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a
market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Preferred Stock, other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock,
other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a
share of Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that
are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised, as herein provided, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of
one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-thousandth of
the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall
not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of
the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay
to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For purposes of this
Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be
the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.
26
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly
waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, except the rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to
Section 18 and Section 20 hereof, are vested in the respective registered
holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the
registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without
the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his or her
own behalf and for his or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced
by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and
in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to
the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of
Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement
and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations
hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and
with the appropriate forms and certificates duly completed and fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and
the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Rights
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock
certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder
of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
27
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.
Section 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and
complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken
or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of Current Market Price) be proved or established by the Company
prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless
other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be
deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights
Certificates or be
28
required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights
Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect
of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except
the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment required
under any of the provisions hereof or responsible for the manner, method or
amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that
would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment);
nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or
warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or
Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will,
when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the
Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any
action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
instructions of any such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the
selection and continued employment thereof.
29
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not
been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.
Section 19. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNIFICATION OF THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and
execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including reasonable attorneys' fees and
expenses and the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability
in the premises. In no case will the Rights Agent be liable for special,
indirect, incidental 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 possibility of such damages. This Section 19(a) shall survive the
termination of this Agreement.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability
for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection
with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other
paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and,
where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 20. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF RIGHTS
AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to
the corporate trust or stockholder services 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, however, that such corporation
would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the
provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
30
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case
at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned,
any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in
the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its
prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name
or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall
have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal entity organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of
any other state of the United States), in good standing, having an office in the
State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer or shareholder services powers and which has at the time
of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$100,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a legal business entity described in clause
(a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and, if such appointment occurs after
the Distribution
31
Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the
resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution
Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or
awarded on or prior to of the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate
number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however,
that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23. REDEMPTION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company, at its option, at any time
prior to the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day following the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred
prior to the Record Date, the Close of Business on the tenth day following the
Record Date) as such period may be extended or shortened in the discretion of
the Board of Directors (the "REDEMPTION PERIOD"), or (ii) the Final Expiration
Date, cause the Company to redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding
Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE"). Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable
after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or a Section 13 Event
until such time as the Company's right of redemption hereunder has expired. The
Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common
Stock (based on the Current Market Price, as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof,
of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been
filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any
notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
32
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the action
of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company
shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the
then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each
holder's last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent
or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent
for the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made.
Section 24. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any
time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, 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) or Section 7(e)
hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any share split, share
distribution or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "EXCHANGE RATIO").
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering
the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any
partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common
Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of
Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of
Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional shares would otherwise be issuable an amount
33
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share
of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market
value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of
Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant
to this Section 24.
Section 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in
a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to effect any sale
or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any
sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof
shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as
practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the
extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the
occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of
the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all
references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be deemed
thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the
34
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:
Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
0 Xxxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the Distribution
Date and subject to the last sentence of this Section 27, the Company may (by
resolution of the Board of Directors), and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock.
From and after the Distribution Date, the Company may (by resolution of the
Board of Directors) and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights
Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement
any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder,
or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this Agreement
may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen any time period hereunder,
pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when
the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable,
or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the
holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of such Person). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer
of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
35
interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests
of the holders of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
this Agreement may not be amended at a time when the Rights are not redeemable.
Section 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
ETC. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with
the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the
exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may
be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board, or any of the directors on the Board, to any liability to the
holders of the Rights.
Section 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights
Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the
Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
Section 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a specific group of
Directors of the Company to act is held by any court of
36
competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable,
such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors of the Company
in accordance with applicable law and the Company's certificate of incorporation
and bylaws.
Section 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
Section 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
Section 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
37
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
------------------------ -------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Title: President
Chief Financial Officer
Attest: AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST
COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
---------------------- -----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel
38
Exhibit A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
of
BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of
Delaware
We the undersigned, President and Secretary of Bentley
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of
the State of
Delaware, in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (the "CORPORATION"), DO HEREBY
CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the "RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION"), the Board of Directors of the Corporation on
December 22, 1999 adopted the following resolution creating a series of 35,000
shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be
and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the
voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations
or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall
be designated as "SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK" and the number
of shares constituting such series shall be 35,000.
Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.
(A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders
of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, the holders of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive,
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day
of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "QUARTERLY DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE"), commencing on the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Junior Participating
A-1
Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to
the greater of (a) $0.01 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash
dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of
all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in
Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding 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 Junior Participating Preferred Stock. In the
event the Corporation shall at any time after December 27, 1999 (the "RIGHTS
DECLARATION DATE") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution
on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Paragraph
(A) above immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common
Stock (other than a dividend payable in Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $0.01 per share on the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on
such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock from the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of
such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a
quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of
which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear
interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the
time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a
share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of
Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a
dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
A-2
Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth, each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle
the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the
holders of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and the
holders of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters
submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.
(C) Except as set forth herein or as otherwise required by
law, holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall have no
special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the
extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.
Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
(A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock as
provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and
unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full,
the Corporation shall not
(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other
distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other
distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which
dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which
the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or
A-3
winding up) with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, provided
that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the
Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock;
or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of
stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating Preferred
Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by
publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such
shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the
respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of
the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in
fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under Paragraph (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.
Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation
in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and 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 to be created by resolution or resolutions of
the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance
set forth herein.
Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(A) Upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise),
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made to
the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to $1,000 per
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment (the "SERIES A LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE"). Following
the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no
additional distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of
Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "COMMON ADJUSTMENT")
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation
Preference by (ii) 1,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in subparagraph
(C) below to reflect such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii),
the "ADJUSTMENT NUMBER"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series
A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and Common Stock,
respectively, holders of Series
A-4
A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and holders of Common Stock shall receive
their ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed
in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to one (1) with respect to such Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient
assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred
stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation
preferences. In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such
remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number 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 Common Stock is exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities,
cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for
adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of
stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case
may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or
exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights
Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or
change of shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.
Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall rank
junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
A-5
Section 10. Amendment. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
the Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely
without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority or more of the
outstanding shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.
Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the
holder, in proportion to such holders fractional shares, to exercise voting
rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit
of all other rights of holders of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
A-6
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have subscribed this document on the date set
opposite each of our names below and do hereby affirm, under the penalties of
perjury, that the statements contained herein have been examined by us and are
true and correct.
Date: December 22, 1999
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: President
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Secretary
A-7
Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- ________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 19, 2014 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.
THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001
PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH
RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RENEWED RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.](1)
Rights Certificate
BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
This certifies that _______________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Renewed Rights Agreement, dated as of December 21, 2004 (the "RENEWED RIGHTS
AGREEMENT"), between Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation
(the "RIGHTS AGENT"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00
P.M. (New York City time) on December 19, 2014 (unless such date is extended
prior thereto by the Board of Directors) at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one
one-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the "PREFERRED STOCK") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $72.55 per one one-thousandth of a share (the "PURCHASE
PRICE"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which
may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price
per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of December 21,
2004 based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company
reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
such term is defined in the
----------
(1) The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
and shall replace the preceding sentence.
B-1
Renewed Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only
whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.
From and after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such
term is defined in the Renewed Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by
this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Renewed Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring
Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified
in the Renewed Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such
transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof
shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence
of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Renewed Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may
be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of
certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Renewed Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Renewed Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary
suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances
set forth in the Renewed Rights Agreement. Copies of the Renewed Rights
Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are
also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates,
upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Renewed Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the
Close of Business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such time period may be changed in the discretion of the Board of Directors
pursuant to the Renewed Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date
(as such term is defined in the Renewed Rights Agreement). At any time after a
person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring Person which have
become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
Stock per Right (subject to adjustment).
B-2
Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing
any such exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights
(other than Rights which are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and
the Rights will only enable holders to receive the shares issuable upon such
exchange.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, but in
lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Renewed Rights
Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred
Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Renewed
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 shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give consent to or withhold consent from any corporate
action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in the Renewed Rights Agreement), or to receive
dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in
the Renewed Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
B-3
WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its
corporate seal.
Dated:
ATTEST: BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
_______________________________________ By
Secretary -----------------------------------
Name:
---------------------------------
Title:
--------------------------------
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER
AND TRUST COMPANY
By
-------------------------------------
Authorized Officer
B-4
[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________________________, hereby sells, assigns and
transfer unto
________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________ as its
attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated: ,
--------------- -----
--------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-5
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and
transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Renewed Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ,
--------------- ----- --------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-6
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires
to exercise Rights represented
by the Rights Certificate.)
To: BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________________ Rights
represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the
Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of
and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
(Please print name and address)
Dated: ,
--------------- ----- --------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
B-7
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are
not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Renewed Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it
[ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from
any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ,
--------------- ----- --------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate
must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate
in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
B-8
Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
Effective as of December 21, 2004, the Board of Directors of Bentley
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company") adopted a new Shareholder Rights Plan,
as set forth in a Renewed Rights Agreement (the "Renewed Rights Agreement")
dated as of December 21, 2004 between the Company and American Stock Transfer
& Trust Company, as Rights Agent. The Renewed Rights Agreement replaces the
Company's existing Rights Agreement which expires on December 21, 2004.
RIGHTS DIVIDEND
Pursuant to the Renewed Rights Agreement, the Board of Directors
declared a dividend of one Preferred Stock Purchase Right (a "Right") for
each outstanding share of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.02 per
share (the "Common Stock"), payable to stockholders of record at the close of
business on December 21, 2004. Each Right, when exercisable, entitles the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share
(the "Series A Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $72.55 per one
one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, subject to adjustment.
DISTRIBUTION DATE
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights certificates will
be distributed. A Distribution Date will occur and the Rights will separate from
the Common Stock upon the earlier of: (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the
"Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) 10 business days following the commencement
of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group
beneficially owning 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock
(unless such tender offer or exchange offer is an all cash offer for all
outstanding shares of Common Stock which a majority of the unaffiliated
directors who are not officers of the Company determine, after consultation with
one or more investment banking firms, to be at a price which is fair to all
stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders (a "Qualifying Offer")). The definition of "Acquiring Person"
excludes Xxxxxxx XxXxxxxx, one of the Company's directors, and his affiliates
and associates, unless he, together with his affiliates and associates,
increases his beneficial ownership by 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding from the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by
him on December 21, 2004. Under the Rights Agreement, for purposes of
calculating percentages of Common Stock outstanding, shares of Common Stock
outstanding shall include all shares of Common Stock deemed to be beneficially
owned (as defined in the Renewed Rights Agreement) by a person and its
affiliates and associates, even if not actually then outstanding.
Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, exchange or
expiration of the Rights), (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with
C-1
and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates
issued after December 21, 2004 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates
for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except (i) with respect to certain
shares of Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options
or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded as of the
Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of certain
securities of the Company, or (ii) as otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date
will be issued with Rights.
EXPIRATION DATE
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on December 19, 2014, unless earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company as described below.
EXERCISE RIGHTS
In the event that an Acquiring Person becomes the beneficial owner of 15%
or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to a
Qualifying Offer), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a value (based on a formula set forth in the Renewed Rights Agreement) equal to
two times the Purchase Price of the Right. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing,
following the occurrence of the event set forth in this paragraph (the "Flip-in
Event"), all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the
Renewed Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person (or by
certain related parties) shall be null and void. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of the Flip-in Event until such time as the
Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set forth below.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation or in which it is the
surviving corporation but its Common Stock is changed or exchanged (other than a
merger consummated pursuant to a Qualifying Offer), or (ii) more than 50% of the
Company's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right
(except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall,
after the expiration of the redemption period referred to below, have the right
to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price, common stock of the acquiring
company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price. The events set
forth in this paragraph and the Flip-in Event described in the previous
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."
C-2
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. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for shares of Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company
or for shares of common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above, or
are redeemed as provided above.
ADJUSTMENT
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of one one-thousandths of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock 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 Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the
Series A Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for
Series A Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than the current
market price of the Series A Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends out of the earnings or retained
earnings of the Company) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no anti-dilution adjustment in the Purchase
Price will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock (other than
fractions of one one-thousandth of a share, or integral multiples thereof) will
be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the Series A Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to
the date of exercise.
REDEMPTION
At any time until ten (10) days following the Stock Acquisition Date (as
such period may be extended or shortened by the Board of Directors) the Company
may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right
(payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of the Board
of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption
price.
EXCHANGE
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of
Directors may, at its option, exchange all or any part of the then outstanding
and exercisable Rights for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio specified
in the Renewed Rights Agreement.
C-3
AMENDMENT
Other than certain provisions relating to the principal economic terms of
the Rights, any of the provisions of the Renewed Rights Agreement may be amended
by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date. From
and after the Distribution Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes which do
not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring
Person or an affiliate or associate thereof), or to shorten or lengthen any time
period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment shall be
made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
ANTI-TAKEOVER EFFECTS
The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. Exercise of the Rights
will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire
the Company on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The
existence of Rights, however, should not affect an offer at a price which is
fair to all stockholders and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and
its stockholders as determined by the Board of Directors. The Rights should not
interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of
Directors since the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time until ten
days following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such period may be extended or
shortened by the Board of Directors) redeem all but not less than all of the
then outstanding Rights at the $0.001 redemption price.
* * * * * *
A copy of the Renewed Rights Agreement is being filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A/Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 21, 2004. A copy of the
Renewed Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Rights Agent or
the Secretary of the Company including by means of internet posting or other
electronic distribution. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission
maintains a web site (xxxx://xxx.xxx.xxx) that contains the Company's Form 8-K
dated December 21, 2004 and other information regarding the Company. This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Renewed Rights Agreement, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
C-4
