RIGHTS AGREEMENT EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC. and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Rights Agent Dated as of June 22, 2023

Exhibit 4.1

and

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Rights Agent

Dated as of June 22, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page

Section 1.	Definitions		1
Section 2.	Appointment of Rights Agent		9
Section 3.	Issue of Right Certificates		9
Section 4.	Form of Right Certificates		11
Section 5.	Countersignature and Registration		11
Section 6.	Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates		11
Section 7.	Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.		12
Section 8.	Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates		14
Section 9.	Availability of Preferred Shares		14
Section 10.	Preferred Shares Record Date		15
Section 11.	Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights		15
Section 12.	Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares		21
Section 13.	Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power		21
Section 14.	Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares		22
Section 15.	Rights of Action		23
Section 16.	Agreement of Right Holders		23
Section 17.	Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder		24
Section 18.	Concerning the Rights Agent		24
Section 19.	Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent		25
Section 20.	Duties of Rights Agent		26
Section 21.	Change of Rights Agent		28
Section 22.	Issuance of New Right Certificates		29
Section 23.	Redemption		30
Section 24.	Exchange		32
Section 25.	Notice of Certain Events		34
Section 26.	Notices		35
Section 27.	Supplements and Amendments		35
Section 28.	Successors		36


Section 29.	Benefits of this Agreement	36
Section 30.	Severability	36
Section 31.	Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc	36
Section 32.	Governing Law	37
Section 33.	Counterparts	37
Section 34.	Descriptive Headings; Interpretation	37
Section 35.	Force Majeure	38

LIST OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit A—Form of Certificate of Designations

Exhibit B—Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit C—Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Rights Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2023 (this “Agreement”), between Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Xxxxxxxx Islands (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a national banking corporation, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”).

R E C I T A L S:

The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the close of business on July 3, 2023 (the “Record Date”), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, or (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (including any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, but only to the extent related to such plan); provided, however, that if, as of the date hereof or prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares outstanding, such Person shall not be deemed to be or to become an “Acquiring Person” unless and until such time as such Person shall, after such date, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares (collectively, a “Common Stock Distribution”)), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. Each Person that is Acting in Concert (as hereinafter defined) with any Person that becomes an Acquiring Person shall be deemed to own the Common Shares of such Acquiring Person and shall also be deemed to be an Acquiring Person for all purposes hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares of the Company outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that, if a Person, together

with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after the public announcement of such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the Company, other than in connection with a Common Stock Distribution, then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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 as promptly as practicable (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) divests a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or have been an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a bona fide swaps dealer who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” has become so as a result of its actions in the ordinary course of its business that the Board of Directors of the Company determines, in its sole discretion, were taken without the intent or effect of evading or assisting any other Person to evade the purposes and intent of this Agreement, or otherwise seeking to control or influence the management or policies of the Company, then, and unless and until the Board of Directors of the Company shall otherwise determine, such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement.

(b) A Person shall be deemed to be “Acting in Concert” with another Person if such Person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) at any time after the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, in concert or in parallel with such other Person, or towards a common goal with such other Person, relating to changing or influencing the control of the Company or in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, where (i) each Person is conscious of the other Person’s conduct and this awareness is an element in their respective decision-making processes and (ii) at least one additional factor supports a determination by the Board of Directors of the Company that such Persons intended to act in concert or in parallel, which additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information, attending meetings, conducting discussions, or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in parallel; provided, however, that the additional factor required shall not include actions by an officer or director of the Company acting in such capacities. A Person who is Acting in Concert with another Person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also Acting in Concert with such other Person. No Person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with another Person solely as a result of (a) making or receiving a solicitation of, or granting or receiving, revocable proxies or consents given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made to more than 10 holders of shares of a class of stock of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, or (b) soliciting or being solicited for tenders of, or tendering or receiving tenders of, securities in a public tender or exchange offer made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act by means of a tender offer statement filed on Schedule TO.

(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 as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that no director or officer of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate or Associate of any other director or officer of the Company solely as a result of his or her being a director or officer of the Company.

(d) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” and to have “Beneficial Ownership” of any securities:

(i) that such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act;

(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has, directly or indirectly (A) the right or the obligation to acquire (whether such right is exercisable, or such obligation is required to be performed immediately, after the passage of time, upon the occurrence of a contingency (whether or not such contingency is in the control of such Person) or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);

(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is (A) Acting in Concert, or (B) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B) hereof) or disposing of any securities of the Company; or

(iv) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty (or any of such Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract (without regard to any short or similar position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract) to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is a Receiving Party (as such terms are defined below); provided, however, that the number of Common Shares that a Person is deemed to beneficially own pursuant to this clause (iv) in connection with a particular Derivatives Contract shall not exceed the number

of Notional Common Shares with respect to such Derivatives Contract; provided, further, that the number of securities beneficially owned by each Counterparty (including its Affiliates and Associates) under a Derivatives Contract shall for purposes of this clause (iv) be deemed to include all securities that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Counterparty (or any of such other Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Derivatives Contract to which such first Counterparty (or any of such first Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) is a Receiving Party, with this proviso being applied to successive Counterparties as appropriate. A “Derivatives Contract” is a contract between two parties (the “Receiving Party” and the “Counterparty”) that is designed to produce economic benefits and risks to the Receiving Party that correspond substantially to the ownership by the Receiving Party of a number of Common Shares specified or referenced in such contract (the number corresponding to such economic benefits and risks, the “Notional Common Shares”), regardless of whether obligations under such contract are required or permitted to be settled through the delivery of cash, Common Shares or other property, without regard to any short position under the same or any other Derivatives Contract. For the avoidance of doubt, interests in broad-based index options, broad-based index futures and broad-based publicly traded market baskets of stocks approved for trading by the appropriate federal governmental authority shall not be deemed to be Derivatives Contracts.

Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding that are issuable by the Company and that such Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.

(e) “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

(f) “Board Evaluation Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c) hereof.

(g) “Book Entry” shall mean an uncertificated book entry for any Common Share or Preferred Share.

(h) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

(i) “close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

(j) “Commence” (and the correlative words “Commenced” and “Commencement”) means the date that a tender offer or exchange offer or other transaction by any Person is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act.

(k) “Common Shares” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value US$.01 per share, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person (in the aggregate based on the number of issued and outstanding shares of such other Person) or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons that ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

(l) “Definitive Acquisition Agreement” shall mean any definitive written agreement entered into by the Company that is conditioned on the approval by the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company at a meeting of the shareholders of the Company with respect to (i) a merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization, share exchange, business combination or similar transaction involving the Company or (ii) the acquisition in any manner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the consolidated total assets (including, without limitation, equity securities of its subsidiaries) of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(m) “Demanding Shareholders” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(i) hereof.

(n) “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.

(o) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(p) “Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.

(q) “Exemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(iii) hereof.

(r) “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.

(s) “Nasdaq” shall mean The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

(t) “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

(u) “Outside Meeting Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(iii) hereof.

(v) “Ownership Statements” means, with respect to any Book Entry Common Share, current ownership statements issued to the record holders thereof in lieu of a certificate representing such Common Share.

(w) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, partnership (general or limited), corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, limited liability partnership, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity, as well as any syndicate or group deemed to be a Person under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.

(x) “Preferred Shares” shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value US$.01 per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

(y) “Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof, as adjusted in accordance with this Agreement and as in effect from time to time.

(z) “Qualifying Offer” shall mean an offer determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith to be:

(i) a Commenced fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering Common Shares of the offeror, or a combination thereof, in each such case for any and all of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company at the same per-share consideration;

(ii) an offer whose offer price per Common Share of the Company is greater than the highest reported market price for the Common Shares of the Company in the 24 months immediately preceding the Commencement of such offer, with, in the case of an offer that includes Common Shares of the offeror, such offer price per Common Share of the Company being determined using the lowest reported market price for Common Shares of the offeror during the five Trading Days (as hereinafter defined) immediately preceding and the five Trading Days immediately following the Commencement of such offer;

(iii) an offer that is conditioned on a minimum of at least a majority of (A) the Common Shares of the Company outstanding on a fully-diluted basis and (B) the outstanding Common Shares of the Company not held by the offeror (or such offeror’s Affiliates and Associates) being tendered and not withdrawn as of the offer’s expiration date, which condition shall not be waivable (the “Minimum Tender Condition”);

(iv) an offer that is subject only to the Minimum Tender Condition and other customary terms and conditions, which conditions shall not include any financing, funding or similar conditions or any requirements with respect to the offeror or its representatives being permitted any due diligence with respect to the books, records, management, accountants or other outside advisers of the Company;

(v) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable, legally binding written commitment of the offeror that the offer, if it is otherwise set to expire prior thereto, will be extended for at least 20 Business Days after any increase in the consideration offered or after any bona fide alternative offer is Commenced;

(vi) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable, legally binding written commitment of the offeror that the offer will remain open until at least the later of (A) the date the Board of Directors of the Company redeems the outstanding Rights or exempts such offer from the terms of this Agreement, (B) if no Special Meeting Demand (as hereinafter defined) has been received from the holders of a Requisite Percentage (as hereinafter defined) with respect to such offer, 10 Business Days after the end of the Board Evaluation Period and (C) if a Special Meeting (as hereinafter defined) is duly requested in accordance with Section 23, 10 Business Days after the date of such Special Meeting or, if no Special Meeting is held within the Special Meeting Period (as hereinafter defined), 10 Business Days following the last day of such Special Meeting Period;

(vii) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable, legally binding written commitment of the offeror to consummate, as promptly as practicable upon successful completion of the offer, a second step transaction whereby all Common Shares not tendered into the offer shall be acquired at the same consideration per Common Share actually paid pursuant to the offer, subject to shareholders’ statutory appraisal rights, if any;

(viii) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable, legally binding written commitment of the offeror that no amendments shall be made to the offer to reduce the consideration being offered or to otherwise change the terms of the offer in a way that is adverse to a tendering shareholder (other than extensions of the offer as permitted or required pursuant to this Agreement);

(ix) an offer (other than an offer consisting solely of cash consideration) pursuant to which the Company has received the written representation and certification of the offeror and the written representations and certifications of the offeror’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, acting in such capacities, that (A) all facts about the offeror that would be material to an investor making a decision to accept the offer have been fully and accurately disclosed as of the date of the Commencement of the offer, (B) all such new facts shall be fully and accurately disclosed on a prompt basis during the entire period during which the offer remains open but in no event less than two Business Days prior to the expiration date (which may necessitate the extension of such offer) and (C) all required Exchange Act reports (or if not registered in the U.S., the foreign equivalents) shall be filed by the offeror in a timely manner during such period; and

(x) if the offer includes Common Shares of the offeror, (A) the offeror is a publicly owned corporation and its Common Shares are freely tradable and is listed or admitted to trading on either the NYSE or Nasdaq, (B) no shareholder approval of the offeror is required to issue such Common Shares, or, if required, such approval has already been obtained, (C) no Person (including, without limitation, such Person’s Affiliates and Associates) beneficially owns more than 20% of the voting stock of the offeror at the time of Commencement of the offer or at any time during the term of the offer, (D) no other class of voting stock of the offeror is outstanding and (E) the offeror meets the registrant eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 or Form F-3 for registering securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including, without limitation, the filing of all required Exchange Act reports in a timely manner during the 12 calendar months prior to the date of Commencement of such offer.

For the purposes of the definition of Qualifying Offer, “fully financed” shall mean that the offeror has sufficient funds for the offer and related expenses which shall be evidenced by (x) firm, unqualified, written commitments from financial institutions having the necessary financial capacity, accepted by the offeror, to provide funds for such offer subject only to customary terms and conditions, (y) cash or cash equivalents then available to the offeror, set apart and maintained solely for the purpose of funding the offer with an irrevocable, legally binding written commitment has been provided by the offeror to the Board of Directors of the Company to maintain such availability until the offer is consummated or withdrawn or (z) a combination of the foregoing;

which evidence has been provided to the Board of Directors of the Company prior to, or upon, Commencement of the offer. If an offer becomes a Qualifying Offer in accordance with this definition, but subsequently ceases to be a Qualifying Offer as a result of the failure at a later date to continue to satisfy any of the requirements of this definition, such offer shall cease to be a Qualifying Offer and the provisions of Section 23 shall no longer be applicable to such offer.

(aa) “Qualifying Offer Resolution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(i) hereof.

(bb) “Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

(cc) “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.

(dd) “Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.

(ee) “Requisite Percentage” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(i) hereof.

(ff) “Right” shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof.

(gg) “Right Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.

(hh) “Rights Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

(ii) “Security” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.

(jj) “Shareholder Approval” shall mean shall mean the approval or ratification by the shareholders of the Company of this Agreement (as amended from time to time or as contemplated to be in effect following such Stockholder Approval) as demonstrated by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions) by the holders entitled to vote thereon at a duly held meeting of the shareholders of the Company.

(kk) “Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

(ll) “Special Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(i) hereof.

(mm) “Special Meeting Demand” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(c)(i) hereof.

(nn) “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation, partnership or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

(oo) “Summary of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.

(pp) “Trading Day” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof.

Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares of the Company) in accordance with the express terms and conditions (and no implied terms and conditions) hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.

Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.

(a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth Business Day after the Shares Acquisition Date or, if the tenth Business Day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the Record Date and (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the Commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (including any such date that is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights) (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares of the Company (or by Book Entry Common Shares of the Company) registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not be separate Right Certificates or book entry, and (y) the Right Certificates and the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferred with the transfer of Common Shares of the Company. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares of the Company as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company may choose to use book entry in lieu of physical certificates, in which case “Right Certificates” shall be deemed to mean the uncertificated book entry representing the related Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

(b) The Company may, if it so elects, send (directly or through the Rights Agent or the Company’s transfer agent for the Common Shares) a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the

Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares or the transfer of any Book Entry Common Shares of the Company outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company represented thereby.

(c) Certificates for Common Shares (or Book Entry Common Shares) that become outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the penultimate sentence of this Section 3(c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them a legend in substantially the following form:

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Xxxxxxxx Islands (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a national banking corporation, dated as of June 22, 2023, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights (as defined in the Rights Agreement) will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned (as defined in the Rights Agreement) by any Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) or an Associate or Affiliate (each as defined in the Rights Agreement) thereof become null and void.

With respect to any Book Entry Common Share of the Company, such legend shall be included in the Ownership Statement in respect of such Common Share or in a notice to the record holder of such Common Share in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, or any Ownership Statement or notice containing the foregoing legend delivered to holders of Book Entry Common Shares, until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company represented by such certificates or such Book Entry Common Shares shall be evidenced by such certificates or such Book Entry Common Shares (including any Ownership Statement) alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate or the transfer of any Book Entry Common Share shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company that are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a legend shall not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.

Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially 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 applicable rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any applicable rule or regulation of any stock exchange or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the “Purchase Price”), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by (a) its Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, its President or any of its Vice Presidents and (b) its Treasurer, any of its Assistant Treasurers, its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary either manually or by facsimile signature or other customary means of electronic transmission (e.g., “PDF”), shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or an electronic version thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature or other customary means of electronic transmission (e.g., “PDF”). The Right Certificates shall be countersigned, either manually or by facsimile signature or other customary means of electronic transmission (e.g., “PDF”), by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the individual who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any individual who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such individual was not such an officer.

Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.

Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a

Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, accompanied by a signature guarantee from an eligible guarantor institution participating in a signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association (a “Signature Guarantee”), and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request. The Right Certificates are transferrable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder shall have properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate, shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby and the Affiliates and Associates of such Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request and paid a sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates as required hereunder. Thereupon, the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested, registered in such name or names as may be designated by the surrendering registered holder. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall promptly forward any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such Persons as the Company shall specify by written notice.

Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Associates or Affiliates thereof (including a Signature Guarantee and such other documentation as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request), 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 Right Certificate, if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Rights Agreement to provide for uncertificated Rights in addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates.

Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.

(a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, accompanied by a Signature Guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or

prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on June 22, 2026 (the “Anniversary Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”), (iii) the close of business on June 22, 2024 if Shareholder Approval has not been received prior to such time (together with the Anniversary Date, the “Expiration Date”), or (iv) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

(b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be US$180.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent) certificates for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent of the Preferred Shares with such depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with all such requests; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash (if any) to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14(b) hereof; (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder; and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate to such Person or Persons as may be designated by such holder. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the Company other than Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of the Company pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities are available for distribution by the Rights Agent.

(d) 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 Rights or other securities upon the occurrence of any purported transfer or exercise as set forth in Section 6 hereof or this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certification following the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such transfer or exercise, (ii) tendered the Purchase Price (and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof) to the Company in the manner set forth in Section 7(c) hereof, (iii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the

Rights Agent shall reasonably request, and (iv) provided a written representation to the Company that such holder did not acquire such Rights or other securities from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person. For the avoidance of doubt, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.

(e) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to such holder’s duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if delivered or surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. At the expense of the Company, the Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy or cause to be destroyed such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares.

(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and other securities, as the case may be) (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares.

(b) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.

Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares or other securities transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares or other securities transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a share exchange, consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date (regardless of whether the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were then open), such holder would have been entitled to receive upon such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs that 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 Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right other than any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price per number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11(a)) for which a Right is then exercisable, in lieu of such Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by dividing (A) the then current Purchase Price per number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11(a)) for which a Right is then exercisable by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action, except as permitted by this Agreement, which if at the time such action is or would be taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. Neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have liability to any holder of any Rights or Right Certificates or other Person as a result of the Company’s or the Rights Agent’s failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate or with respect to any Common Shares otherwise deemed to be beneficially owned by any of the foregoing; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) or other Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled.

(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares (including Common Shares issued but not outstanding and authorized but unissued (and unreserved)) to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such actions as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall issue Common Shares to the extent shares thereof are available in connection with the exercise of the Rights and to the extent sufficient Common Shares are not available therefore shall substitute for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

(b) In case the Company shall issue rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“equivalent preferred shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)(ii)), then on the record date for such issuance, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current per share market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and, in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) In case the Company shall make a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a share exchange, consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after the record date for such issuance shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) 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 holders of the Rights) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,

whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and, in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(d) (i) Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security”) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date; provided, however, that, in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or Securities convertible into such shares (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to but not including the expiration of 30 Trading Days after but not including the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security after such ex-dividend or record date. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York time or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the bid and asked prices, regular way, reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York time, in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price reported at or prior to 4:00 P.M. New York time or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported as of 4:00 P.M. New York time by the OTC Bulletin Board or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business, or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the day prior to the Expiration Date.

(f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, 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 Shares contained in this Section 11, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) 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 (B) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

(i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one 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 Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein, and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may duly authorize and validly issue fully paid and non-assessable Preferred Shares 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 issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine, in its sole discretion, to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities that by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in Section 11(b) hereof, hereafter made by the Company to holders of the Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders.

(n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then, in any such case, (A) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights that each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment occurs at any time after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall effect a share exchange, consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall effect a share exchange, consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such share exchange, consolidation or merger and, in connection with such share exchange, consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price per number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11(a)) for which a Right is then exercisable in lieu of such Preferred Shares, such number of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by dividing (A) the then current Purchase Price per number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 11(a)) for which a Right is then exercisable by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such share exchange, consolidation, merger,

sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such share exchange, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such share exchange, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless, prior thereto, the Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive share exchanges, mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq, 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 OTC Bulletin Board 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 and such determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holders of the Right Certificates, which shall be conclusive for all purposes.

(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of

Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

(c) The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of the Right, expressly waives such holder’s right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).

Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, such holder’s right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach by the Company of this Agreement, and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of the Company.

Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;

(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable (subject to the provisions of this Agreement) only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the 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 properly completed and fully executed, accompanied by a Signature Guarantee, and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request;

(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate (or Book Entry Common Shares)) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate (or Ownership Statements or other notices provided to holders of Book Entry Common Shares) made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; 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 (without limiting any of the rights of the Rights Agent under Section 18) as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.

Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a 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 Right Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent such compensation as shall be agreed to in writing by the Company and the Rights Agent for all services rendered by it hereunder, and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (each as determined by a final, nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties under this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim in connection herewith, directly or indirectly, or of enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be paid by the Company. The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall survive the exercise or expiration of the Rights, the termination of this Agreement and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent.

The Rights Agent shall be fully authorized and protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, 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 likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith, unless and until it has received such notice in writing, and all notices or other instruments required by this Agreement to be delivered to the Rights Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Rights Agent as specified in Section 26 hereof.

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may effect a share exchange, be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, share exchange or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust powers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and, in all such cases, such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and, in all such cases, such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall have no liability for or in respect of any action taken or omitted by it in the absence of bad faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the 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 the absence of bad faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to act without such certificate as set forth in this Section 20(b).

(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be limited to the amount of fees (but not including any reimbursed costs) paid by the Company to the Rights Agent during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights Agent is being sought.

(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization and execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming null and void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(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 any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in the absence of bad faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. The Rights Agent shall be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the most recent written advice or instructions received by any such officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three (3) Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may, to the extent not otherwise prohibited by applicable law, 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 the 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 Person.

(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 or any other Person resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence or bad faith in the selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence or bad faith must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of court of competent jurisdiction).

(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 (other than internal costs incurred by the Rights Agent in providing services to the Company in the ordinary course of its business as Rights Agent and for which the Rights Agent shall be compensated pursuant to Section 18(a)) or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(k) The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any holders of Rights or any other Person for interest or earnings on any moneys held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

(l) 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 or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

(m) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any event of condition hereunder, including any event or condition that may require action by the Rights Agent, unless the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing of such event or condition by the Company, and all notices or other instruments required by this Agreement to be delivered to the Rights Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Rights Agent as specified in Section 26 hereof, and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Rights Agent may conclusively assume no such event or condition exists.

(n) The Rights Agent may rely on and be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon (a) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program in addition to, or in substitution for, the foregoing; or (b) any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the same.

(o) In the event the Rights Agent believes any ambiguity or uncertainty exists hereunder or in any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document received by the Rights Agent hereunder, the Rights Agent, may (upon written notice to the Company of such ambiguity or uncertainty), in its sole discretion, refrain from taking any action, and shall be fully protected and shall not be liable in any way to the Company, the holder of any Right Certificate or any other Person for refraining from taking such action, unless the Rights Agent receives written instructions signed by the Company which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction of Rights Agent.

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing delivered to the Company and, in the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is not also the transfer agent for the Company, to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. In the event any transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under this

Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required notice. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (which holder shall, with such notice, submit such holder’s Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a legal business entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State thereof, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust, stock transfer or shareholder services powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least US$50 million 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, but such predecessor Rights Agent shall not be required to make any additional expenditure or assume any additional liability in connection with the foregoing. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Expiration Date, the Company (i) shall with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded prior to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company prior to the Distribution Date and (ii) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates 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 Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no Right 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 may, in its sole and absolute discretion, at any time prior to the earlier of the Expiration Date or the Shares Acquisition Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of US$.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion, may establish. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Shares (based on the then-current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11 hereof) at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.

(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(a), and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right held. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

(c) (i) In the event the Company receives a Qualifying Offer (and such Qualifying Offering has not been terminated and continues to be a Qualifying Offer during the periods set forth in this Section 23(c)) and the Board of Directors of the Company has not redeemed the outstanding Rights, exempted such Qualifying Offer from the terms of this Agreement or called a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting on whether or not to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the terms of this Agreement, in each case, by the close of business on the date that is 90 days following the Commencement of such Qualifying Offer (the “Board Evaluation Period”), the record holders (or their duly authorized proxy) of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding (excluding Common Shares that are beneficially owned by the Person making the Qualifying Offer) (the “Requisite Percentage”) may submit to the Board of Directors of the Company, not earlier than 90 days nor later than 120 days following the Commencement of such Qualifying Offer, a written demand complying with the terms of this Section 23(c) (the “Special Meeting Demand”) directing the Board of Directors of the Company to submit to a vote of the shareholders at a special meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the “Special Meeting”) a resolution exempting such Qualifying Offer from the provisions of this Agreement (the “Qualifying Offer Resolution”). Any Special Meeting Demand

shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company and must set forth as to each of the shareholders of record executing the request (the “Demanding Shareholders”) (A) the name and record address of such Demanding Shareholder on whose behalf the Special Meeting Demand is made, (B) the number of Common Shares that are owned of record and beneficially owned by such Demanding Shareholder, (C) any Derivatives Contract, option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, swap or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to the Common Shares of the Company or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of the Common Shares of the Company, whether or not such instrument or right is subject to settlement in the Common Shares of the Company or otherwise directly or indirectly beneficially owned by such Demanding Shareholder and any other direct or indirect opportunity of such Demanding Shareholder to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of the Common Shares of the Company, (D) a description of all agreements, including group agreements, arrangements or understandings (written or oral) between or among such Demanding Shareholder and any other Person or Persons (including their names) in connection with the Special Meeting Demand by such Demanding Shareholder, (E) any material interest of such Demanding Shareholder on whose behalf the Special Meeting Demand is made with respect to such Qualifying Offer, (F) a representation that such Demanding Shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting to bring such business before the Special Meeting and (G) any other information relating to such Demanding Shareholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with a solicitation of proxies for an election of directors (even though an election contest will not take place at the Special Meeting), or would otherwise be required, in each case pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For the purposes of a Special Meeting Demand, the record date for determining holders of record eligible to make a Special Meeting Demand shall be the 90^th day following Commencement of a Qualifying Offer.

(ii) After receipt of a Special Meeting Demand in proper form and in accordance with this Section 23(c) from Demanding Shareholders holding the Requisite Percentage, the Board of Directors of the Company shall take such actions necessary or desirable to cause the Qualifying Offer Resolution to be so submitted to a vote of shareholders at a Special Meeting to be convened within 90 days following the last day of the Board Evaluation Period (the “Special Meeting Period”) by including a proposal relating to adoption of the Qualifying Offer Resolution in the proxy materials of the Company for the Special Meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, cause the Qualifying Offer Resolution to be submitted to a vote of shareholders at an annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company if such annual meeting is to be convened during the Special Meeting Period; provided, further, that if the Company, at any time during the Special Meeting Period and prior to a vote on the Qualifying Offer Resolution, enters into a Definitive Acquisition Agreement, the Special Meeting Period may be extended (and any Special Meeting called in connection therewith may be cancelled) if the Qualifying Offer Resolution is separately submitted to a vote at the same meeting as the Definitive Acquisition Agreement. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the Board of Directors of the Company may take a position in favor of or opposed to the adoption of the Qualifying Offer Resolution, or no position with respect to the Qualifying Offer Resolution, as it determines to be appropriate in the exercise of its fiduciary duties. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines that it is in the best interests of the shareholders of the Company to seek an alternative transaction so as to obtain greater value for such shareholders than is being provided by any Qualifying Offer, then the Company shall be entitled to include information relating to such alternative transaction in the proxy soliciting material(s) prepared by the Company in connection with the Special Meeting.

(iii) In the event that no Person (for the avoidance of doubt, including the offeror of a Qualifying Offer) has become an Acquiring Person prior to the Exemption Date and the Qualifying Offer continues to be a Qualifying Offer and either (A) the Special Meeting has not been convened on or prior to the last day of the Special Meeting Period (the “Outside Meeting Date”) or (B) if, at the Special Meeting at which a quorum is established, a majority of the Common Shares of the Company outstanding as of the record date for the Special Meeting selected by the Board of Directors of the Company (excluding Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by the Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, making the Qualifying Offer) shall vote in favor of the Qualifying Offer Resolution, then the Qualifying Offer shall be exempt from the application of this Agreement in all respects as long as such Qualifying Offer remains a Qualifying Offer, such exemption to be effective on the close of business on the earlier of (1) the Outside Meeting Date or (2) the date on which the results of the vote on the Qualifying Offer Resolution at the Special Meeting are certified as official by the appointed inspectors of election for the Special Meeting, as the case may be (the “Exemption Date”). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no action or vote by shareholders not in compliance with the provisions of this Section 23(c) shall serve to exempt any offer from the terms of this Agreement. Immediately upon the close of business on the Exemption Date, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights with respect to the Qualifying Offer will terminate and, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the consummation of the Qualifying Offer shall not cause the offeror (or its Affiliates and/or Associates) to become an Acquiring Person; and the Rights shall immediately expire and have no further force and effect upon such consummation.

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 null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the number of Rights pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. The exchange of Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish. Without limiting the foregoing, in connection with effecting an exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Board of Directors of the Company may direct the Company to enter into a trust agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board of Directors of the Company shall then approve and issue to the trust created by such trust

agreement all or some (as designated by the Board of Directors of the Company) of the securities to be exchanged for the Rights pursuant to this Section 24, and all Persons entitled to receive such securities pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive all or some (as designated by the Board of Directors of the Company) of such securities (and any dividends or distributions made thereon after the date on which such securities are deposited in the trust) from such trust and upon compliance with the relevant terms of the trust agreement.

(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected, and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights that will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights. Upon declaring an exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 24, or as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, the Company may implement such procedures as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, for the purpose of ensuring that the Common Shares (or such other consideration) issuable upon an exchange pursuant to this Section 24 is not received by holders of Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof. Prior to effecting an exchange and registering Common Shares (or other such securities) in any Person’s name, including any nominee or transferee of a Person, the Company may require, as a condition thereof, that any holder of Rights provide evidence, including, without limitation, the identity of the Beneficial Owners thereof and their Affiliates and Associates (or former Beneficial Owners thereof and their Affiliates and Associates) as the Company shall reasonably request in order to determine if such Rights are null and void. Any Common Shares or other securities issued at the direction of the Board of Directors of the Company in connection herewith shall be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable Common Shares or of such other securities (as the case may be).

(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares (including Common Shares issued but not outstanding and authorized but unissued (and unreserved)) to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall issue Common Shares to the extent shares thereof are available in connection with the exercise of the Rights and to the extent sufficient Common Shares are available therefore shall substitute for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.

(a) In case the Company shall, at any time after the Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of the Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of the Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of the Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of the Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any transaction contemplated by Section 13 hereof (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such share exchange, reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and, in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0xx Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

Attn: Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx

Canton, MA 02021

Attention: Client Services

Facsimile: (000) 000-0000

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company, by action of the Board of Directors of the Company, may from time to time, in its sole and absolute discretion, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or to otherwise change, amend, supplement any provisions hereunder or make any other provisions with respect to the Rights that the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided, however, that, from and after such time as the Rights cease to be redeemable pursuant to Section 23, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner that would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall be entitled to adopt and implement such procedures and arrangements (including with third parties) as it may deem necessary or desirable to facilitate the exercise, exchange, trading, issuance or distribution of the Rights (and Preferred Shares) as contemplated hereby and to ensure that an Acquiring Person does not obtain the benefits thereof, and amendments in respect of the foregoing shall not be deemed to adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. No supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless duly executed by the Rights Agent and the Company. The Rights Agent shall duly execute and delivery any supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company in writing, provided that the Company has delivered to the Rights Agent a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any supplement or amendment that adversely affects the Right’s Agents own rights, duties, immunities or obligations under this Agreement.

Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement. Instead, this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).

Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; 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 judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would materially and 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 Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of the Company; further, provided, however, if such excluded provision shall affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to the Company.

Section 31. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of each class of Common Shares or of any other class of capital stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of the outstanding voting power or such outstanding shares of Common Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) (as in effect on the date of this Agreement) 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 of Directors of the Company 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). Without limiting any of the rights or immunities of the Rights Agent under this Agreement, all such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company 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 of Directors of the Company, or any

of the directors on the Board of Directors of the Company, to any liability to the holders of the Rights. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be entitled to reject any Qualifying Offer or any other tender offer or other acquisition proposal, or to recommend that holders of Common Shares of the Company reject any Qualifying Offer or any other tender offer or other acquisition proposal, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, defense or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or alternative offers or other proposals) with respect to any Qualifying Offer or any other tender offer or other acquisition proposal that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its fiduciary duties. The Rights Agent is entitled always to assume the Board of Directors of the Company acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.

Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 26 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.

Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other customary means of electronic transmission (e.g., “PDF”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

Section 34. Descriptive Headings; Interpretation. 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. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The words “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and clause, section, subsection, paragraph and exhibit references are to the clauses, sections, subsections, paragraphs and exhibits of this Agreement unless otherwise specified. The meaning assigned to each term defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and the plural forms of such term, and words denoting any gender shall include all genders. Where a word or phrase is defined herein, unless the context otherwise requires, each of its other grammatical forms shall have a corresponding meaning.

Section 35. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God, acts or provisions or present or future laws or regulations or governmental authority, epidemics, pandemics, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, fire, earthquakes, storms, flood, strikes, work stoppages, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunctions of any utilities, communications, or computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war or civil unrest.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.


						EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC.

						By:		/s/ Xxxx Xxxxx
						Name:		Xxxx Xxxxx
						Title:		Chief Executive Officer


						COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

						By:		/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
						Name:		Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
						Title:		Vice President & Manager

EXHIBIT A

FORM OF

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC.

(Pursuant to Section 35 of the Xxxxxxxx Islands Business Corporations Act)

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Xxxxxxxx Islands (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with Section 35 of the Xxxxxxxx Islands Business Corporations Act at a meeting duly called and held on June 22, 2023:

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) in accordance with the provisions of the Third Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (as amended, the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value US$.01 per share, of the Corporation (the “Preferred Stock”), and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:

Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 700,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.

(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any Series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value US$.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, and of any other junior 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 first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock,

A-1

in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution (or effect an adjustment, as appropriate) on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2(a) immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (or effects a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock).

(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, 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 and be cumulative from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.

(d) Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

A-2

Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 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 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a Series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.

(c) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

Section 4. Certain Restrictions.

(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

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(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences 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 Section 4(a), purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (a) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto and subject to the conditions and restrictions on the liquidation preference of Preferred Stock set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received US$1,000.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock or (b) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (a) 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.

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Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 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 declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock.

Section 10. Fractional Shares. The Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s 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 Preferred Stock.

Section 11. Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation shall not be amended in any manner that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, in addition to such other vote as may be required by the Xxxxxxxx Islands Business Corporation Act.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed to prepare and file the Certificate of Designations in accordance with the foregoing resolution and the provisions of Xxxxxxxx Islands law and to take such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of the foregoing resolutions.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chief Executive Officer and attested by its Secretary this 22nd day of June, 2023.


Chief Executive Officer


Attest:


Secretary

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EXHIBIT B

FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE


Certificate No. R-				_____ Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT US$.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT.

RIGHT CERTIFICATE

EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC.

This certifies that ______________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2023 (the “Agreement”), between Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Xxxxxxxx Islands (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a national banking corporation (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York time, on the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in the Agreement) at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value US$.01 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), at a purchase price of US$180.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share that may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of June 22, 2023, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the Rights Agent.

This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

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Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of US$.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value US$.01 per share. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.

No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, 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 the Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Agreement.

This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

WITNESS the facsimile signature or portable document format of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of __________, ____.


Attest:						EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC.

By:						By:
Name:						Name:
Title:						Title:


Countersigned:

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

By:
Name:
Title:

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[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

(To be executed by the registered holder if such

holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)


FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

(Please print name and address of transferee)

this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ____________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.


Dated:


				Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and are not issued with respect to Notional Common Shares related to a Derivatives Contract described in clause (iv) of the definition of Beneficial Owner (as such terms are defined in the Agreement); and

(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.


Dated: _____________, 20___
				Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate – continued]

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

(To be executed if holder desires to exercise

Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)

To:	Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security

or other identifying number

(Please print name and address)

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security

or other identifying number

(Please print name and address)


Dated: , 20
				Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate – continued]

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:


Dated: , 20
				Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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NOTICE

The signature in the Form of Assignment and Certificate or Form of Election to Purchase and Certificate, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

All Guarantees must be made by a financial institution (such as a bank or broker) which is a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (“STAMP”), the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (“MSP”), or the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (“SEMP”) and must not be dated. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.

In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.

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EXHIBIT C

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE

PREFERRED SHARES

Introduction

On June 22, 2023, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of our Company, Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the Republic of the Xxxxxxxx Islands, declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value US$.01 per share. The dividend is payable to the shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 3, 2023.

The Board has adopted this Rights Agreement to protect shareholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. In general terms, it works by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group that acquires 15% or more of our outstanding common stock, including through derivatives agreements, without the approval of our Board. The Rights Agreement should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by our Board. An exception has been included in the Rights Agreement in order to ensure that certain owners, including their respective affiliates and associates, of which the Company is unaware, are not by virtue of their share ownership automatically deemed to be an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) upon adoption of the Rights Agreement unless any such owner subsequently acquires additional shares of common stock and after giving effect to such acquisition owns 15% or more of our outstanding common stock.

We set forth below a summary of the principal terms of the Rights Agreement as made between our Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a national banking corporation, as the Rights Agent, on June 22, 2023. Please note, however, that this description is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the entire Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 22, 2023. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from our Company upon request.

The Rights. Our Board authorized the issuance of a Right with respect to each outstanding share of common stock on July 3, 2023 (the “Record Date”). The Rights will initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the common stock. New Rights will accompany any new shares of common stock we issue after June 22, 2023 until the expiration, exchange or redemption of the Rights, as described below. Prior to exercise, a Right does not give its holder any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.

Exercise Price. Each Right will allow its holder to purchase from our Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (“Preferred Share”) for US$180.00, subject to adjustment under certain circumstances (the “Purchase Price”), once the Rights become exercisable.

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Exercisability. The Rights will not be exercisable until:

•

10 business days after the public announcement that a person or group has become an Acquiring Person by obtaining beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock except where such person or group has acquired such ownership in certain circumstances, prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of the Rights Agreement, or, if earlier,

•

10 business days (or a later date determined by our Board before any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person) after a person or group Commences (as defined in the Rights Agreement) a tender or exchange offer which, if completed, would result in that person or group becoming an Acquiring Person.

We refer to the date when the Rights become exercisable as the “Distribution Date.” Until the Distribution Date, the Company’s common stock certificates or, in the case of uncertificated shares, notations in the book-entry account system, will also evidence the Rights, and any transfer of shares of the Company’s common stock will constitute a transfer of Rights. After the Distribution Date, the Rights will separate from shares of the Company’s common stock and be evidenced by book-entry credits or by Rights certificates that the Company will mail to all eligible holders of the Company’s common stock. Any Rights held by an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof are null and void and may not be exercised (in each case as such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).

Exercise Price. Each Right will allow its holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value US$.01 per share (“Preferred Share”), once the Rights become exercisable. This portion of a Preferred Share will give the shareholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one share of the Company’s common stock.

Beneficial Ownership. Certain synthetic interests in securities created by derivative positions — whether or not such interests are considered to be ownership of underlying shares of the Company’s common stock or are reportable for purposes of Regulation 13D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended — are treated as beneficial ownership of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock equivalent to the economic exposure created by the derivative position, to the extent actual shares of the Company’s common stock are directly or indirectly held by counterparties to the derivatives contracts. Swaps dealers unassociated with any control intent or intent to evade the purposes of the Rights Agreement are excepted from such imputed beneficial ownership. In addition, shares held by Affiliates and Associates of an Acquiring Person, and Notional Common Shares held by counterparties to a Derivatives Contract with an Acquiring Person, will be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (in each case as such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).

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Consequences of a Person or Group Becoming an Acquiring Person.

•

Flip In. If a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, all holders of Rights except the Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof may purchase for the Purchase Price shares of our common stock with a market value of two times the Purchase Price, based on the market price of the common stock prior to such acquisition. If the Company does not have a sufficient number of shares of common stock available, the Company may under certain circumstances substitute Preferred Shares or other securities or property for the common stock into which the Rights would have otherwise been exercisable.

•

Flip Over. If our Company is acquired in a merger or similar transaction after an Acquiring Person becomes such, all holders of Rights except the Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof may, upon exercise of a Right, purchase for the Purchase Price shares of the acquiring company with a market value of two times the Purchase Price, based on the market price of the acquiring company’s stock prior to such transaction.

Preferred Share Provisions.

Each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued:

•

will not be redeemable.

•

will entitle the holder to quarterly dividend payments equal to the dividend paid on one share of common stock.

•

will entitle the holder upon liquidation to receive either US$1.00 or an amount equal to the payment made on one share of common stock, whichever is greater.

•

will have the same voting power as one share of common stock.

•

if shares of our common stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation, or a similar transaction, will entitle the holder to a payment equal to the payment made on one share of common stock.

The value of one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share should approximate the value of one share of common stock.

Expiration. The Rights will expire the earlier of (i) 5:00 P.M., New York time, on June 22, 2026 and (ii) 5:00 P.M., New York time, on June 22, 2024 if approval of this Rights Agreement by the Company’s shareholders has not been received prior to such time, unless such date is advanced or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by our Board as described below.

Redemption. The Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, redeem the Rights for US$.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the expiration date and the first date of public announcement that a person or group has become an Acquiring Person. If our Board redeems any Rights, it must redeem all of the Rights. Once the Rights are redeemed, the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price of US$.001 per Right. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company has a stock split, reverse stock split, or issues stock dividends of its common stock.

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Qualifying Offers. In the event the Company receives a Qualifying Offer (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and the Board does not redeem the outstanding Rights, exempt such Qualifying Offer from the terms of the Rights Agreement or call a special meeting of the shareholders to vote on whether or not to exempt such Qualifying Offer from the Rights Agreement, in each case within 90 days of the Commencement of the Qualifying Offer (the “Board Evaluation Period”), the record holders of 10% or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company may submit a written demand directing the Board to propose a resolution exempting the Qualifying Offer from the Rights Agreement to be voted upon at a special meeting to be convened within 90 days following the last day of the Board Evaluation Period (the “Special Meeting Period”). The Board must take the necessary actions to cause such resolution to be submitted to a vote of the shareholders at a special meeting within the Special Meeting Period; provided, however, the Board may recommend in favor of or against or take no position with respect to the adoption of the resolution, as it determines to be appropriate in the exercise of the Board’s fiduciary duties.

Exchange. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, but before an Acquiring Person owns 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, our Board may extinguish the Rights by exchanging one share of common stock or an equivalent security or other property for each Right, other than Rights held by the Acquiring Person.

Anti-Dilution Provisions. The purchase price of the Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares issuable and the number of outstanding Rights are subject to adjustment to prevent dilution that may occur as a result of certain events, including among others, a stock dividend, a stock split, a reverse stock split, or a reclassification of the Preferred Shares or common stock. No adjustments to the Purchase Price of less than 1% will be made.

Amendments. The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by our Board without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that, once the Rights are no longer redeemable (as described above), the Board may not amend the Rights Agreement in a way that adversely affects holders of the Rights.

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RIGHTS AGREEMENT EAGLE BULK SHIPPING INC. and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Rights Agent Dated as of June 22, 2023

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