RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of December 26, 2006 between REGIS CORPORATION and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. as Rights Agent

Exhibit 1

EXECUTION COPY

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

dated as of December 26, 2006

between

REGIS CORPORATION

and

XXXXX FARGO BANK, N.A.

as Rights Agent

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			Page

Section 1.	Certain Definitions		1

Section 2.	Appointment of Rights Agent		7

Section 3.	Issue of Rights and Right Certificates		7

Section 4.	Form of Right Certificates		9

Section 5.	Execution, Countersignature and Registration		9

Section 6.	Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates; Uncertificated Rights		10

Section 7.	Exercise of Rights; Expiration Date of Rights		11

Section 8.	Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates		13

Section 9.	Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares		13

Section 10.	Preferred Shares Record Date		14

Section 11.	Adjustments in Rights After There Is an Acquiring Person; Exchange of Rights for Shares; Business Combinations		15

Section 12.	Certain Adjustments		19

Section 13.	Certificate of Adjustment		20

Section 14.	Additional Covenants		21

Section 15.	Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares		21

Section 16.	Rights of Action		22

Section 17.	Transfer and Ownership of Rights and Right Certificates		23

Section 18.	Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder		23

Section 19.	Concerning the Rights Agent		23

Section 20.	Merger or Consolidation or Change of Rights Agent		24

Section 21.	Duties of Rights Agent		24

Section 22.	Change of Rights Agent		26

Section 23.	Issuance of Additional Rights and Right Certificates		27

Section 24.	Redemption and Termination		27

Section 25.	Notices	28

Section 26.	Supplements and Amendments	29

Section 27.	Successors	29

Section 28.	Benefits of Rights Agreement; Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc	29

Section 29.	Severability	30

Section 30.	Governing Law	30

Section 31.	Counterparts; Effectiveness	30

Section 32.	Descriptive Headings	30

Exhibits

A Certificate of Designation

B Form of Right Certificate

C Summary of Rights

RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 26, 2006 (this “Rights Agreement”), between REGIS CORPORATION, a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), and XXXXX FARGO BANK, N.A., as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for each share of Common Stock, par value $.05 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on the date hereof (the “Record Date”), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Rights Agreement) with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the earliest to occur of the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 23. Each Right shall initially represent the right to purchase one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.05 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), having the powers, rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designation attached as Exhibit A.

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

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

“Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, alone or together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of more than 15% of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include (a) any Exempt Person or (b) any such Person that the Board of Directors of the Company determines has become and is the Beneficial Owner of more than 15% of the Common Shares at the time outstanding solely as the result of (i) a change in the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding since the last date on which such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of any Common Shares (provided, however, that if a Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than 15% of the Common Shares then outstanding by reason of such change in the aggregate number of Common Shares outstanding and thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any 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), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares such Person does not beneficially own more than 15% of the Common Shares then outstanding), (ii) the acquisition by such Person or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares if such acquisition was made in the good faith belief that such acquisition would not (A) cause the Beneficial Ownership by such Person, together with its Affiliates and Associates, to exceed 15% of the Common Shares outstanding at the time of such acquisition and such good faith belief was based on the good faith reliance on information contained in publicly filed reports or documents of the Company that are inaccurate or out-of-date or (B) otherwise cause a

Distribution Date or the adjustment provided for in Section 11(a) to occur, or (iii) the acquisition by such Person or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates of Beneficial Ownership of additional Common Shares if the Board of Directors of the Company determines (which determination of the Board of Directors of the Company shall be conclusive and binding on such Person, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons) that such acquisition was made in good faith without the knowledge by such Person or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates that such Person would thereby become an Acquiring Person. Notwithstanding clause (b)(ii) or (b)(iii) of the prior sentence, if any Person that is not an Acquiring Person due to such clause (b)(ii) or (b)(iii) does not reduce its percentage of Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares to 15% or less by the Close of Business on the tenth calendar day after notice from the Company (the date of notice being the first day) that such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares would make it an Acquiring Person, such Person shall, at the end of such ten calendar day period, become an Acquiring Person (and such clause (b)(ii) or (b)(iii) shall no longer apply to such Person). For purposes of this definition, the determination whether any Person acted in “good faith” shall be conclusively determined by the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Affiliate” and “Associate”, when used with reference to any Person, 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 Rights Agreement.

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

(a) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is deemed to “beneficially own” within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Rights Agreement;

(b) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has, directly or indirectly:

(i) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed under this clause (i) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, or to have Beneficial Ownership of, any 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 thereunder or cease to be subject to withdrawal by the tendering security holder; or

(ii) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed under this clause (ii) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if (A) the agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral) to vote such security arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a

public proxy or consent solicitation made generally to all holders of Common Shares of the Company pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act and (B) the beneficial ownership of such security is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D or 13G under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

(c) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to clause (b)(ii) of this definition) or disposing of any securities of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this definition shall cause a Person ordinarily engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own”, or to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, any securities acquired in a bona fide firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an underwriting agreement with the Company.

“Book Value”, when used with reference to Common Shares issued by any Person, shall mean the amount of equity of such Person applicable to each Common Share, determined (a) in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles in effect on the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined, (b) using all the consolidated assets and all the consolidated liabilities of such Person on the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined, except that no value shall be included in such assets for goodwill arising from consummation of a business combination (including, without limitation, a Business Combination), and (c) after giving effect to (i) the exercise of all rights, options and warrants to purchase such Common Shares (other than the Rights), and the conversion of all securities convertible into such Common Shares, at an exercise or conversion price, per Common Share, which is less than such Book Value before giving effect to such exercise or conversion (whether or not exercisability or convertibility is conditioned upon occurrence of a future event), (ii) all dividends and other distributions on the capital stock of such Person declared prior to the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined and to be paid or made after such date, and (iii) any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral), or transaction or other action contemplated prior to the date as of which such Book Value is to be determined that would have the effect of thereafter reducing such Book Value.

“Business Combination” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(c)(i).

“Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

“Certificate of Designation” shall mean the Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock setting forth the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of such series of Preferred Stock of the Company, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A.

“Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on such date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Business Day, “Close of Business” shall mean 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

“Common Shares”, when used with reference to the Company prior to a Business Combination, shall mean the shares of Common Stock of the Company or any other shares of capital stock of the Company into which the Common Stock shall be reclassified or changed. “Common Shares”, when used with reference to any Person (other than the Company prior to a Business Combination), shall mean shares of capital stock of such Person (if such Person is a corporation) of any class or series, or units of equity interests in such Person (if such Person is not a corporation) of any class or series, the terms of which do not limit (as a maximum amount and not merely in proportional terms) the amount of dividends or income payable or distributable on such class or series or the amount of assets distributable on such class or series upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of such Person and do not provide that such class or series is subject to redemption at the option of such Person, or any shares of capital stock or units of equity interests into which the foregoing shall be reclassified or changed.

“Common Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Rights Agreement.

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the heading of this Rights Agreement; provided, however, that if there is a Business Combination, “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(c)(iii).

The term “control” with respect to any Person shall mean the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, by or through stock ownership, agency or otherwise, or pursuant to or in connection with an agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral) with one or more other Persons by or through stock ownership, agency or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

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

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any comparable or successor law or act) as in effect on the date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.

“Exchange Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b)(i).

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

“Exempt Person” shall mean (a) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company and (b) any employee benefit or compensation plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Person holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit or compensation plan.

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

“Major Part”, when used with reference to the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of any date, shall mean assets (a) having a fair market value aggregating 50% or more of the total fair market value of all the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as of the date in question, (b) accounting for 50% or more of the total value (net of depreciation and amortization) of all the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would be shown on a consolidated or combined balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date in question, prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles then in effect, or (c) accounting for 50% or more of the total amount of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization or of the revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) as would be shown on, or derived from, a consolidated or combined statement of income or net earnings of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period of 12 months ending on the last day of the Company’s monthly accounting period next preceding the date in question, prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles then in effect.

“Market Value”, when used with reference to Common Shares or Preferred Shares on any date, shall mean the average of the daily closing prices, per share, of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, for the period which is the shorter of (a) 30 consecutive Trading Days ending on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date in question or (b) the number of consecutive Trading Days beginning on the Trading Day immediately after the date of the first public announcement of the event requiring a determination of the Market Value of Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, and ending on the Trading Day immediately prior to the record date of such event; provided, however, that, in the event that the Market Value of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, is to be determined in whole or in part during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, of any action of the type described in Section 12(a) that would require an adjustment thereunder, then, and in each such case, the Market Value of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable, shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the effect of such action on the market price of such Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as applicable. The closing price for each Trading Day shall be the closing price quoted on the composite tape for securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or, if such securities are not quoted on such composite tape or if such securities are not listed on such exchange, on the principal United States securities exchange registered under the Exchange Act (or any recognized foreign stock exchange) on which such securities are listed, or, if such securities are not listed on any such exchange, the closing price quoted on The Nasdaq Stock Market or, if such securities are not so quoted, the average of the closing bid and asked quotations with respect to a share of such securities on any National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. quotations system or such other system then in use, or if no such quotations are available, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such securities selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, or if on any such Trading Day no market maker is making a market in such securities, the closing price of such securities on such Trading Day shall be deemed to be the fair value of such securities 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, the holders of Rights and all other Persons); provided, however, that for the purpose of determining the closing price of the Preferred Shares for any Trading Day on which there is no such market maker for the Preferred Shares the closing price on such Trading Day shall be

deemed to be the Formula Number (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) multiplied by the closing price of the Common Shares of the Company on such Trading Day.

“Person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization, firm or group or other entity and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

“Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Rights Agreement. Any reference in this Rights Agreement to Preferred Shares shall be deemed to include any authorized fraction of a Preferred Share, unless the context otherwise requires.

“Principal Party” shall mean the Surviving Person in a Business Combination; provided, however, that, (i) if such Surviving Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of any other Person, “Principal Party” shall mean the Person which is the ultimate parent of such Surviving Person and which is not itself a Subsidiary of another Person, and (ii) in the event ultimate control of such Surviving Person is shared by two or more Persons, “Principal Party” shall mean that Person that is immediately controlled by such two or more Persons.

“Purchase Price” with respect to each Right shall mean $140, as such amount may from time to time be adjusted as provided herein, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America. All references herein to the Purchase Price shall mean the Purchase Price as in effect at the time in question.

“Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Rights Agreement.

“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a).

“Redemption Price” with respect to each Right shall mean $.001, as such amount may from time to time be adjusted in accordance with Section 12. All references herein to the Redemption Price shall mean the Redemption Price as in effect at the time in question.

“Registered Common Shares” shall mean Common Shares that are, as of the date of consummation of a Business Combination, and have continuously been for the 12 months immediately preceding such date, registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

“Right Certificate” shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in substantially the form attached as Exhibit B.

“Rights” shall mean the rights to purchase Preferred Shares (or other securities) as provided in this Rights Agreement.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (or any comparable or successor law or act) as in effect on the date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.

“Subsidiary” shall mean a Person, at least a majority of the total outstanding voting power (being the power under ordinary circumstances (and not merely upon the happening of a contingency) to vote in the election of directors of such Person (if such Person is a corporation) or to participate in the management and control of such Person (if such Person is not a corporation)) of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by another Person or by one or more other Subsidiaries of such other Person or by such other Person and one or more other Subsidiaries of such other Person.

“Surviving Person” shall mean (a) the Person which is the continuing or surviving Person in a consolidation or merger specified in Section 11(c)(i)(A) or 11(c)(i)(B) or (b) the Person to which the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred or disposed of in a transaction specified in Section 11(c)(i)(C); provided, however, that, if the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries is sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred or disposed of in one or more related transactions specified in Section 11(c)(i)(C) to more than one Person, the “Surviving Person” in such case shall mean the Person that acquired assets of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries with the greatest fair market value in such transaction or transactions.

“Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange (or principal recognized foreign stock exchange, as the case may be) on which any securities or Rights, as the case may be, are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the securities or Rights in question are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange (or recognized foreign stock exchange, as the case may be), a Business Day.

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, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint one or more co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable (the term “Rights Agent” being used herein to refer, collectively, to the Rights Agent together with any such co-Rights Agents). In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agents shall be as the Company shall determine.

Section 3. Issue of Rights and Right Certificates. (a) One Right shall be associated with each Common Share outstanding on the Record Date, each additional Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Expiration Date and each additional Common Share with which Rights are issued after the Distribution Date but prior to the earliest to occur of the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date as provided in Section 23; provided, however, that, if the number of outstanding Rights are combined into a smaller number of outstanding Rights pursuant to Section 12(a), the appropriate fractional Right determined pursuant to such Section shall thereafter be associated with each such Common Share.

(b) Until the earlier of (i) such date as the Company learns that a Person has become an Acquiring Person and (ii) such date, if any, as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company following the commencement of, or the first public disclosure of an intent to commence, a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) for outstanding Common Shares, if upon consummation of such tender or exchange offer such Person could be the Beneficial Owner of more than 15% of the outstanding Common Shares (the Close of Business on the earlier of such dates being the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 3(c), be evidenced by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights, including the right to receive Right Certificates, shall be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent as promptly as practicable that the Distribution Date has occurred. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall send, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate evidencing one whole Right for each Common Share (or for the number of Common Shares with which one whole Right is then associated if the number of Rights per Common Share held by such record holder has been adjusted in accordance with the proviso in Section 3(a)). If the number of Rights associated with each Common Share has been adjusted in accordance with the proviso in Section 3(a), at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates the Company may make any necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments so that Right Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Right in accordance with Section 15(a). The Company shall notify the Rights Agent as promptly as practicable of any such adjustments. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights shall be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

(c) As soon as practicable, and in any event no later than 30 days, after the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to any certificate for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date, (i) the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by any such certificate shall be evidenced by such certificates for the Common Shares with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto and the registered holders of the Common Shares shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights and (ii) the surrender for transfer of any such certificate, even without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

(d) Certificates issued for Common Shares after the Record Date (including upon transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Shares), but prior to the earliest to occur of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date, shall have printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend or such similar legend as the Company may deem appropriate and is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Rights Agreement:

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement dated as of December 26, 2006 (as it may be amended from time to time (the “Rights Agreement”)), between REGIS CORPORATION (the “Company”) and XXXXX FARGO BANK, N.A., as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), the terms of which (including restrictions on the transfer of such Rights) 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 shall be evidenced by separate certificates and shall no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company shall mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR THEIR AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS ARE NULL AND VOID AND NONTRANSFERABLE.

Notwithstanding this Section 3(d), neither the omission of a legend nor the inclusion of a legend that makes reference to a rights agreement other than the Rights Agreement shall affect the enforceability of any part of this Rights Agreement or the rights of any holder of Rights. In the event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding; provided, however, that any such Common Shares reissued shall again have Rights associated therewith as contemplated by Section 3(a).

Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the form of election to purchase and form of assignment to be printed on the reverse side thereof) shall be in substantially the form set forth as Exhibit B 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 Rights Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7, 11 and 23, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Distribution Date, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Preferred Shares as shall be set forth therein for the Purchase Price set forth therein, subject to adjustment from time to time as herein provided.

Section 5. Execution, Countersignature and Registration. (a) The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Treasurer or any Vice President (whether preceded by any additional title) of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, and have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, which shall be attested by the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary or a Vice President (whether preceded by any additional title, provided that such Vice President shall not have also executed the Right Certificates) of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be either manually or by facsimile signature

countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such an officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates may nevertheless be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such an officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer of the Company.

(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent shall keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office on the books (record keeping system) for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books (record keeping system) shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced by each of the Right Certificates, the certificate number of 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; Uncertificated Rights. (a) Subject to Sections 7(e) and 15, at any time after the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the earliest to occur of the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, or the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than those that have become null and void) may be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates representing, in the aggregate, the same number of Rights as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then represented. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split-up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent; provided, however, that neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any Right Certificate surrendered for transfer until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certification contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(e) and 15, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a valid Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company shall make a new

Right Certificate of like tenor and deliver such new Right Certificate to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision 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; Expiration Date of Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) and except as otherwise provided herein (including, without limitation, Section 11), each Right shall entitle the registered holder thereof, upon exercise thereof as provided herein, to purchase for the Purchase Price, at any time after the Distribution Date and at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the 10th anniversary of the date of this Rights Agreement (the Close of Business on such date being the “Expiration Date”), (ii) the Redemption Date, one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment from time to time or (iii) the time at which such Right is exchanged as provided in Section 11(b) hereof (the Close of Business on such date as to such Right being the “Exchange Date”) as provided in Sections 11 and 12.

(b) 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 principal office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest to occur of (i) the Expiration Date, (ii) Exchange Date, to the extent applicable and (iii) the Redemption Date.

(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 together with an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, in lawful money of the United States of America, in cash or by certified check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon (i) either (A) promptly 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 Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares with a depositary agent under a depositary arrangement, promptly requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing the number of one one-thousandths (1/1,000s) of a Preferred Share to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares to be represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company shall direct the depositary agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when necessary to comply with this Rights Agreement, promptly requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 15, (iii) promptly 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 necessary to comply

with this Rights Agreement, after receipt promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise 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 and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to such holder’s duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 15.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, any Rights that are at any time beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding (written or oral) which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), and subsequent transferees of such Persons, in each case shall be null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Rights Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of any Right Certificate or any other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliate or Associate, or any transferee thereof, hereunder. From and after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 hereof that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to the provisions hereof, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Rights Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of any Right Certificates upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

(g) The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 calendar days after the Distribution Date, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, on an appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights and permit such registration statement to become effective; provided, however, that no such suspension shall

remain effective after, and the Rights shall without any further action by the Company or any other Person become exercisable immediately upon, the effectiveness of such registration statement. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended and shall issue a further public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or the exercise of the Rights shall not be permitted under applicable law.

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered or presented for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, and any Right Certificate representing Rights that have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e) surrendered or presented for any purpose shall, if surrendered or presented to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered or presented to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company. Subject to applicable law and regulation, the Rights Agent shall maintain in a retrievable database electronic records of all cancelled or destroyed Rights Certificates which have been canceled or destroyed by the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall maintain such electronic records or physical records for the time period required by applicable law and regulation. Upon written request of the Company (and at the expense of the Company), the Rights Agent shall provide to the Company or its designee copies of such electronic records or physical records relating to Rights Certificates cancelled or destroyed by the Rights Agent.

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares. (a) The Company shall cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any authorized and issued Preferred Shares held in its treasury, free from preemptive rights or any right of first refusal, a number of Preferred Shares sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

(b) If there are not sufficient Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise or exchange of Rights in accordance with Section 11, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon the exercise or exchange of Rights pursuant to Section 11; provided, however, that if the Company is unable to cause the authorization of additional Preferred Shares, then the Company shall, or (if action by the Company’s shareholders is necessary to cause such authorization) in lieu of seeking any such authorization, the Company may, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is a party, (i) upon surrender of a Right, pay cash equal to the Purchase Price in lieu of issuing Preferred Shares and requiring payment therefor, (ii) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, issue common stock or other equity securities having a value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares that otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11, which value shall be determined by a nationally

recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, or (iii) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, distribute a combination of Preferred Shares, cash and/or other equity and/or debt securities having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares that otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. To the extent that any legal or contractual restrictions (pursuant to agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is party) prevent the Company from paying the full amount payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Company shall pay to holders of the Rights as to which such payments are being made all amounts that are not then restricted on a pro rata basis as such payments become permissible under such legal or contractual restrictions until such payments have been paid in full.

(c) The Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise or exchange of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

(d) So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise or exchange of Rights are to be listed or quoted on any national securities exchange or other quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable or exchangeable, all Preferred Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or quoted on such securities exchange or other quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise or exchange.

(e) The Company shall pay when due and payable any and all Federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities upon the exercise or exchange of the Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or in respect of the issuance or delivery of certificates for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or exchange or to issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, upon the exercise or exchange 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 satisfaction that no such tax is due.

Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise or exchange of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date on which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of any 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 transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares

or other securities, as the case may be, are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, are open.

Section 11. Adjustments in Rights After There Is an Acquiring Person; Exchange of Rights for Shares; Business Combinations. (a) Upon a Person becoming an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e), shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, such number of one one-thousandths (1/1,000s) of a Preferred Share as shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of one one-thousandths (1/1,000s) of a Preferred Share for which such Right is then exercisable and the denominator of which is 50% of the Market Value of the Common Shares on the date on which such Person became an Acquiring Person. As soon as practicable after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (provided the Company shall not have elected to make the exchange permitted by Section 11(b)(i) for all outstanding Rights), the Company shall use its best efforts to:

(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, on an appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights;

(ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing;

(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date; and

(iv) qualify or register the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate.

(b) (i) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, mandatorily exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that shall have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e)) for consideration per Right consisting of either (A) one-half of the securities that would be issuable at such time upon the exercise of one Right in accordance with Section 11(a) or, if applicable, Section 9(b)(ii) or 9(b)(iii) or (B) if applicable, the cash consideration specified in Section 9(b)(i) (the consideration issuable per Right pursuant to this Section 11(b)(i) being the “Exchange Consideration”). The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, issue a number of Common Shares in lieu of each Preferred Share equal to the Formula Number (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) if there are sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued. If the Board of Directors of the Company elects to exchange all the Rights for Exchange Consideration pursuant to this Section 11(b)(i) prior to the physical distribution of the Right

Certificates, the Company may distribute the Exchange Consideration in lieu of distributing Rights Certificates, in which case for purposes of this Rights Agreement holders of Rights shall be deemed to have simultaneously received and surrendered for exchange Rights Certificates on the date of such distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company may not effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than 50% of the Common Shares then outstanding. From and after the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and, subsequent thereto, a Business Combination occurs, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 11(b) shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 11(c) and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 11(b). This exchange 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 in its sole discretion may establish.

(ii) Any action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 11(b)(i) shall be irrevocable and, immediately upon the taking of such action and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise any such Right so exchanged pursuant to Section 11(a) shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Right shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration in exchange for each such Right held by such holder or, if the Exchange Consideration shall not have been paid or issued, to exercise any such Right pursuant to Section 11(c)(i). 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 holders of the Rights to be exchanged at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange shall state the method by which the exchange of the Rights for the Exchange Consideration will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which shall have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights.

(c) (i) In the event that following the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, directly or indirectly, any transactions specified in the following clause (A), (B) or (C) of this Section 11(c)(i) (each such transaction being a “Business Combination”) shall be consummated:

(A) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any Person;

(B) any Person shall merge with and into the Company and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the outstanding Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for capital stock or other securities of the Company or of any other Person or cash or any other property; or

(C) the Company shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose of (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer or dispose of), in one or more transactions, the Major Part of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person,

then, in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e), shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, the securities specified below (or, at such holder’s option, the securities specified in Section 11(a) if the Company is the surviving corporation in such Business Combination):

(1) if the Principal Party in such Business Combination has Registered Common Shares outstanding, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, such number of Registered Common Shares of such Principal Party, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall have an aggregate Market Value as of the time of exercise thereof equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two;

(2) if the Principal Party involved in such Business Combination does not have Registered Common Shares outstanding, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof for the Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Rights Agreement, at the election of the holder of such Right at the time of the exercise thereof, any of:

(x) such number of Common Shares of the Surviving Person in such Business Combination as shall have an aggregate Book Value immediately after giving effect to such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two;

(y) such number of Common Shares of the Principal Party in such Business Combination (if the Principal Party is not also the Surviving Person in such Business Combination) as shall have an aggregate Book Value immediately after giving effect to such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two; or

(z) if the Principal Party in such Business Combination is an Affiliate of one or more Persons that has Registered Common Shares outstanding, such number of Registered Common Shares of whichever of such Affiliates of the Principal Party has Registered Common Shares with the greatest aggregate Market Value on the date of consummation of such Business Combination as shall have an aggregate Market Value on the

date of such Business Combination equal to the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase Price by two.

(ii) The Company shall not consummate any Business Combination unless each issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised, as set forth in this Section 11(c), shall have sufficient authorized Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved for issuance (and which shall, when issued upon exercise thereof in accordance with this Rights Agreement, be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or any other restrictions or limitations on the transfer or ownership thereof) to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 11(c) and unless prior thereto:

(A) a registration statement under the Securities Act on an appropriate form, with respect to the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, shall be effective under the Securities Act; and

(B) the Company and each such issuer shall have:

(1) executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the assumption by such issuer of the obligations set forth in this Section 11(c) (including. without limitation, the obligation of such issuer to issue Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the terms set forth in Sections 11(c)(i) and 11(c)(iii)) and further providing that such issuer, at its own expense, shall use its best efforts to:

(x) cause a registration statement under the Securities Act on an appropriate form, with respect to the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;

(y) qualify or register the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky or securities laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate; and

(z) approve for listing or quotation the Rights and the Common Shares of such issuer purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on each national securities exchange or other quotation system on which the Common Shares were listed or quoted prior to the consummation of the Business Combination or, if the Common Shares were not listed or quoted on a national securities exchange or other quotation system prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, on a national securities exchange;

(2) furnished to the Rights Agent a written opinion of independent counsel stating that such supplemental agreement is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of such issuer; and

(3) filed with the Rights Agent a certificate of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants setting forth the number of Common Shares of such issuer that may be purchased upon the exercise of each Right after the consummation of such Business Combination.

(iii) After consummation of any Business Combination and subject to the provisions of Section 11(c)(ii), (A) each issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised as set forth in this Section 11(c) shall be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Business Combination, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Rights Agreement, (B) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer, (C) each such issuer shall take such steps in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof (including, without limitation, the provisions of Sections 11(a) and 11(c)) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights, and (D) the number of Common Shares of each such issuer thereafter receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions of Sections 11 and 12 and the provisions of Sections 7, 9 and 10 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on like terms to any such Common Shares.

(iv) In case the issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised, as set forth in this Section 11(c), has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other instrument governing its affairs, which provision would have the effect of (A) causing such issuer to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(c)), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 11(c), Common Shares of such issuer at less than the then Market Value per share thereof or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares of such issuer at less than such then Market Value, or (B) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Shares of such issuer pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(c), then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such issuer shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

Section 12. Certain Adjustments. (a) To preserve the actual or potential economic value of the Rights, if at any time after the date of this Rights Agreement there shall be any change in the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares, whether by reason of stock

dividends, stock splits, reclassifications, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations or exchanges of securities, split-ups, split-offs, spin-offs, liquidations, other similar changes in capitalization, any distribution or issuance of cash, assets, evidences of indebtedness or subscription rights, options or warrants to holders of Common Shares or Preferred Shares, as the case may be (other than distribution of the Rights or regular quarterly cash dividends), or otherwise, then, in each such event the Board of Directors of the Company shall make such appropriate adjustments in the number of Preferred Shares (or the number and kind of other securities) issuable upon exercise of each Right, the Purchase Price and Redemption Price in effect at such time and the number of Rights outstanding at such time (including, without limitation, the number of Rights or fractional Rights associated with each Common Share) such that following such adjustment such event shall not have had the effect of reducing or limiting the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such event.

(b) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 12(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any securities other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such securities so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions of Sections 11 and 12 and the provisions of Sections 7, 9 and 10 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on like terms to any such other securities.

(c) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the amount of Preferred Shares or other securities relating to a Right shall evidence the right to purchase, for the Purchase Price, the adjusted number and kind of securities purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

(d) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Preferred Shares or number or kind of other securities issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the terms that were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

(e) In any case in which action taken pursuant to Section 12(a) requires that an adjustment 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 the Preferred Shares and/or other securities, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and/or other securities, if any, issuable before giving effect to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due xxxx or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

Section 13. Certificate of Adjustment. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 12, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) in accordance with Section 25, provided that the

failure to prepare, file or mail such certificate or summary shall not affect the validity of such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.

Section 14. Additional Covenants. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Rights Agreement, no adjustment to the number of Preferred Shares (or fractions of a share) or other securities for which a Right is exercisable or the number of Rights outstanding or associated with each Common Share or any similar or other adjustment shall be made or be effective if such adjustment would have the effect of reducing or limiting the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such adjustment, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 12, unless the terms of this Rights Agreement are amended so as to preserve such benefits.

(b) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, except as permitted by Section 26, it shall not take (or permit any Subsidiary of the Company to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is intended or reasonably foreseeable that such action will reduce or otherwise limit the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 12. Any action taken by the Company during any period after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such action could be taken under this Section 14(b) from and after the Distribution Date. Following the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company shall not consummate any Business Combination if (i) any issuer of Common Shares for which Rights may be exercised after such Business Combination in accordance with Section 11(c) shall have taken any action that reduces or otherwise limits the benefits the holders of the Rights would have had absent such action, including, without limitation, the benefits under Sections 11 and 12, (ii) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (iii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the issuer for purposes of Section 11(c) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iv) the form or nature of organization of the issuer would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.

Section 15. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Rights or distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company may 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 15(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of the definition of Market Value contained in Section 1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.

(b) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or distribute certificates that evidence fractional

Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares, the Company may elect to (i) utilize a depository arrangement as provided by the terms of the Preferred Shares or (ii) in the case of a fraction of a Preferred Share (other than one one-thousandths (1/1,000s) of a Preferred Share or any integral multiple thereof), 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, if any are outstanding and publicly traded (or the same fraction of the current market value of one Common Share times the Formula Number if the Preferred Shares are not outstanding and publicly traded). For purposes of this Section 15(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of the definition of Market Value contained in Section 1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise. If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 12(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any securities other than Preferred Shares, the provisions of this Section 15(b) shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on like terms to such other securities.

(c) The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Common Shares upon exchange of Rights pursuant to Section 11(b), or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company may 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 one Common Share as of the date on which a Person became an Acquiring Person.

(d) Each holder of Rights by the acceptance of such Rights expressly waives such holder’s right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right except as provided in this Section 15.

Section 16. Rights of Action. (a) All rights of action in respect of this Rights Agreement 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 Rights Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Rights Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations of any Person under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Rights Agreement.

(b) Any holder of Rights who prevails in an action to enforce the provisions of this Rights Agreement shall be entitled to recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, incurred in such action.

Section 17. Transfer and Ownership of Rights and Right Certificates. (a) Prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights shall be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares and the Right associated with each Common Share shall be automatically transferred upon the transfer of each Common Share.

(b) After the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates shall be transferable, subject to Section 7(e), only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer.

(c) The Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated certificate for 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.

Section 18. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or other distributions 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 of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders, or to receive dividends or other distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 19. Concerning the Rights Agent.

(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Rights Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, any taxes or governmental charges imposed as a result of the action taken by it hereunder (other than any taxes on the fees payable to it).

(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Rights Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the 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.

Section 20. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Rights Agent. (a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger 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 business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 22. In case, at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Rights 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 Rights Agreement.

(b) 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 Rights Agreement.

Section 21. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Rights Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Rights Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including the identity of any Acquiring Person) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, refraining from 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, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, a Vice President (whether preceded by any additional title), 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 good faith by it under the provisions of this Rights Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

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

(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Rights Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Rights Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or 12 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Rights Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(f) The Company agrees that it shall 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 Rights 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, any Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, a Vice President (whether preceded by any additional title), the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, in connection with its duties and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.

(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or its Subsidiaries or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect

or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

(j) The Company agrees to indemnify and to hold the Rights Agent harmless against any loss, liability, damage or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) which the Rights Agent may incur resulting from its actions as Rights Agent pursuant to this Rights Agreement; provided, however, that the Rights Agent shall not be indemnified or held harmless with respect to any such loss, liability, damage or expense incurred by the Rights Agent as a result of, or arising out of, its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. In no case shall the Company be liable with respect to any action, proceeding, suit or claim against the Rights Agent unless the Rights Agent shall have notified the Company, by letter or by facsimile confirmed by letter, of the assertion of any action, proceeding, suit or claim against the Rights Agent, promptly after the Rights Agent shall have notice of any such assertion of an action, proceeding, suit or claim or have been served with the summons or other first legal process giving information as to the nature and basis of the action, proceeding, suit or claim. The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action, proceeding, suit or claim, and, if the Company so elects, the Company shall assume the defense of any such action, proceeding, suit or claim. In the event that the Company assumes such defense, the Company shall not thereafter be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by the Rights Agent, so long as the Company shall retain counsel satisfactory to the Rights Agent, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, to defend such action, proceeding, suit or claim. The Rights Agent agrees not to settle any litigation in connection with any action, proceeding, suit or claim with respect to which it may seek indemnification from the Company without the prior written consent of the Company.

Section 22. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Rights Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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 and the Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) (who shall, with such notice, submit such holder’s Right Certificate or, prior to the Distribution Date, the certificate representing such holder’s Common Shares, for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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 Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long

as such Person is authorized to conduct a stock transfer or corporate trust business in the State of New York), in good standing, having an office in the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000; provided, however, that the principal transfer agent for the Common Shares shall in any event be qualified to be the Rights Agent. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares). Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 22, 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 23. Issuance of Additional Rights and Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change made in accordance with the provisions of this Rights Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earliest to occur of the Redemption Date, the Exchange Date, to the extent applicable, and the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be required to be (but in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company, may be) issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof and (iii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.

Section 24. Redemption and Termination. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) such time as a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and (ii) the Expiration Date, order the redemption of all, but not fewer than all, the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (the date of such redemption being the “Redemption Date”), and the Company, at its option, may pay the Redemption Price either in cash or Common Shares or other securities of the Company deemed by the Board of Directors of

the Company, in the exercise of its sole discretion, to be at least equivalent in value to the Redemption Price.

(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at such later time as the Board of Directors of the Company may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), 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. Within 10 Business Days after the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at 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. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which payment of the Redemption Price will be made. The notice, if mailed in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder of Rights receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail, or any defect in the notice, to any particular holder of Rights shall not affect the sufficiency of the notice to other holders of Rights. 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 except as specifically set forth in this Section or in Section 11(b) or in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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:

Regis Corporation

0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000

Attention: General Counsel

Subject to the provisions of Section 22, any notice or demand authorized by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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:

Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A.

000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx

Xxxxx Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000

Attention: Account Manager

Notices or demands authorized by this Rights Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to any holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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 Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares.

Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. At any time prior to the time any person becomes an Acquiring Person, and subject to the last sentence of this Section 26, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Rights Agreement in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable (including, without limitation, the date on which the Expiration Date or the Distribution Date shall occur, the amount of the Purchase Price, the definition of “Acquiring Person” or the time during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 24) without the approval of any holder of the Rights. From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, and subject to applicable law, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, amend this Rights Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates (a) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision of this Rights Agreement or (b) to otherwise change or supplement any other provisions in this Agreement in any matter which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person). Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such supplement or amendment could have been adopted under the prior sentence from and after the Distribution Date. Any supplement or amendment to this Rights Agreement duly approved by the Company that does not amend Section 19, 20, 21 or 22 in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent shall become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the Rights Agent. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Rights Agreement, no supplement or amendment to this Rights Agreement shall be made which reduces the Redemption Price (except as required by Section 12(a)).

Section 27. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Rights 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 28. Benefits of Rights Agreement; Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, Etc. (a) Nothing in this Rights 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, of the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Rights Agreement; but this Rights 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, of the Common Shares).

(b) Except as explicitly otherwise provided in this Rights Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Rights 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 Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Rights Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed

necessary or advisable for the administration of this Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this Rights Agreement and a determination of whether there is an Acquiring Person). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations that are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other Persons. The Rights Agent shall always be entitled to assume that the Company’s Board of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.

(c) Nothing contained in this Rights Agreement shall be deemed to be in derogation of the obligation of the Board of Directors of the Company to exercise its fiduciary duty. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors shall not be entitled to reject any tender offer or other acquisition proposal, or to recommend that holders of Common Shares reject any tender offer, 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 tender offer or other acquisition proposal that the Board of Directors believes is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of such fiduciary duty.

Section 29. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Rights 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 Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

Section 30. Governing Law. This Rights Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the law of the State of Minnesota and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State.

Section 31. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Rights Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. This Rights Agreement shall be effective as of the Close of Business on the date hereof.

Section 32. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Rights Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.

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

	REGIS CORPORATION


	by /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
		Title: Senior Vice President & General Counsel

	XXXXX FARGO BANK, N.A.


	by /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
		Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
		Title: Assistant Vice President

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RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of December 26, 2006 between REGIS CORPORATION and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. as Rights Agent

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