HOLLYSYS
AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
a British
Virgin Islands corporation
and
CONTINENTAL
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
a
New York corporation
Rights
Agent
____________
Rights
Agreement
Effective
as of
September
27, 2010
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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1.
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Certain
Definitions
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1
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2.
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Appointment
of Rights Agent
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6
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3.
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Issue
of Rights Certificates
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6
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4.
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Form
of Rights Certificates
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8
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5.
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Countersignature
and Registration
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9
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6.
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Transfer,
Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates
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10
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7.
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Exercise
of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights
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10
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8.
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Cancellation
and Destruction of Rights Certificates
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13
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9.
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Reservation
and Availability of Preferred Shares
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13
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10.
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Preferred
Shares Record Date
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14
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11.
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Adjustment
of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of
Rights
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14
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12.
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Certificate
of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares
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21
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13.
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Consolidation,
Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power
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21
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14.
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Additional
Covenants
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23
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15.
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Fractional
Rights and Fractional Shares
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24
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16.
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Rights
of Action
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25
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17.
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Agreement
of Rights Holders
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25
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18.
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Rights
Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder
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26
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19.
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Concerning
the Rights Agent
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26
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20.
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Merger
or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent
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27
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21.
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Duties
of Rights Agent
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27
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22.
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Change
of Rights Agent
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30
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23.
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Issuance
of New Rights Certificates
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31
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24.
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Redemption,
Termination and Exchange
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31
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25.
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Notice
of Certain Events
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34
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26.
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Notices
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34
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27.
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Supplements
and Amendments
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35
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28.
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Determination
and Actions by the Board
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35
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29.
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Successors
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36
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30.
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Benefits
of This Agreement
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36
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31.
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Severability
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36
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32.
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Governing
Law
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36
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33.
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Counterparts
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36
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34.
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Descriptive
Headings
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36
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35.
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Force
Majeure
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36
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Exhibit
A – Form of Rights Certificate
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A-1
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Exhibit
B – Form of Summary of Rights
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B-1
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RIGHTS
AGREEMENT
THIS
RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement
”) is
effective as of September 27, 2010, between HOLLYSYS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES
LTD., a British Virgin Islands corporation (the “
Company
”), and
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, a New York corporation (the
“
Rights
Agent
”).
WITNESSETH
:
WHEREAS,
on August 27, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “
Board
”) authorized
and declared a dividend distribution of one Right (as hereinafter defined) for
each Ordinary Share (as hereinafter defined) outstanding as of the Close of
Business (as hereinafter defined) on August 27, 2010 (the “
Record Date
”), and
contemplates the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided
herein) for each Ordinary Share issued between the Record Date and the earlier
of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, as such terms are hereinafter
defined (with Rights also to be issued in connection with certain issuances of
Ordinary Shares after the Distribution Date, as provided more fully herein),
each Right representing the right to purchase one Preferred Share, par value
$0.001 per share, of the Company having the rights set forth in the M&A (as
defined below), upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set
forth (the “
Rights
”).
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set
forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1.
Certain
Definitions
. For
purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
(a) “
Acquiring Person
”
shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which,
together with all Affiliates (as such term is hereinafter defined) and
Associates (as such term is hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of twenty percent
(20%)
or more of
the Voting Power (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company or who was
such a Beneficial Owner at any time on or after the date hereof, whether or not
such Person continues to be the Beneficial Owner of twenty percent (20%) or more
of the Voting Power of the Company. Notwithstanding the
foregoing:
(i) in
no event shall a Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, is the Beneficial Owner of less than twenty percent
(20%) of the Voting Power of the Company become an Acquiring Person solely as a
result of a reduction of the number of shares outstanding, including repurchases
of outstanding voting securities of the Company by the Company, which reduction
increases the percentage of outstanding voting securities of the Company
Beneficially Owned (as such term is hereinafter defined) by such Person;
provided
,
however
, that any
subsequent increase in the amount of securities representing Voting Power
Beneficially Owned by such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates
of such Person, without the prior written approval of the Board shall cause such
Person to be an Acquiring Person (unless, measured at such time, such Person
would not be an Acquiring Person);
(ii) the
term Acquiring Person shall not mean:
(A) the
Company;
(B) any
Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company;
(C) any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(D) any
entity holding securities of the Company organized, appointed or established by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan;
(E) any
underwriter acting in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting of an
offering of the Company’s securities pursuant to arrangements with the Company
that have been approved by the Board (
however
, the
exception provided by this
clause (E)
shall no
longer be available in the event that any such underwriter is otherwise an
Acquiring Person on or after the date which is forty (40) days after the date of
initial acquisition of the Company’s securities by such underwriter in
connection with such offering);
(F) Changli
Wang, Li Qiao
,
Shengheng
Xu, Xuesong Song or An Luo (referred to collectively with their Affiliates and
Associates as the “
Founders
”), so long
as the Founders do not increase (other than an increase resulting solely from a
reduction of the number of securities representing Voting Power, including by
reason of repurchases of securities representing Voting Power by the Company, or
a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on, or a split or
subdivision of, any securities representing Voting Power) their collective
Beneficial Ownership (as such term is hereinafter defined) of securities
representing Voting Power to a percentage of the outstanding securities
representing Voting Power of the Company at any time that is greater than the
percentage of the outstanding securities representing Voting Power of the
Company represented by the sum of (1) the percentage of the outstanding
securities representing Voting Power of the Company as to which the Founders
have Beneficial Ownership as of the close of business on the date hereof,
assuming, for purposes of this calculation, that all warrants and other
securities convertible into or exercisable for securities representing Voting
Power, or any other rights to purchase securities representing Voting Power, in
all cases where held or enjoyed by the Founders, are immediately convertible or
exercisable in full,
plus
(2) one percent
(1%) of the outstanding securities representing Voting Power of the Company as
of the close of business on the date hereof;
provided
,
however
, that any
securities representing Voting Power Beneficially Owned by one or more officers
or directors of the Company where (x) such officers or directors are also
included within the term “Founders” and (y) such securities representing Voting
Power were distributed directly by the Company to such officers or directors as
equity-based compensation, shall be excluded from the calculation of the
Beneficial Ownership of the Founders for purposes of the definition of
“Acquiring Person” if the inclusion of such securities representing Voting Power
in such calculation, by itself, would otherwise cause any of the Founders to be
an Acquiring Person; and
provided
,
further
, that this
clause (F)
shall pertain only for so long as the Founders, on a collective basis,
continuously maintain Beneficial Ownership, from and after the date hereof, of
at least fifteen percent (15%) of the outstanding securities representing Voting
Power of the Company; and
(iii) no
Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person if: (A)(1) any Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter defined), or any comparable
or successor report, filed (or required to be filed) by such Person does not (or
would not) state any intention to or reserve the right to control or influence
the management or policies of the Company or engage in any of the actions
specified in Item 4 (or any comparable or successor Item) of such Schedule 13D
(other than the disposition of securities representing Voting Power of the
Company), (2) either (x) within two (2) Business Days (as such term is
hereinafter defined) of being requested by the Company to advise the Company
regarding the same, such Person certifies in writing to the Company that such
Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of securities representing twenty percent
(20%) or more of the Voting Power of the Company inadvertently or without
knowledge of the terms of the Rights, or (y) the Board determines in good faith
that such Person has become an Acquiring Person inadvertently, (3) such Person
divests as promptly as practicable (as determined in good faith by the Board) a
sufficient number of securities so that such Person would not be deemed to be an
Acquiring Person pursuant to the first sentence of this
Section 1(a)
(or such
other provisions of this
Section 1(a)
as may
be applicable), and (4) promptly following such Person’s divestiture of such
securities, such Person certifies to the Board that such Person would no longer
be deemed an Acquiring Person as defined pursuant to the first sentence of this
Section 1(a)
(or such other provisions of this
Section 1(a)
as may
be applicable); or (B) by reason of such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of
securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding Voting
Power of the Company on the date hereof if prior to the Record Date such Person
notifies the Board that such Person is no longer the Beneficial Owner of
securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the then outstanding
Ordinary Shares.
(b) “
Affiliate
” and “
Associate
” shall have
the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement.
(c) A
Person shall be deemed the “
Beneficial Owner,
”
and shall be deemed to “
Beneficially Own
” or
have “
Beneficial
Ownership,
” of any securities:
(i) which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is deemed to
beneficially own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date
hereof);
(ii) which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right
or obligation to acquire (whether such right or obligation is exercisable or
effective immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights),
warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided
,
however
, that a
Person shall not be deemed (under this
clause (A)
) the
“
Beneficial
Owner
,” and shall not be deemed (under this
clause (A)
) to “
Beneficially Own
” or
have “
Beneficial
Ownership
,” of 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 payment or exchange;
or (B) the right to vote or dispose of pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing);
provided
,
however
, that a
Person shall not be deemed the “
Beneficial Owner
,”
and shall not be deemed to “
Beneficially Own
” or
have “
Beneficial
Ownership
,” of any security under this
clause (B)
if the
agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely
from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent
solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and
regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable by such
Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
report); or
(iii) which
are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any
Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether or not in writing) (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), or with which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates have otherwise formed a group, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in
clause (B) of subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (c)) or disposing of any
securities of the Company.
(d) “Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking
institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
(e) “
Close of Business
” on
any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date; provided,
however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New
York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(f) “
Distribution Date
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a)
hereof.
(g) “
Exchange Act
” shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(h) “
Final Expiration
Date
” shall mean the Close of Business on September 27, 2020, the
ten-year anniversary of the date of this Agreement. The Board of Directors may
elect to seek ratification of this Agreement at the Company’s 2010 annual
shareholders’ meeting, but the failure to seek or obtain such shareholder
ratification will not terminate this Agreement.
(i) “
M&A
” shall mean
the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (as such instrument
may be further amended, supplemented, modified, revised or replaced after the
date hereof).
(j) “
Ordinary Shares
” when
used with reference to the Company shall mean the Ordinary Shares, par value
$0.001 per share, of the Company or any other shares of the Company into which
such Ordinary Shares may be reclassified or exchanged. “
Ordinary Shares
” when
used with reference to shares issued by any Person other than the Company shall
mean the capital stock with the greatest Voting Power, or the equity securities
or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of
such Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, of the Person
which ultimately controls such first-mentioned Person and which has issued and
outstanding such capital stock, equity securities or equity
interests.
(k) “
Permitted Offer
”
shall mean a tender or exchange offer for all securities representing the
outstanding Voting Power of the Company at a price and on terms determined,
prior to the date of the first acceptance of payment for any of such shares, to
be fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders
(other than the offeror or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) by at least a
majority of the members of the Board who are not (i) officers of the Company,
(ii) the offeror, (iii) Acquiring Persons or (iv) Affiliates or Associates of
the offeror or any Acquiring Person.
(l) “
Person
” shall mean
any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, real
estate investment trust, joint venture, association, trust or other
entity.
(m) “
Preferred Shares
”
shall mean the preferred shares, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company
having the rights and preferences set forth in M&A.
(n) “
Stock Acquisition
Date
” shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or
an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(o) A
“
Subsidiary
” of
any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the
Voting Power of the voting equity securities or voting interests is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person, or which is otherwise controlled by such
Person.
(p) “
Triggering Event
”
shall mean a
Section
11
Event (as defined in
Section 11(a)
hereof)
or a
Section 13
Event (as defined in
Section 13(a)
hereof).
(q) “
Voting Power
” shall
mean the voting power of all securities of the Company then outstanding and
generally entitled to vote for the election of directors of the
Company.
2.
Appointment of Rights
Agent
. The
Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby
accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint
such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable upon written notice
to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to
supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any
such co-Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more
co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agents and any co-Rights
Agents shall be as the Company shall determine and the Company shall provide
written notice thereof to the Rights Agent..
3.
Issue of Rights
Certificates
.
(a) Until
the earlier of (i) the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the Close of Business on
the tenth (10
th
)
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board)
after the date of the commencement (determined in accordance with Rule 14d-2 of
the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect as of the
date hereof or, if no longer applicable, the intent of such Rule 14d-2 as in
effect on the date hereof as determined in good faith by the Board) by any
Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any entity organized,
appointed or established by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of a tender or exchange offer (other
than a Permitted Offer) the consummation of which would result in such Person
becoming an Acquiring Person (including any such date which is on or after the
date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights) (the earlier of
such dates being herein referred to as the “
Distribution Date
”),
(x) the Rights shall be evidenced by the certificates for Ordinary Shares
registered in the names of the holders of the Ordinary Shares (which
certificates for Ordinary Shares shall be deemed also to be certificates for
Rights) and not by separate certificates, except that the Rights associated with
any uncertificated Ordinary Shares shall be evidenced by the registration of
Ordinary Shares in the Company’s share register in the names of the holders
thereof (which registration shall also be deemed to be registration of ownership
of the associated Rights), and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive
certificates therefor) shall be transferable only in connection with the
transfer of the underlying Ordinary Shares. As soon as practicable
after the Distribution Date, upon written request by the Company and receipt by
the Rights Agent of all necessary and relevant information, the Rights Agent
shall send, by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder
of the Ordinary Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at
the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a certificate
for Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “
Rights
Certificates
”), evidencing one Right for each Ordinary Share so held
(subject to adjustment as provided herein). As of and after the
Distribution Date, the Rights shall be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) As
soon as practicable following the Record Date, the Company shall send a copy of
a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the
“
Summary of
Rights
”), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of
the Ordinary Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the
address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With
respect to certificates for the Ordinary Shares outstanding as of the Record
Date, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or
termination of the Rights), the Rights shall be evidenced by such certificates
for the Ordinary Shares and the registered holders of the Ordinary Shares shall
also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. With respect
to uncertificated Ordinary Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination
of the Rights), the Rights will be evidenced by the registration of the Ordinary
Shares in the Company’s share register in the names of the holders
thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption,
expiration or termination of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any of
the certificates for the Ordinary Shares outstanding on the Record Date shall
also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Ordinary Shares
represented by such certificate, and the registration of transfer of ownership
of any uncertificated shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such
shares.
The
Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of
the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company
shall confirm same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next
following. Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the
Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution
Date has not occurred.
(c) Certificates
issued for Ordinary Shares (including, without limitation, certificates issued
upon transfer or exchange of Ordinary Shares) after the Record Date, but prior
to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, shall be deemed
also to be certificates for Rights, and shall have impressed, printed, stamped,
written or otherwise affixed onto them a legend in substantially the following
form, or such similar legend as the Company may deem appropriate and as is 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 or made
pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or
automated quotation system on which the Ordinary Shares may from time to time be
listed or quoted, or to conform to such usage:
This
certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain “Rights” as
set forth in a Rights Agreement between HOLLYSYS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
(the “
Company
”)
and CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY (the “
Rights Agent
”) dated
as of September 27, 2010 (the “
Rights Agreement
”),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
which is on file at the principal offices of the Company. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
redeemed, may expire, or may be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances,
Rights “Beneficially Owned” by “Acquiring Persons” (as such terms are defined in
the Rights Agreement) or certain related parties, as well as subsequent holders
of such Rights, may become null and void.
and, in
the case of the initial transaction statement or subsequent period statements
with respect to uncertificated Ordinary Shares, a legend in substantially the
following form:
The
registration in the share register of HOLLYSYS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD. (the
“
Company
”) of
the Ordinary Shares to which this initial transaction or subsequent periodic
statement relates also evidences and entitles the registered holder of such
shares to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between the Company
and CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY (the “
Rights Agent
”), dated
as of September 27, 2010 (the “
Rights Agreement
”),
the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
which is on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights may be redeemed, may expire, or may be evidenced by
separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by such
registration. The Company will mail to the holder of this statement a
copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request
therefor. Under certain circumstances, Rights “Beneficially Owned” by
“Acquiring Persons” (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or
certain related parties, as well as subsequent holders of such Rights, may
become null and void.
With
respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), the Rights associated with the Ordinary Shares represented by such
certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender
for transfer of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Ordinary Shares represented by such
certificate. With respect to such initial transaction statements or
subsequent periodic statements containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), the Rights associated with the Ordinary Shares with respect to which
such statements are issued shall be evidenced solely by the registration of
ownership of such Ordinary Shares in the share register of the Company, and the
registration of transfer of ownership in such share register shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Ordinary
Shares.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that, prior to the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), any Ordinary Shares are cancelled in connection with the purchase or
acquisition of such Ordinary Shares by the Company, then the Rights associated
with such Ordinary Shares shall be deemed to be similarly (and concurrently)
retired and cancelled.
4.
Form of Rights
Certificates
.
(a) The
Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares and of
assignment and certificates to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect the
rights, duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or interdealer
quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded,
or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of
Section 11
and
Section 23
hereof,
the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record
Date, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such
number of Preferred Shares as shall be set forth therein at the price per
Preferred Share set forth therein (the “
Purchase Price
”),
such Purchase Price to be initially equal to the amount set forth in
Section 7(b)
below
but the number of Preferred Shares and the Purchase Price shall be subject to
adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any
Rights Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 3(a)
hereof
that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or any
Associate or Affiliate thereof, any Rights Certificate issued at any time upon
the transfer of any Rights to such an Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to
Section 6,
Section 11
or
Section 23
hereof
upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights
Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain a legend in
substantially the following form:
The
Rights represented by this Rights Certificate were issued to a Person who was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such
terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). This Rights Certificate
and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void under the
circumstances specified in
Section 7(e)
of the
Rights Agreement.
The
provisions of
Section
7(e)
hereof shall be operative whether or not the foregoing legend is
contained on any such Rights Certificate.
5.
Countersignature and
Registration
.
(a) The
Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by a
Director, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be
countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature,
and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In
case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights
Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the Person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of
the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such
Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
Person was not such an officer.
(b) Following
the Distribution Date, receipt by the Rights Agent of notice to that effect and
all other relevant information referred to in
Section 3(a)
, the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such
purpose, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the
respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on
its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
Certificates.
6.
Transfer, Split Up,
Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Rights Certificates
.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of
Sections 7(e)
,
7(f)
and
15
hereof, at any
time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to
the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or
Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to
purchase a like number of Preferred Shares (or, after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Ordinary Shares or other securities and property, as the case
may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to
purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up,
combine or exchange any Rights Certificate shall make such request in writing
delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the
office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. The Rights
Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights
Certificate or Certificates until the registered holder thereof shall have (i)
properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment set forth on the reverse side of each such Rights Certificate, (ii)
provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby and the
Affiliates and Associates of such Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner)
as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request, and (iii) paid a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or charge that may be imposed in connection with
any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates as
required by
Section
9(e)
hereof. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and
deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested, registered in such name or
names as may be designated by the surrendering registered holder. The
Rights Agent shall promptly forward any such sum collected by it to the Company
or to such Persons as the Company shall specify by written
notice. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation under any
Section of this Agreement requiring the payment of taxes and charges unless and
until it is satisfied that all such taxes and charges have been
paid.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of
Sections 7(e)
,
7(f)
and
15
hereof, upon
receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory
to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate
and 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, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and
the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon
surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if
mutilated, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of
like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the
registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.
7.
Exercise of Rights; Purchase
Price; Expiration Date of Rights
.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of
Sections 7(e)
and
7(f)
hereof,
the registered holder of any Rights 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 presentation of the Rights
Certificate, with the appropriate 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 Preferred
Share (or such other securities or property as the case may be) as to which the
Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business
on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as
provided in Section 24 hereof, (iii) the consummation of a transaction
contemplated by
Section 13(d)
hereof
or (iv) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in
Section 24(c)
hereof
(such earliest time being herein referred to as the “
Expiration
Date
”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
any Person who prior to the Distribution Date becomes a record holder of
Ordinary Shares may exercise all of the rights of a registered holder of a
Rights Certificate with respect to the Rights associated with such Ordinary
Shares in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of
Section 7(e)
hereof,
as of the date such Person becomes a record holder of Ordinary
Shares.
(b) The
Purchase Price for each Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right
shall initially be One Hundred Sixty Dollars ($160.00), shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in
Sections 11
and
13
hereof and shall
be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with
paragraph (c) of this Section 7 below.
(c) Upon
receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the
appropriate form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment
of the Purchase Price for the fractional interests in Preferred Shares (or other
securities or property) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable
transfer tax (as determined by the Rights Agent) by certified check or bank
draft payable to the order of Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to
Section 21(k)
hereof,
thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent)
certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased or, in the case
of uncertificated Preferred Shares, requisition from any transfer agent therefor
of a notice setting forth such number of Preferred Shares to be purchased for
which registration will be made in the Company’s share register, and the Company
hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to
deposit the fractional interests in Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of
the Rights hereunder into a depositary, requisition from the depositary agent
depositary receipts representing such number of Preferred Shares as are to be
purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by
such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary
agent) and the Company shall direct the depositary agent to comply with such
request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash,
if any, to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with
Section 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
Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
such holder and, (iv) when appropriate, after receipt promptly deliver such cash
to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue
other securities of the Company, or distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a)
, the
Company shall make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities or
property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate. In addition, in the case of an exercise of the Rights by
a holder pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
,
the Rights Agent shall return such Rights Certificate to the registered holder
thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise indicating thereon that the
rights represented by such Rights Certificate no longer include the rights
provided by
Section
11(a)(ii)
hereof; provided, however, that if less than all the Rights
represented by such Rights Certificate were so exercised, the Rights Agent
shall, upon written receipt of the necessary information from the Company,
indicate on the Rights Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby
which continue to include the rights provided by
Section
11(a)(ii)
.
(d) In
case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise (except
pursuant to
Section
11(a)(ii)
) less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of
such Rights Certificate or to such registered holder’s duly authorized assigns,
subject to the provisions of
Section 15
hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if there occurs any Triggering
Event, then any Rights that are or were on or after the Distribution Date
Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person shall become null and void, without any further action, and any
holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no rights whatsoever with respect to
such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. Without limiting the foregoing sentence, Rights held by
the following Persons shall be null and void without any further action: (i) any
direct or indirect transferee of any Rights that are or were on or after the
Distribution Date Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person; (ii) any direct or indirect transferee of any
Rights that were on or before the Distribution Date Beneficially Owned by an
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person if the
transferee received such Rights, directly or indirectly, (A) from an Acquiring
Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (x) as a result of a
distribution by such Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an
Acquiring Person to holders of its equity securities or similar interests
(including, without limitation, partnership interests) or (y) pursuant to any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the Rights or
(B) in a transfer (or series of transfers) which the Board determines is part of
a plan, arrangement or understanding which has the purpose or effect of avoiding
the provisions of this
Section 7(e)
; and
(iii) subsequent transferees of Persons referred to in the foregoing clauses (i)
and (ii) as well as this clause (iii). 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 Rights or any Rights
Certificate or to any other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make
any determination with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered
holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this
Section 7
unless the
Certificate contained in the appropriate form of Election to Purchase set forth
on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise
shall have been properly completed and duly executed by the registered holder
thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or Rights Agent shall reasonably
request.
8.
Cancellation and Destruction
of Rights Certificates
. All
Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent
shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the
Company.
9.
Reservation and Availability
of Preferred Shares
.
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall cause to be reserved and kept
available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares, or any authorized
and issued Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, Ordinary Shares and other securities) held in its treasury, the number of
Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Ordinary
Shares and other securities) that will be sufficient (in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So
long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, Ordinary Shares and other securities) issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or quoted on any
national quotation system, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from
and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares (or other
securities) reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or quoted
on such system upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) If
then required by applicable law, the Company shall use its best efforts to (i)
file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the occurrence of
a Triggering Event as to which the consideration to be delivered by the Company
upon exercise of the Rights has been determined pursuant to this Agreement, or
as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the case may
be, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“
Act
”), with
respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an
appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (iii) cause such registration
statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the
Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, (B) the Expiration Date or
(C) the date the Company receives an opinion of counsel to the effect that the
maintenance of such registration statement in effect is no longer
necessary. If then required by applicable law, the Company will also
take such action as may be appropriate under the securities or “blue sky” laws
of the various states. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a
period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause
(i) of this
Section
9(c)
, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such
registration statement or to comply with such blue sky laws. Upon any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended. The
Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes a public
announcement temporarily suspending the exercisability of the
Rights. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been
obtained.
(d) The
Company covenants and agrees that it shall take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares or other securities delivered upon
exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such
shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly
and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares or
securities.
(e) The
Company further covenants and agrees that it 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 the Rights Certificates or of any
certificates for Preferred Shares (or, if such securities are uncertificated,
the registration of such securities in the Company’s share register) or other
securities upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to (i) pay any transfer tax or charge which may be payable
in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or in respect of the issuance or delivery or registration of the Preferred
Shares or other securities in a name other than that of, the registered holder
of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or (ii)
issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares or other securities in a
name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights
until such tax or charge shall have been paid (any such tax or charge being
payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or
until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax or
charge is due.
10.
Preferred Shares Record
Date
. Each
Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares (or other securities)
is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have
become the holder of record of the fractional Preferred Share (or other
securities) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly presented
and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes or charges)
was made; provided, however, that if the date of such presentation and payment
is a date upon which the Preferred Shares (or other securities) transfer books
of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record
holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or other securities)
transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the
Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate, as such, shall not
be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the
right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any
preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any
proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
11.
Adjustment of Purchase
Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights
. The
Purchase Price, the number of shares covered by each Right and the number of
Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.
(a) (i) In
the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A)
declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Shares into a smaller number of shares or (D) issue any shares in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this
Section 11(a)
and in
Section 7(e)
hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, and the number and kind of shares issuable on such date, shall
be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such
time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares and
other securities which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to
such date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company
were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to
receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an
adjustment under both this
Section 11(a)(i)
and
Section
11(a)(ii)
hereof the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)(i)
shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required
pursuant to
Section
11(a)(ii)
hereof.
(ii) Subject
to
Section
24(c)
hereof, in the event any Person, alone or together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall become an Acquiring Person other than pursuant
to a Permitted Offer (such an event being a “
Section 11 Event
”),
then, promptly following the first occurrence of such a Section 11 Event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e)
hereof, shall, for a period of sixty (60) days after the later of the occurrence
of any such Section 11 Event and the effective date of an appropriate
registration statement pursuant to
Section 9
hereof,
have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase
Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of fractional
interests in Preferred Shares, such number of Ordinary Shares as shall equal the
result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of Preferred Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
Section 11 Event at issue and (y) dividing that product by fifty percent (50%)
of the current market price per one Ordinary Share (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)
hereof)
on the date of the occurrence of the Section 11 Event at issue (such number of
shares being referred to as the “
number of Adjustment
Shares
”);
provided
,
however
, that if the
transaction that would otherwise give rise to the foregoing adjustment is also
subject to the provisions of
Section 13
hereof,
then only the provisions of
Section 13
hereof
shall apply and no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this
Section 11(a)(ii)
;
and
provided
,
further
, that
such sixty (60) day period shall not be deemed to run during any period in which
the exercise of the Rights or the fulfillment by the Company or the Rights Agent
of its or their obligations under this Agreement shall be enjoined or otherwise
prohibited in full or in part by any court or other governmental agency or
body.
(iii) In
lieu of issuing Ordinary Shares in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii
)
hereof, the Company may, if a majority of the Board then in office determines
that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the interests
of holders of Rights, elect to (and, in the event that the Board has not
exercised the exchange right contained in
Section 24(c)
hereof
and there are not sufficient treasury shares and authorized but unissued
Ordinary Shares to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
Section
11(a)(ii)
hereof, the Company shall) take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize, issue or pay, upon the exercise of the Rights, cash
(including by way of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property, Ordinary
Shares, other securities (whether equity or debt securities of the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, or otherwise) or any combination thereof having an
aggregate value equal to the value of the Ordinary Shares which otherwise would
have been issuable pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, which aggregate value shall be determined by a nationally recognized
investment banking firm selected by a majority of the Board. For
purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Ordinary Shares shall be
determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)
hereof
and the value of any fractional interests in preferred shares or preference
shares which a majority of the Board determines to be a “
ordinary shares
equivalent
” shall be deemed to have the same value as the Ordinary
Shares. Any such election by the Board must be made and publicly
announced within sixty (60) days following the date on which the Section 11
Event at issue shall have occurred. Following the occurrence of such
Section 11 Event, a majority of the Board then in office may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to sixty (60) days following the
date on which such Section 11 Event shall have occurred to the extent that such
Directors have not determined whether to exercise their rights of election under
this
Section
11(a)(iii)
. If the Board shall determine in good faith that it
is unlikely that sufficient additional Ordinary Shares or ordinary shares
equivalents could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights
without shareholder approval, the sixty (60) day period set forth above may be
extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days following
the occurrence of the Section 11 Event at issue, in order that the Company may
take steps to authorize such additional shares. In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended. The
Company shall notify the Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes such a public
announcement temporarily suspending the exercisability of the
Rights.
(b) If
the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or
warrants to all holders of any interests in Preferred Shares entitling them (for
a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date)
to subscribe for or purchase any interests in Preferred Shares (or securities
having the same or more favorable rights, privileges and preferences as the
Preferred Shares (“
equivalent preferred
shares
”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent
preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or per share of equivalent
preferred shares (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
current market price (as defined in
Section 11(d)
) per
Preferred Share on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date, plus
the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares to be offered (or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be
offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares to
be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such
subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be
in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined reasonably and with good faith to the holders of Rights by the Board,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and conclusive for all
purposes. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the
Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such
a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants
are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(c) If
the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all
holders of interests in Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made
in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the
Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Shares, but
including any dividend payable in shares other than Preferred Shares) or
subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in
Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current
market price (as defined in
Section 11(d)
hereof)
per Preferred Share on such record date, less the fair market value (as
determined reasonably and with good faith to the holders of Rights by the Board,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and conclusive for all purposes)
of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be
distributed or of such subscription rights, options or warrants distributable in
respect of one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be the then
current market price (as defined in
Section 11(d)
hereof)
per Preferred Share. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d) (i) For
the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than as provided in
Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof, the “current market price” per Ordinary Share on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Ordinary
Shares for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter
defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event
that the current per share market price of the Ordinary Shares is determined in
whole or in part during a period following the announcement by the issuer of
such Ordinary Shares of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Ordinary Shares
payable in shares of such Ordinary Shares or securities convertible into shares
of such Ordinary Shares or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification
of such Ordinary Shares, and prior to the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days
after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
case, the “current market price” shall be properly adjusted to take into account
ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last
sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market or, if
the Ordinary Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Stock
Market, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Ordinary Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if the
Ordinary Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC
Bulletin Board or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
Ordinary Shares are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the
closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making
a market in the Ordinary Shares selected by the Board. If on any such
date no market maker is making a market in the Ordinary Shares, the fair value
of such shares on such date as determined reasonably and with good faith by the
Board shall be used and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and conclusive for
all purposes. The term “
Trading Day
” shall
mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the
Ordinary Shares are principally listed or admitted to trading or quoted is open
for the transaction of business or, if the Ordinary Shares are not listed or
admitted to trading or quoted on any national securities exchange, a Business
Day. If the Ordinary Shares are not publicly held or not so listed or
traded, “
current
market price
” per share shall mean the fair value per share determined
reasonably and with good faith to the holders of Rights by the Board, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and conclusive for all
purposes.
(i) For
the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “
current market price
”
per Preferred Share shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above
for the Ordinary Shares in
Section 11(d)(i)
(other than the last sentence thereof). If the current market price
per Preferred Share cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the
Preferred Shares are not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described
in
Section
11(d)(i)
, the “
current market price
”
per Preferred Share shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000
(as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as share splits,
share dividends and recapitalization with respect to the Ordinary Shares
occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market
price per share of the Ordinary Shares and the “
current market price
”
per Preferred Share shall be equal to the current market price per share of the
Ordinary Shares (as appropriately adjusted). If neither the Ordinary
Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, “
current market price
”
per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the
Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(e) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease
of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e)
are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this
Section 11
shall be
made to the nearest cent or to the nearest thousandth of an Ordinary Share or
other share or thousandth of a Preferred Share, as the case may
be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this
Section 11
shall be
made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the
transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration
Date.
(f) If
as a result of any provision of this
Section 11
, the
holder of any Right shall become entitled to receive any shares of the Company
other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares 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 with respect to the shares (and the related Purchase Price) contained
in this
Section
11
, and the provisions of
Sections 7
,
9
,
10
,
13
and
15
hereof with
respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other
shares.
(g) All
Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted
Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares purchasable from time to time
hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless
the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i)
hereof,
upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made
in
Section
11(b)
and
(c)
hereof, each
Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall
thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that
number of Preferred Shares (calculated to the nearest one-thousandth) obtained
by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Shares covered by a Right
immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the
product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The
Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price
to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number
of Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of
the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be
exercisable for the number of Preferred Shares for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior
to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one millionth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement (with prompt
written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) of its election to adjust the number
of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights
pursuant to this
Section 11(i)
, the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to
Section 15
hereof,
the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of
such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed
to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates
evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at
the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered
in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective
of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Preferred
Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per
share and the number of shares which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before
taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price
below the then par value, if any, of the number of Preferred Shares or Ordinary
Shares or other securities issuable upon exercise of the Rights (aggregating,
for this purpose, an appropriate amount of the Purchase Price for fractional
shares to compare such aggregated amount to the par value for a whole share),
the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue
fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares or Ordinary Shares or other
securities at such adjusted Purchase Price. If upon any exercise of
the Rights, a holder is to receive a combination of Ordinary Shares and ordinary
shares equivalents, or Preferred Shares and preferred shares equivalents, a
portion of the consideration paid upon such exercise, equal to at least the then
par value, if any, of an Ordinary Share or Preferred Share, as the case may be,
shall be allocated as the payment for each Ordinary Share or Preferred Share, as
the case may be, so received.
(l) In
any case in which this
Section 11
shall
require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a
record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer (with prompt
written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event
the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the
Preferred Shares and other securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other securities of the
Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price
in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall
deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the
event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything
to the contrary in this
Section 11
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11
, as
and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable
in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, share dividends or
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in this
Section 11
, hereafter
made by the Company to holders of Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
shareholders.
(n) Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Company
shall at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution
Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding Ordinary Shares payable in
Ordinary Shares, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (iii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding Ordinary Shares
into a greater or lesser number of shares, or (iv) issue any shares in a
reclassification of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, the number of Rights
associated with each Ordinary Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered
thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each Ordinary Share
following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the
number of Rights associated with each Ordinary Share immediately prior to such
event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of Ordinary
Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of Ordinary Shares outstanding
immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(o) The
exercise of Rights under
Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof shall only result in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof to
the extent so exercised and shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by
the Rights under this Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13
hereof.
12.
Certificate of Adjusted
Purchase Price or Number of Shares
. Whenever
an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall
(a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief
statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with
the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares and the
Ordinary Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and on any adjustment or statement therein contained and shall
have no duty or liability with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any adjustment or any such event unless and until it shall have
received such certificate. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions
of this Section 12, the failure of the Company to make such certification or
give such notice shall not affect the validity, or the force or effect, of the
requirement for such adjustment.
13.
Consolidation, Merger or
Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power
.
(a) In
the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly,
(x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other
Person, (y) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and
into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such merger (other than, in the case of any transaction described
in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation which would result in all of the Voting
Power represented by the securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into securities of the surviving entity) all of the Voting Power
represented by the securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and the holders of
such securities not having changed as a result of such merger or consolidation),
or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of
its Subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than fifty percent (50%)
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person (any of the events described in the foregoing clauses
(x), (y) or (z) being herein referred to as a “
Section 13 Event
”),
then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each
holder of a Right (other than as provided in
Section 7(e)
hereof)
shall have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current
Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of
freely tradable Ordinary Shares of the Principal Party (as hereinafter defined),
free and clear of liens, rights of call or first refusal, encumbrances or other
adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (x) multiplying the
then current Purchase Price by the number of Preferred Shares for which a Right
is then exercisable (without taking into account any adjustment previously made
pursuant to
Section
11(a)(ii)
hereof) and (y) dividing that product by fifty percent (50%) of
the current market price per share of the Ordinary Shares of such Principal
Party (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d)
hereof)
on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and
duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “
Company
” shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically
intended that the provisions of
Section 11
hereof
shall apply to such Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take
such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient
number of shares of its Ordinary Shares in accordance with
Section 9
hereof) in
connection with such consummation as may be necessary to ensure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its Ordinary Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise
of the Rights.
(b) “
Principal Party
”
shall mean:
(i) in
the case of any transaction described in clauses (x) or (y) of the first
sentence of this
Section 13
, the
Person that is the issuer of any securities into which Ordinary Shares of the
Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are
so issued, the Person that is the other party to the merger or consolidation
(including, if applicable, the Company, if it is the surviving corporation);
and
(ii) in
the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence in
this
Section
13
, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the
assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or
transactions;
provided
,
however
, that in any
such case, (A) if the Ordinary Shares of such Person are not at such time and
have not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period
registered under
Section 12
of the
Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary or Affiliate of
another Person the Ordinary Shares of which are and have been so registered,
“
Principal
Party
” shall refer to such other Person; (B) in case such Person is a
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or Affiliate of more than one Person, the
Ordinary Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered, “
Principal Party
”
shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Ordinary Shares
having the greatest aggregate market value; and (C) in case such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons
that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set
forth in clauses (A) and (B) above shall apply to each of the chains of
ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such joint venture were
a Subsidiary of each such joint venturer and the Principal Parties in each such
chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this
Section 13
in the
same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the
total of such interests.
(c) The
Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the Principal Party
shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Ordinary Shares that
have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of
the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the
Company and each Principal Party and each other Person who may become a
Principal Party as a result of such Section 13 Event shall have executed and
delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms
set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section 13
and
further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of such Section 13
Event, the Principal Party at its own expense shall:
(i) prepare
and file a registration statement under the Act with respect to the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form,
will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective as soon as practicable after such filing and will use its best efforts
to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at
all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration
Date;
(ii) use
its best efforts to (x) qualify or register the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate and (y) cause the Rights and
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be listed on any
national securities exchange or national quotation system upon which its
Ordinary Shares are listed, traded or quoted; and
(iii) deliver
to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party
and each of its Affiliates that comply in all material respects with the
requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The
provisions of this
Section 13
shall
similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other
transfers. The rights under this
Section 13
shall be
in addition to the rights to exercise Rights and adjustments under
Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof and shall survive any exercise thereunder.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 13 shall not be
applicable to a transaction described in clauses (x) or (y) of
Section 13(a)
hereof
if (i) such transaction is (x) consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired
Ordinary Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of
any such Person or Persons) and (y) related to such Permitted Offer, (ii) the
price per Ordinary Share offered in such transaction is not less than the price
per Ordinary Share paid to all holders of Ordinary Shares whose shares were
purchased pursuant to such Permitted Offer and (iii) the form of consideration
being offered to the remaining holders of Ordinary Shares pursuant to such
transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such
Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction
contemplated by this subsection (d), all Rights hereunder shall
expire.
14.
Additional
Covenants
.
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that after the Stock Acquisition Date it shall not
(i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into or (iii) sell or transfer to any
other Person, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating
more than fifty percent (50%) of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, if at the time of or after such
consolidation, merger or sale there are any charter or by-law provisions or any
rights, warrants or other instruments outstanding or any other action taken
which would diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded
by the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger or sale unless prior thereto the Company and such other
Person shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement evidencing compliance with this subsection.
(b) The
Company covenants and agrees that, after the Stock Acquisition Date, it will
not, except as permitted by
Section 24
hereof,
take any action the purpose or effect of which is to diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
15.
Fractional Rights and
Fractional Shares
.
(a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the
Distribution Date as provided in
Section 11(n)
hereof,
or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional
Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the
purposes of this
Section 15(a)
, the
current market value of a whole Right shall be (except as otherwise provided in
the last sentence of this
Section 15(a)
) the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on
which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The
closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, the last
quoted price or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the
Board. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in
the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined reasonably
and with good faith to the holders of Rights by the Board shall be used and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and conclusive for all
purposes.
(b) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional
Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares, the Company
may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights
are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the current market
value of a Preferred Share. For purposes of this
Section 15(b)
, the
current market value of a Preferred Share shall be determined in the manner set
forth in Section 11(d) hereof for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
of such exercise.
(c) Following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Ordinary Shares. In lieu of
fractional Ordinary Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of
Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of an
Ordinary Share. For purposes of this
Section 15(c)
, the
current market value shall be determined in the manner set forth in
Section 11(d)
hereof
for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(d) Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, the holder of a Right by the acceptance
of the Right expressly waives such holder’s right to receive any fractional
Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right.
(e) Whenever
a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights
Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a
certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such
payments and the prices and formulas utilized in calculating such payments, and
(ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights Agent in the form of fully
collected funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying upon such a certificate and shall have no duty with
respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of, any payment for
fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement
relating to the payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and
until the Rights Agent shall have received such a certificate and sufficient
monies.
16.
Rights of
Action
. All
rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except those rights of action
vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to Section 21, are vested in the respective
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the registered holders of the Ordinary Shares); and any registered holder
of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Ordinary
Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Ordinary 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 Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such
Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the
foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this
Agreement. Holders of Rights shall be entitled to recover the
reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by them in
any action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.
17.
Agreement of Rights
Holders
. Every
holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and
the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior
to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of Ordinary Shares;
(b) after
the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the
registry books of the Rights Agent and only if surrendered at the principal
office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument
of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates
attached;
(c) the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Ordinary
Shares certificate or uncertificated Ordinary Shares) is registered as the
absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any
notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated
Ordinary Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights
Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent
shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights
Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a
result of the inability of the Company or the Rights Agent to perform any of its
or their obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree, judgment or ruling issued by a
court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority prohibiting
or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, that
the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling
lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
18.
Rights Certificate Holder
Not Deemed a Shareholder
. No
holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares,
Ordinary Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable upon exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything
contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of
the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any
matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold
consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions thereof.
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 disbursements and
other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, amendment,
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage,
judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including,
without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) incurred
without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and
performance of its duties under this Agreement, including the costs and expenses
of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or
indirectly. The provisions provided for under this
Section 19
and
Section 21
below
shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement
and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent. The
costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification shall be
paid by the Company.
(b) The
Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with
its acceptance and administration of this Agreement and the exercise and
performance of its duties hereunder, in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or
certificate for Ordinary Shares or for other securities of the Company,
instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit,
letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where
necessary, verified or acknowledged by the proper Person or Persons, or
otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 21
hereof. The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any
event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the
Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing
to take action in connection therewith, unless and until it has received such
notice in writing.
20.
Merger or Consolidation or
Change of Name 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 corporate trust or shareholder services
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 22
hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed
to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may
adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such
Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in
the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.
(b) In
case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time
any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver
Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign
such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
21.
Duties of Rights
Agent
. The
Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and obligations expressly
imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties or obligations) upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The
Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel selected by it (who may be legal
counsel for the Company or an employee of the Rights Agent), and the advice or
opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion.
(b) Whenever
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall
deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without
limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of
current market price) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking,
or suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter
(unless other evidence in respect thereof shall be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Managing
Director, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full and complete
authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall
incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted in
good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The
Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only
for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special,
punitive, indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damages of any kind
whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent
has been advised of the possibility or likelihood of such loss or
damages. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement will
be limited to the amount of annual fees paid by the Company to the Rights
Agent. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event will the
Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, incidental or
consequential loss or damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without
limitation, lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the
likelihood of such loss or damages.
(d) The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of
fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates
(except as to the fact that it has countersigned the Rights Certificates) 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 have any liability for or be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of
Rights (including Rights becoming null and void pursuant to
Section 7(e)
hereof)
except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
after actual notice of such change; nor shall it be responsible for any breach
by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in
any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of
Section 11
or
13
hereof or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the
ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates
after receipt of a certificate pursuant to
Section 12
describing
any such adjustment, upon which the Rights Agent may rely); nor shall it be
responsible for any determination by the Board of the current market value of
the Rights or Preferred Shares or Ordinary Shares pursuant to the provisions of
Section 15
hereof; 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
other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or other securities will, when
so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The
Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause
to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other
acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights
Agent for the carrying out or performance by the Rights Agent of the provisions
of this Agreement.
(g) The
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with
respect to the performance of its duties hereunder and certificates delivered
pursuant to any provision hereof from the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and is authorized to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties under this Agreement, and it shall not be liable for
any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
written instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while
waiting for those instructions. The Rights Agent shall be fully
authorized and protected in relying upon the most recent instructions received
by any such officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for written
instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth
in writing any action proposed to be taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights
Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the
date on or after which such action shall be taken, suffered or omitted and the
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted in
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified therein (which date shall not be less than three (3) Business Days
after the date any such officer actually receives such application, unless any
such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior
to taking, suffering or omitting to take any such action, the Rights Agent has
received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken, suffered or omitted.
(h) The
Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights
Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the
Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company
may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise
act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this
Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.
(i) The
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested
in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys
or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any
act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or
for any loss to the Company or any other Person resulting from any such act,
omission, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence or bad faith
in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No
provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any
of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be
reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
it.
(k) If,
with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for
exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form
of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or
indicates an affirmative response to clause l or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent
shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or
transfer without first consulting with the Company.
22.
Change of Rights
Agent
. The
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its
duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing mailed to
the Company and to each transfer agent of the Ordinary Shares and Preferred
Shares by registered or certified mail. In the event the transfer
agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent
terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically and
be discharged from its duties under this Agreement as of the effective date of
such termination, and the Company shall be responsible for sending any required
notice to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the
Ordinary Shares and Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the
holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the
Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days
after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of
such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or
by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit such
holder’s Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a)
a Person organized and doing business under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands
,
the United
States or of the State of New York or the State of Delaware
(or of any other state
of the United States so long as such Person is authorized to do business in the
State of New York or the State of Delaware), in good standing, having a
principal office in the British Virgin Islands, the State of New York or the
State of Delaware, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or shareholder services powers and is subject to supervision or
examination by a foreign or U.S. federal or state authority and which has at the
time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at
least $25,000,000.00 or (b) an Affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of
this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the
purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment
the Company shall mail notice thereof in writing to the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Ordinary Shares and Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates. 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.
23.
Issuance of New Rights
Certificates
. Notwithstanding
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the
Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price per share and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in
connection with the issuance or sale of Ordinary Shares following the
Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the
Company (a) shall, with respect to Ordinary Shares so issued or sold pursuant to
the exercise of share options or otherwise under any employee plan or
arrangement, which plan or arrangement is existing as of the Distribution Date,
or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of any other securities issued by
the Company on or prior to the Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other
case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificates shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificates would be issued, and
(ii) no such Rights Certificates shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.
24.
Redemption, Termination and
Exchange
.
(a)
(i) The
Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the Stock
Acquisition Date or (y) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date,
redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption
price of $0.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any share split,
share dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “
Redemption
Price
”). The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption
Price in any form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.
(ii) In
addition, and notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 24(a)(i)
hereof, the Board may redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding
Rights at the Redemption Price on or after the Stock Acquisition Date but prior
to any Section 13 Event either (x) in connection with any Section 13 Event in
which all holders of Ordinary Shares are treated alike and not involving (other
than as a holder of Ordinary Shares being treated like all other such holders)
an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof or any other Person in
which such Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate thereof has any interest,
or any other Person acting directly or indirectly on behalf of or in association
with any such Acquiring Person or Affiliate or Associate thereof, or (y)
following the occurrence of a Section 11 Event, and the expiration of any period
during which the holder of Rights may exercise the rights under
Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof as a result thereof, if and for as long as any Acquiring Person having
triggered the Section 11 Event at issue is not thereafter the Beneficial Owner
of securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding
Voting Power of the Company, and at the time of redemption there are no other
Persons who are Acquiring Persons.
(b) (i) In
the case of a redemption permitted under
Section 24(a)(i)
hereof, immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the
Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price. In the case of a redemption
permitted only under
Section 24(a)(ii)
hereof, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, the right
to exercise the Rights will terminate and represent only the right to receive
the Redemption Price only after ten (10) Business Days following the giving of
notice of such redemption to the holders of such Rights if no Section 11 Event
shall have occurred, and, if a Section 11 Event shall have occurred, upon the
later of ten (10) Business Days following the giving of such notice or the
expiration of any period during which the rights under
Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof may be exercised as a result thereof. Within ten (10) days
after the action of the Board ordering any such 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 the Rights Agent and 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 Ordinary Shares. Any notice that is mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the
method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
(i) In
the case of a redemption permitted under
Section 24(a)(i)
or
(ii)
, the
Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to the
Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the
Rights and (ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to the registered
holders of the Rights at their last addresses as they appear on the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry
books of the transfer agent of the Ordinary Shares, and upon such action, all
outstanding Rights Certificates shall be null and void without any further
action by the Company.
(c) (i) Subject
to the limitations of applicable laws, the Board may, at its option and at any
time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7(e)
hereof)
for (A) Ordinary Shares at an exchange ratio of one Ordinary Share per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any share split, share dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (the “
Exchange Shares
”), or
(B) Substitute Consideration (as that term is defined below). The
Board may determine, in its sole discretion, whether to deliver Exchange Shares
or Substitute Consideration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board
shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Ordinary
Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all
Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of fifty
percent (50%) or more of the Ordinary Shares then outstanding.
(ii) In
the event the Board shall determine to deliver Substitute Consideration in
exchange for Rights, the Company shall (1) determine the value of the Exchange
Shares (the “
Exchange
Value
”), and (2) with respect to each Right to be exchanged, make
adequate provision to substitute for Exchange Shares the following (the “
Substitute
Consideration
”): (v) cash, (w) Ordinary Shares or ordinary shares
equivalents (as that term is defined in
Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof) or Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares (as that term is
defined in
Section
11(b)
hereof), (x) debt securities of the Company, (y) other assets, or
(z) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the
Exchange Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Board. For purposes of this
Section 24(c)
, the
value of an Ordinary Share shall be the current market price (as determined
pursuant to
Section
11(d)
hereof) per Ordinary Share on the day that is the later of (x) the
first occurrence of a Section 11 Event or (y) the date on which the Company’s
right of redemption pursuant to
Section 24(a)(i)
hereof expires; and the value of any ordinary shares equivalent shall be deemed
to have the same value as the Ordinary Shares on such date.
(iii) Immediately
upon the action of the Board ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to
this
Section
24(c)
, and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a
holder of such Rights shall be to receive Exchange Shares or Substitute
Consideration for each Right exchanged by such holder. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange (with prompt written
notice thereof to the Rights Agent);
provided
,
however
, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such
exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice that
is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not
the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will
state the method by which the exchange of Ordinary Shares (or Substitute
Consideration) for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7(e)
hereof)
held by each holder of Rights.
(iv) In
the event that there shall not be sufficient Ordinary Shares or Preferred Shares
available to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this
Section
24(c)
, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
increase the number of Ordinary Shares or Preferred Shares available for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.
(v) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Ordinary Shares or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Ordinary Shares. In
lieu of such fractional Ordinary Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Ordinary
Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a whole Ordinary Share. For the
purposes of this
Section 24(c)(v)
, the
current market value of a whole Ordinary Share shall be determined in the manner
set forth in
Section
11(d)
hereof for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this
Section
24(c)
.
25.
Notice of Certain
Events
.
(a) In
case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in shares of any
class to the holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to
the holders of Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend
out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), (ii) to offer to the
holders of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase
any additional Preferred Shares or shares of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of Preferred Shares
(other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding
Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or
to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its
Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,
of more than fifty percent (50%) of the assets or earning power of the Company
and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person or (v) to effect
the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and each holder of a Rights
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such share
dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein
by the holders of the Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and
such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or
(ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining
holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of
any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking
of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of
the Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In
case any Triggering Event shall occur, then, in any such case, the Company or
the Principal Party, as the case may be, shall as soon as practicable thereafter
give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance with
Section 26
hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such Triggering Event, which shall specify the event
and the consequences of the Triggering Event to holders of Rights under
Section 11(a)(ii)
or
13(a)
hereof,
as the case may be.
(c) The
failure to give notice required by this
Section 25
or any
defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by
the Company or the vote upon any such action.
26.
Notices
. Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent
or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or sent
by nationwide overnight delivery, postage-prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Hollysys
Automation Technologies Ltd.
10
Jiancaicheng Middle Road
Xisanqi,
Haidian District
Beijing,
People’s Republic of China, 100096
Attention:
Corporate Secretary
Subject
to the provisions of
Section 22
, any
notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company
or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or sent
by nationwide overnight delivery, postage-prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company
17
Battery Place, 8
th
Floor
New York,
NY 10004
Attention: Compliance
Department
Notices
or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or
the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate shall be sufficiently
given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or sent by
nationwide overnight delivery, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the
address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the
Company.
27.
Supplements and
Amendments
. The
Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this
Agreement without approval of any holders of Rights or Rights Certificates in
order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) prior to the Distribution Date, to change or supplement
any provision hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable or (iv) on or following the Distribution Date, to change or supplement
any provision hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
Rights Certificates. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company and, if requested by the Rights Agent, an
opinion of counsel which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment unless the Rights Agent shall have determined in
good faith that such supplement or amendment would adversely affect its
interests under this Agreement. Prior to the Distribution Date, the
interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests
of the holders of Ordinary Shares.
28.
Determination and Actions by
the Board
. For
all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of securities
representing the outstanding Voting Power of the Company at any particular time,
including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such
outstanding Voting Power of the Company or any other securities of which any
Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last
sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. Except as
otherwise provided herein, the Board shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement). All such actions,
calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of
clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or
made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on
the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificates and all
other parties and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Rights Certificates. The Rights Agent is entitled always to
assume the Company’s Board of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully
protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
29.
Successors
. All
the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the
Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their
respective successors and assigns hereunder.
30.
Benefits of This
Agree
ment
. Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the
Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Ordinary Shares) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Ordinary Shares).
31.
Severability
. If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, null and void
or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and
restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall
in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
32.
Governing
Law
. This
Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be
deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the British Virgin Islands and
for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of such jurisdiction applicable to contracts to be made and to be performed
entirely within such state.
33.
Counterparts
. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such
counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument. A signature to this Agreement transmitted electronically
shall have the same authority, effect, and enforceability as an original
signature.
34.
Descriptive
Headings
. Descriptive
headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience
only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the
provisions hereof.
35.
Force
Majeure
. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable
for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its
reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts,
shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunctions of
computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical
difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties,
war or civil unrest.
[
Signature Page
Follows
]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto
have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first
above written.
|
HOLLYSYS
AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
By:
____________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
CONTINENTAL
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
AS
RIGHTS AGENT
By:
____________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Shareholder Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT
A
Form of Rights
Certificate
Certificate
No.
R-______________ _____________
Rights
NOT
EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR
EXCHANGE IS GIVEN. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE
OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS
CERTIFICATE WERE ISSUED TO A PERSON WHO WAS AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ASSOCIATE
OR AN AFFILIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT). THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY
MAY BECOME VOID UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT.]*
Rights
Certificate
HOLLYSYS
AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
This
certifies that ____________________, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement
dated as of September 27, 2010 (the “
Rights Agreement
”)
between Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd., a British Virgin Islands company
(the “
Company
”), and
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a
New York corporation
(the “
Rights
Agent
”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution
Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m.
(New York City time) on September 27, 2020, unless earlier redeemed or exchanged
by the Company as set forth in the Rights Agreement, at the office of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, a fully paid, nonassessable Preferred Share
of the Company, at a purchase price of
One Hundred Sixty
Dollars ($160.00) per share (the “
Purchase Price
”),
upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the appropriate
Form of Election to Purchase and Certificate duly executed.
The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares
which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase
Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of the close of
business on the record date relating to the initial distribution of the Rights,
based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.
Upon the
occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Rights
Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are Beneficially
Owned (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) by (i) an Acquiring
Person (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) or an Associate or
Affiliate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) or, (ii)
under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of
an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any rights
with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of any such Triggering
Event.
*
The
portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable.
As
provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred
Shares or other securities which may be purchased upon the exercise of the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and
adjustment upon the happening of certain events.
This
Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights
Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
principal office of the Company and are also available upon written request to
the Company.
This
Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date
evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of
Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to
purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised (other than
pursuant to
Section
11(a)(ii)
of the Rights Agreement) in part, the holder shall be entitled
to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. If this
Rights Certificate shall be exercised in whole or in part pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement, the holder shall be entitled to receive this Rights
Certificate duly marked to indicate that such exercise has occurred as set forth
in the Rights Agreement.
Subject
to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this
Certificate may, in certain instances, be (i) redeemed by the Company at its
option at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) exchanged in whole or
in part for shares of the Company’s Ordinary Shares or substitute
consideration. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the
Company, at its option, may elect to mail payment of the redemption price to the
registered holder of the Rights at the time of redemption, in which event this
Certificate may become void without any further action by the
Company.
The
Company may elect not to issue fractional Preferred Shares or other securities
upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, in which event a cash
payment will be made, in lieu thereof, as provided in the Rights
Agreement.
No holder
of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares or of any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of Directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This
Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it
shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS
the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate
seal.
Dated: [___________],
20[__].
Attest:
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
|
HOLLYSYS
AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
CONTINENTAL
STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY,
as
Rights Agent
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
|
|
[Form of
Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF
ASSIGNMENT
(To be
executed by the registered holder if such
holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE
RECEIVED, ____________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(please
print name, address and social security or other identifying number of
transferee)
___________________________________________________________________________
this
Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Dated: ____________,
20___.
__________________________________
Signature
Signature
Medallion Guaranteed:
Signatures
must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution, as defined in Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person.
Dated: ____________,
20__.
__________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The
signature to the foregoing Assignment must correspond to the name as written
upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the
event the Certificate set forth above is not completed, the Company will deem
the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement) and will affix a legend to that effect on any Rights Certificate
issued in exchange for this Rights Certificate.
FORM OF ELECTION TO
PURCHASE
(To be
executed if holder desires to
exercise
the Rights Certificate pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement.)
TO:
HOLLYSYS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights represented
by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Ordinary Shares (or such other
securities of the Company) issuable upon the exercise of the Rights and requests
that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please
insert social security or other identifying number)
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address)
___________________________________________________________________________
The
Rights Certificate indicating the balance, if any, of such Rights which may
still be exercised pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement shall be returned to the undersigned unless the undersigned
requests that the Rights Certificate be registered in the name of and delivered
to:
Please
insert social security or other identifying number (complete only if Rights
Certificate is to be registered in a name other than the
undersigned)
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address)
___________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ____________,
20__.
__________________________________
Signature
Signature
Medallion Guaranteed:
Signatures
must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution, as defined in Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised
by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to
the Rights Agreement);
(2) this
Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or
on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement); and
(3) after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any
Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: ____________,
20__.
__________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The
signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase must correspond to the name as
written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the
event the Certificate set forth above is not completed, the Company will deem
the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement).
FORM OF ELECTION TO
PURCHASE
(To be
executed if holder desires to exercise
the
Rights Certificate other than pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement.)
TO:
HOLLYSYS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
The
undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights represented
by this Rights Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares (or such other
securities of the Company or any other Person) issuable upon the exercise of the
Rights and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name
of:
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please
insert social security or other identifying number)
___________________________________________________________________________
(Please
print name and address)
If
applicable, the Rights Certificate indicating the balance, if any, of such
Rights which may still be exercised pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii)
of
the Rights Agreement shall be returned to the undersigned unless such Person
requests that the Rights Certificate be registered in the name of and delivered
to:
___________________________________________________________________________
Please
insert social security or other identifying number (complete only if Rights
Certificate is to be registered in a name other than the
undersigned)
(Please
print name and address)
Dated: ____________,
20__.
__________________________________
Signature
Signature
Medallion Guaranteed:
Signatures
must be guaranteed by an Eligible Guarantor Institution, as defined in Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
CERTIFICATE
The
undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised
by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to
the Rights Agreement);
(2) the
Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being sold,
assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement); and
(3) after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person.
Dated: ____________,
20__.
__________________________________
Signature
NOTICE
The
signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase must correspond to the name as
written upon the fact of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
In the
event the Certificate set forth above is not completed, the Company will deem
the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights
Agreement).
EXHIBIT
B
HOLLYSYS
AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
SUMMARY
OF RIGHTS
On August
27, 2010, the Board of Directors (the “
Board
”) of Hollysys
Automation Technologies Ltd. (the “
Company
”) declared a
dividend distribution of one “
Right
” for each
outstanding ordinary share of the Company (the “
Ordinary Shares
”) to
shareholders of record at the close of business on August 27, 2010 (the “
Record Date
”),
effective as of September 27, 2010 (the “
Effective
Date
”). Except as set forth below, each Right, when
exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
share of the preferred shares of the Company (the “
Preferred Shares
”),
at a price of One Hundred Sixty Dollars ($160.00) per Preferred Share (the
“
Purchase
Price
”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of
the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the “
Rights Agreement
”)
between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as
“
Rights
Agent
.”
Initially,
the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing Ordinary Shares
then outstanding, and no separate Rights certificates or stock statements will
be distributed or provided. The Rights will separate from the
Ordinary Shares and a “
Distribution Date
”
will occur upon the earliest of the following: (i) a public announcement that a
person, entity or group of affiliated or associated persons or entities (an
“
Acquiring
Person
”) has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of securities representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting
power of all securities of the Company then outstanding and generally entitled
to vote for the election of directors of the Company (“
Voting Power
”) (other
than (A) as a result of repurchases of shares by the Company or certain
inadvertent actions by institutional or certain other shareholders, (B) the
Company, any subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any subsidiary, and (C) Changli Wang, Li Qiao
,
Shengheng Xu, Xuesong Song
or An Luo (together with their affiliated and associated persons and entities –
the “
Founders
”), for so
long as the Founders beneficially own securities representing Voting Power in
excess of fifteen percent (15%) of the outstanding Voting Power of the Company
but do not increase their beneficial ownership (with certain exceptions) by more
than one percent (1%) of the outstanding Voting Power above the percentage held
by the Founders as of the date of the Rights Agreement; and (D) certain other
instances set forth in the Rights Agreement; or (ii) ten (10) business days
(unless such date is extended by the Board) following the commencement of a
tender offer or exchange offer which would result in any person, entity or group
of affiliated or associated persons or entities becoming an Acquiring Person
(unless such tender offer or exchange offer is a Permitted Offer (defined
below)).
Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights, if
applicable), (i) the Rights will be evidenced (x) with respect to any
uncertificated Ordinary Shares outstanding as of or after the Record Date, by
the registration of the Ordinary Shares in the Company’s share register in the
names of the holders thereof, and (y) with respect to any certificates for
Ordinary Shares outstanding as of or after the Record Date, by such Ordinary
Share certificates, and (ii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
outstanding Ordinary Shares will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with such Ordinary Shares, and the registration of transfer of
ownership of any uncertificated Ordinary Shares will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with such Ordinary Shares. As soon
as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing
the Rights (“
Rights
Certificates
”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Ordinary Shares
as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, and the separate Rights
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.
The
Rights are not exercisable unless and until a Distribution Date
occurs. The Rights will expire on the earliest of (i) September
27,
2020, (ii)
consummation of a merger transaction with a person, entity or group who (x)
acquired Ordinary Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer and (y) is offering in
the merger the same price per share and form of consideration paid in the
Permitted Offer or (iii) redemption or exchange of the Rights by the Company as
described below. The Board of Directors may elect to seek ratification of the
Rights Agreement at the Company’s 2010 annual shareholders’ meeting, but the
failure to seek or obtain such shareholder ratification will not terminate the
Rights Agreement.
The
number of Rights associated with each Ordinary Share shall be proportionately
adjusted in the event of a share dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of, the Ordinary Shares. The Purchase Price payable,
and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable,
upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time (i) in
the event of a share dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the
Preferred Shares of certain rights, options or warrants to subscribe for
Preferred Shares, certain convertible securities or securities having the same
or more favorable rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares at
less than the current market price of the Preferred Shares, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or
assets (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends out of earnings or retained
earnings) or of subscription rights, options or warrants (other than those
referred to above). With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the
Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an
adjustment of at least one percent (1%) in such Purchase Price.
In the
event that, after the first date of public announcement by the Company or an
Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such, the Company is
involved in a merger or other business combination transaction (whether or not
the Company is the surviving corporation) or fifty percent (50%) or more of the
Company’s assets or earning power are sold (in one transaction or a series of
transactions), proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right
(other than an Acquiring Person) shall thereafter have the right to receive,
upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price, that number of
ordinary shares of either the Company, in the event that it is the surviving
corporation of a merger or consolidation, or the acquiring company (or, in the
event there is more than one acquiring company, the acquiring company receiving
the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred) which at the
time of such transaction would have a market value of two (2) times the Purchase
Price (such right being called the “
Merger
Right
”). In the event that a person, entity or group becomes
an Acquiring Person (unless pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all
outstanding Ordinary Shares at a price and on terms determined prior to the date
of the first acceptance of payment for any of such shares by at least a majority
of the Directors who are not officers of the Company and are not Acquiring
Persons (or affiliated or associated persons or entities thereof) to be fair to,
and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders (a “
Permitted Offer
”)),
then proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right will, for a
sixty (60) day period (subject to extension under certain circumstances)
thereafter, have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Ordinary
Shares (or, at the election of the Company, which election may be obligatory if
sufficient Ordinary Shares are not available, a combination of Ordinary Shares,
property, other securities (
e.g.
, Preferred
Shares) or cash (including by way of a reduction in the Purchase Price)) having
a market value of two (2) times the Purchase Price (such right being called the
“
Subscription
Right
”). The holder of a Right will continue to have the
Merger Right whether or not such holder exercises the Subscription
Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of any of
the events giving rise to the exercisability of the Merger Right or the
Subscription Right, any Rights that are or were at any time after the
Distribution Date owned by an Acquiring Person (or affiliated or associated
persons or entities thereof) shall immediately become null and
void.
At any
time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person, entity or group becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Company may redeem
the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “
Redemption Price
”),
which redemption shall be effective upon the action of the
Board. Additionally, the Company may, following a person, entity or
group becoming an Acquiring Person, redeem the then outstanding Rights in whole,
but not in part, at the Redemption Price (i) if such redemption is incidental to
a merger or other business combination transaction or series of transactions
involving the Company but not involving an Acquiring Person (or certain related
persons or entities) or (ii) following an event giving rise to, and the
expiration of the exercise period for, the Subscription Right if and for as long
as the Acquiring Person triggering the Subscription Right beneficially owns
securities representing less than twenty percent (20%) of the outstanding Voting
Power of the Company and at the time of redemption there are no other Acquiring
Persons. The redemption of Rights described in the preceding sentence
shall be effective only as of such time when the Subscription Right is not
exercisable. Upon the effective date of the redemption of the Rights,
the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the
holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Subject
to applicable law, the Board, at its option, may at any time after a person,
group or entity becomes an Acquiring Person (but not after the acquisition by
such Acquiring Person of securities representing fifty percent (50%) or more of
the outstanding Voting Power of the Company), exchange all or part of the then
outstanding and exercisable Rights (except for Rights which have become void)
for Ordinary Shares at a rate of one Ordinary Share per Right (subject to
adjustment) or, alternatively, for substitute consideration consisting of cash,
securities of the Company or other assets (or any combination
thereof).
Fractional
Preferred Shares will be issuable;
however
, the Company
may elect to make an adjustment in cash, in lieu of fractional shares, based on
the market price of the Preferred Shares prior to the date of
exercise.
Until a
Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a
shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or
to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights should not
be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, holders of Rights may, depending
upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event (i) that the
Rights become exercisable for (x) Ordinary Shares or Preferred Shares (or other
consideration) or (y) ordinary shares or common stock of an acquiring company in
the instance of the Merger Right as set forth above or (ii) of any redemption or
exchange of the Rights as set forth above.
The
Company and the Rights Agent retain broad authority to amend the Rights
Agreement;
however
, following
any Distribution Date any amendment may not adversely affect the interests of
holders of Rights.
A copy of
the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A copy of the
Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. THIS
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, WHICH IS
INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE.