UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) January 31, 2006

 


 

Oracle Corporation

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 


 

Delaware   333-129139   54-2185193

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood City, California   94065
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (650) 506-7000

 

Ozark Holding Inc.

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 


 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 



Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

 

On January 31, 2006, at the special meeting of the stockholders of Siebel Systems, Inc. (“Siebel Systems”), the Siebel Systems stockholders adopted the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of September 12, 2005, as amended, by and among Oracle Systems Corporation (formerly named Oracle Corporation and referred to herein as “Oracle Systems”), Siebel Systems, Oracle Corporation (formerly named Ozark Holding Inc. and referred to herein as “Oracle”), Ozark Merger Sub Inc. (“Oracle Merger Sub”) and Sierra Merger Sub Inc. (“Siebel Merger Sub”).

 

Subsequent to the special meeting, on January 31, 2006, Siebel Merger Sub (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oracle) merged with and into Siebel Systems (the “Siebel Systems Merger”) and Oracle Merger Sub (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oracle) merged with and into Oracle Systems (the “Oracle Merger” and, together with the Siebel Systems Merger, the “Mergers”). As a result of the Mergers, each of Oracle Systems and Siebel Systems became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oracle.

 

Former Siebel Systems stockholders electing to receive Oracle common stock will receive a combination of stock and cash because holders of approximately 32.68% of Siebel Systems common stock elected to receive Oracle common stock. Therefore, the stock portion of the consideration was oversubscribed pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement. As a result, these electing stockholders will receive approximately $0.8752 in cash and 0.7888 shares of Oracle common stock for each Siebel Systems share. Any fractional shares remaining after conversion will be converted into cash at $12.61 per share, the closing price of Oracle Systems common stock on the day prior to the closing of the Mergers. Former Siebel Systems stockholders not electing to receive Oracle common stock will receive $10.66 per share in cash. The aggregate consideration payable to former Siebel Systems stockholders consists of approximately $4.1 billion in cash and approximately 140.7 million shares of Oracle common stock. Oracle intends to repurchase shares in the marketplace equal to the amount issued effectively making the acquisition a cash transaction from Oracle’s perspective.

 

In the Oracle Merger, each share of Oracle Systems common stock was automatically converted into one share of Oracle common stock.

 

The issuance of the Oracle common stock pursuant to the Siebel Systems Merger was registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to Oracle’s registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-129139) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

The definitive proxy statement/prospectus of Oracle and Siebel Systems, dated December 29, 2005, which forms a part of the Registration Statement contains additional information about the Mergers, including information concerning the interests of directors, executive officers and affiliates of Siebel Systems in the Siebel Systems Merger.

 

Prior to the Mergers, Oracle Systems common stock and Siebel Systems common stock were both registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market. As a result of the Mergers, Oracle Systems common stock and Siebel Systems common stock have ceased trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market. Each of Oracle Systems and Siebel Systems has filed a Form 15 with the SEC to terminate the registration of its common stock under the Exchange Act.

 

On January 31, 2006, Oracle entered into a Preferred Share Rights Agreement with Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent, with the same terms and conditions (including the expiration date of March 31, 2008) as the Amended and Restated Preferred Share Rights Agreement of Oracle Systems and BankBoston N.A., as rights agent, dated March 31, 1998, as amended.

 

Pursuant to Rule 12g-3(c) under Exchange Act, the Oracle common stock and the associated preferred share purchase rights are deemed to be registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. The Oracle common stock trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the ticker symbol “ORCL”.

 

Upon consummation of the Oracle Merger, all of the officers and directors of Oracle Systems immediately before such merger became the officers and directors of Oracle, and the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of Oracle were amended and restated in their entirety to be substantially identical to the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of Oracle Systems in effect immediately prior to the Oracle Merger. In addition, Oracle assumed the employee compensation plans and arrangements of Oracle Systems.


Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

 

On January 31, 2006, Oracle issued a press release announcing that the Siebel Systems stockholders had adopted the Merger Agreement and that the Mergers had been completed. The press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

 

To be filed by amendment no later than 71 calendar days after the date this Current Report is required to be filed.

 

(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.

 

Incorporated by reference from Oracle Systems Corporation’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed January 17, 2006.

 

(c) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description


2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of September 12, 2005, as amended, by and among Oracle Systems Corporation (formerly named Oracle Corporation), Siebel Systems, Inc., Oracle Corporation (formerly named Ozark Holding Inc.), Ozark Merger Sub Inc. and Sierra Merger Sub Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Annex A of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus included in Oracle Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-129139)).
3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Oracle Corporation and Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Oracle Corporation.
3.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of Oracle Corporation.
10.1   Preferred Share Rights Agreement between Oracle Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent, dated as of January 31, 2006.
99.1   Press release dated January 31, 2006.
99.2   Pro Forma Financial Information with respect to acquisition of Siebel Systems, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Oracle Systems Corporation’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed January 17, 2006).


SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    ORACLE CORPORATION
Dated: February 6, 2006   By:  

/s/ Daniel Cooperman


    Name:   Daniel Cooperman
    Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description


2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of September 12, 2005, as amended, by and among Oracle Systems Corporation (formerly named Oracle Corporation), Siebel Systems, Inc., Oracle Corporation (formerly named Ozark Holding Inc.), Ozark Merger Sub Inc. and Sierra Merger Sub Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Annex A of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus included in Oracle Corporation’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-129139)).
3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Oracle Corporation and Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Oracle Corporation.
3.2   Amended and Restated Bylaws of Oracle Corporation.
10.1   Preferred Share Rights Agreement between Oracle Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent, dated as of January 31, 2006.
99.1   Press release dated January 31, 2006.
99.2   Pro Forma Financial Information with respect to acquisition of Siebel Systems, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Oracle Systems Corporation’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed January 17, 2006).

EXHIBIT 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

OZARK HOLDING INC.

 

Ozark Holding Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and originally incorporated in Delaware on September 9, 2005 (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:

 

FIRST: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1, has been duly adopted by written consent of the Board of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

SECOND: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1, has been duly approved by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

THIRD: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation so adopted reads in full as set forth in Exhibit 1 attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be signed and attested by its duly authorized officers this 31 st day of January 2006.

 

OZARK HOLDING INC.
By:  

/s/ Safra A. Catz


    Safra A. Catz, President and Chief Financial Officer

 

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EXHIBIT 1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

OZARK HOLDING INC.

 

Article 1

 

The name of the Corporation is Ozark Holding Inc.

 

Article 2

 

The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at that address is Corporation Service Company.

 

Article 3

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

 

Article 4

 

A. The total number of shares of stock of all classes which the Corporation has the authority to issue is 11,001,000,000, consisting of 11,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock with a par value of $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), and 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock with a par value of $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).

 

The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by the law of the State of Delaware, to provide for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and to increase or decrease the number of shares of any such series (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding).

 

The designation and amount of the initial series of Preferred Stock and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:

 

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B. Series A Preferred Stock

 

Section 1. Designation and Amount . The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 200,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided , that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 2. Dividends and Distributions .

 

(A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount (if any) per share (rounded to the nearest cent), subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock of the Corporation or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock).

 

(C) Dividends due pursuant to paragraph (A) of this Section shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case

 

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dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

 

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

 

(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of the Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 4. Certain Restrictions .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

 

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

 

Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up .

 

(A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, prior and in preference to any distribution of any assets of the Corporation to the holders of Common Stock, the amount of $1,000.00 per share for each share of Series A Preferred Stock then held by them. Thereafter, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such

 

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event under the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(B) If the assets of the Corporation legally available for distribution to the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the full preferential amount set forth in the first sentence of paragraph (A) above, then the entire assets of the Corporation legally available for distribution to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall be distributed among such holders in proportion to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock then held by them.

 

(C) The foregoing rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up provided o the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall be subject to the rights of the holders of any other series of Preferred Stock (or any other stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

 

Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

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

 

C. Series C Preferred Stock

 

Section 1. Number and Designation . 11,200 shares of the Preferred Stock of the Corporation shall be designated as Series C Preferred Stock (“Series C Preferred Stock”).

 

Section 2. Rank . The Series C Preferred Stock shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, dissolution and winding-up, rank prior to the Corporation’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”). All equity securities of the Corporation to which the Series C Preferred Stock ranks prior (whether with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or otherwise), including the Common Stock, are collectively

 

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the “Junior Securities.” All equity securities of the Corporation with which the Series C Preferred Stock ranks on a parity (whether with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or otherwise) are collectively the “Parity Securities.” The respective definitions of Junior Securities and Parity Securities shall also include any rights or options exercisable for or convertible into any of the Junior Securities and Parity Securities, as the case may be. The Series C Preferred Stock shall be subject to the creation of Junior Securities, Parity Securities and any securities that shall rank prior to the Series C Preferred Stock (whether with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or otherwise).

 

Section 3. Dividends . (a) Holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cash dividends at the annual rate of $15,000 per share. Such dividends shall be payable in arrears in equal amounts quarterly on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year (unless such day is not a business day, in which event on the next succeeding business day) (each of such dates being a “Dividend Payment Date” and each such quarterly period being a “Dividend Period”). Such dividends shall be cumulative from the date of issue, whether or not funds of the Corporation are legally available for the payment of such dividends. Each such dividend shall be payable to the holders of record of shares of the Series C Preferred Stock, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock register at the close of business on such record dates, which record dates shall be not more than 60 days or less than 10 days prior to the respective Dividend Payment Date, as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. Accrued and unpaid dividends for any past Dividend Periods may be declared and paid at any time, without reference to any Dividend Payment Date, to holders of record on such date, not more than 45 days preceding the payment date thereof, as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

(b) The amount of dividends payable for each full Dividend Period for the Series C Preferred Stock shall be computed by dividing the annual dividend rate by four. The amount of dividends payable for the initial Dividend Period, or any other period shorter or longer than a full Dividend Period, on the Series C Preferred Stock shall be computed on the basis of 30-day months and a 12-month year. Holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, property or stock, in excess of cumulative dividends, as herein provided, on the Series C Preferred Stock. No interest or sum of money in lieu of interest shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment on the Series C Preferred Stock that may be in arrears.

 

(c) So long as any shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall not declare, pay or set apart for payment any dividends or distributions on Parity Securities, for any period unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for such payment on the Series C Preferred Stock for all Dividend Periods terminating on or before the date of payment of the dividend on such Parity Securities. If dividends are not paid in full or a sum sufficient for such payment is not set apart, all dividends declared upon shares of the Series C Preferred Stock and all dividends declared upon any other Parity Securities shall be declared ratably in proportion to the respective amounts of dividends accumulated and unpaid on the Series C Preferred Stock and accumulated and unpaid on such Parity Securities.

 

(d) So long as any shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, and shall cause its subsidiaries not to, directly or indirectly, declare, pay or

 

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set apart for payment any dividends or other distributions on Junior Securities (other than dividends or distributions paid in shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, Junior Securities) or redeem or otherwise acquire any Junior Securities (other than a redemption or acquisition of shares of Common Stock made for purposes of an employee incentive or benefit plan of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation) (all such dividends, distributions, redemptions or acquisitions being a “Junior Securities Distribution”) for any consideration (including any moneys to be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of any such stock), except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Securities, unless in each case the full cumulative dividends on all outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock and any other Parity Securities have been paid or set apart for payment for all past and current Dividend Periods with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock and all past and current dividend periods with respect to such Parity Securities.

 

Section 4. Liquidation Preference . (a) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, before any payment or distribution of the Corporation’s assets (whether capital or surplus) shall be made to or set apart for the holders of Junior Securities, holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive $261,500 per share of Series C Preferred Stock plus an amount equal to all dividends (whether or not earned or declared) accrued and unpaid thereon to the date of final distribution to such holders; but such holders shall not be entitled to any further payment. If, upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, the Corporation’s assets, or proceeds thereof, distributable among the holders of Series C Preferred Stock are insufficient to pay in full the preferential amount aforesaid and liquidating payments on any Parity Securities, then such assets, or the proceeds thereof, shall be distributed among the holders of Series C Preferred Stock and any other Parity Securities ratably in accordance with the respective amounts that would be payable on such shares of Series C Preferred Stock and any such other Parity Securities if all amounts payable thereon were paid in full. For the purposes of this Section 4, (i) a consolidation or merger of the Corporation with, or a conversion of the Corporation into, one or more corporations, or (ii) a sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, shall not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, voluntary or involuntary, of the Corporation.

 

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of any Parity Securities, after payment has been made in full to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, as provided in this Section 4, holders of Junior Securities shall, subject to the respective terms and provisions (if any) applying thereto, be entitled to receive any and all assets remaining to be paid or distributed, and holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to share therein.

 

Section 5. Redemption . (a) The Series C Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the Corporation prior to February 2, 2026 (such date, the “Redemption Date”). On and after the Redemption Date, to the extent the Corporation has funds legally available for such payment, the Corporation may redeem at its option shares of Series C Preferred Stock, at any time in whole or from time to time in part, at a redemption price of $261,500 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the redemption date, in cash without interest.

 

(b) Shares of Series C Preferred Stock that have been issued and reacquired in any manner, including shares purchased or redeemed, shall (upon compliance with any applicable provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware) have the status of authorized and unissued shares of the class of Preferred Stock undesignated as to Series and may be redesignated and reissued as part of any series of the Preferred Stock.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, unless full cumulative cash dividends (whether or not declared) on all outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock have been paid or contemporaneously are declared and paid or set apart for payment for all dividend periods terminating on or before the applicable redemption date, none of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be redeemed, and no sum shall be set aside for such redemption, unless shares of Series C Preferred Stock are redeemed pro rata.

 

Section 6. Procedure for Redemption . (a) If fewer than all the outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number of shares to be redeemed shall be determined by the Board of Directors and the shares to be redeemed shall be selected by lot or pro rata (with any fractional shares being rounded to the nearest whole share) as may be determined by the Board of Directors (subject to Section 5(c)).

 

(b) If the Corporation redeems shares of Series C Preferred Stock, notice of such redemption shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the redemption date, to each holder of record of the shares to be redeemed at such holder’s address as the same appears on the Corporation’s stock register; provided that neither the failure to give such notice nor any defect therein shall affect the validity of the giving of such notice except as to the holder to whom the Corporation has failed to give said notice or whose notice was defective. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date.

 

(c) Notice having been mailed as aforesaid, from and after the redemption date (unless the Corporation defaults in providing money for the payment of the redemption price of the shares called for redemption), dividends on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, and all rights of the holders thereof as stockholders of the Corporation (except the right to receive from the Corporation the redemption price) shall cease. Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for any shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall so require and the notice shall so state), such shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation at the redemption price aforesaid. If fewer than all the shares represented by any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without cost to the holder thereof.

 

Section 7. Voting Rights . (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall be entitled to (i) vote with the holders of Common Stock in each election of directors of the Corporation submitted for a vote of holders of Common Stock, (ii) 17,000 votes per share of Series C Preferred Stock and (iii) notice of any stockholders’ meeting at which directors are to be elected in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws of the Corporation. If the Corporation at any time after the date of issuance of the Series C Preferred

 

-9-


Stock pays any dividend on Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or effects a subdivision or combination of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes to which holders of Series C Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under Section 7(a)(ii) shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(b) The consent or votes required in Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any approval of stockholders of the Corporation which may be required by law or pursuant to any provision of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws, which approval shall be obtained by vote of the stockholders of the Corporation in the manner provided in Section 7(a).

 

(c) Except as otherwise required by applicable law or as set forth herein, the shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights and powers and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.

 

Section 8. General Provisions . (a) The term “Person” as used herein means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust, organization, association, other entity or individual.

 

(b) The term “outstanding”, when used with reference to shares of stock in this Section C, shall mean issued shares, excluding shares held by the Corporation.

 

(c) Each holder of Series C Preferred Stock, by acceptance thereof, acknowledges and agrees that payments of dividends, interest, premium and principal on, and exchange, redemption and repurchase of, such securities by the Corporation are subject to restrictions on the Corporation contained in certain credit and financing agreements.

 

Article 5

 

The stockholders of the Corporation shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Corporation, except Bylaws adopted by the shareholders that specify that they cannot be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors.

 

Article 6

 

Election of Directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.

 

-10-


Article 7

 

A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

 

If the Delaware General Corporation Law is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a director, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

 

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article 7 by the stockholders of the Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

 

-11-


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

 

OF

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

Ozark Holding Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Corporation ”), does hereby certify as follows:

 

Article 1 of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended to read in its entirety as set forth below:

 

Article 1

 

The name of the Corporation is Oracle Corporation.

 

This Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be effective as of 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on January 31, 2006.

 

This Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Ozark Holding Inc. has caused this Certificate to be executed in its corporate name this 31 st day of January 2006.

 

OZARK HOLDING INC.
a Delaware corporation
By:  

Safra A. Catz


Name:   Safra A. Catz
Title:   President and Chief Financial Officer

 

-12-

EXHIBIT 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

ORACLE CORPORATION

 

(a Delaware corporation)

Adopted January 31, 2006


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page

     ARTICLE 1     
     S TOCKHOLDERS     

Section 1.01.

  

Annual Meetings

   1

Section 1.02.

  

Special Meetings

   1

Section 1.03.

  

Notice of Meetings

   1

Section 1.04.

  

Adjournments

   1

Section 1.05.

  

Quorum

   1

Section 1.06.

  

Organization

   1

Section 1.07.

  

Voting, Proxies

   1

Section 1.08.

  

Fixing Date For Determination of Stockholders of Record

   2

Section 1.09.

  

List of Stockholders Entitled To Vote

   2

Section 1.10.

  

Action By Consent of Stockholders

   2
     ARTICLE 2     
     B OARD O F D IRECTORS     

Section 2.01.

  

Number, Qualifications

   3

Section 2.02.

  

Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies

   3

Section 2.03.

  

Regular Meetings

   3

Section 2.04.

  

Special Meetings

   3

Section 2.05.

  

Telephonic Meetings Permitted

   3

Section 2.06.

  

Quorum; Vote Required For Action

   3

Section 2.07.

  

Organization

   3

Section 2.08.

  

Written Action By Directors

   3

Section 2.09.

  

Powers

   4

Section 2.10.

  

Compensation of Directors

   4
     ARTICLE 3     
     C OMMITTEES     

Section 3.01.

  

Committees

   4

Section 3.02.

  

Committee Rules

   4
     ARTICLE 4     
     O FFICERS     

Section 4.01.

  

Generally

   4

Section 4.02.

  

President

   4

Section 4.03.

  

Vice President

   5

Section 4.04.

  

Treasurer

   5

Section 4.05.

  

Secretary

   5

Section 4.06.

  

Delegation of Authority

   5

Section 4.07.

  

Removal

   5
     ARTICLE 5     
     S TOCK     

Section 5.01.

  

Certificates

   5

Section 5.02.

  

Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates

   5

Section 5.03.

  

Other Regulations

   5

 

i


     ARTICLE 6     
     I NDEMNIFICATION     

Section 6.01.

  

Indemnification of Officers, Directors and Employees

   5

Section 6.02.

  

Advance of Expenses

   6

Section 6.03.

  

Non-exclusivity of Rights

   6

Section 6.04.

  

Indemnification of Contracts

   6

Section 6.05.

  

Insurance

   6

Section 6.06.

  

Effect of Amendment

   6
     ARTICLE 7     
     N OTICES     

Section 7.01.

  

Notice

   6

Section 7.02.

  

Waiver of Notice

   7
     ARTICLE 8     
     I NTERESTED D IRECTORS     

Section 8.01.

  

Interest and Directors; Quorum

   7
     ARTICLE 9     
     M ISCELLANEOUS     

Section 9.01.

  

Fiscal Year

   7

Section 9.02.

  

Seal

   7

Section 9.03.

  

Form of Records

   7

Section 9.04.

  

Reliance Upon Books and Records

   7

Section 9.05.

  

Certificate of Incorporation Governs

   8

Section 9.06.

  

Severability

   8
     ARTICLE 10     
     A MENDMENT     

Section 10.01.

  

Amendments

   8

 

ii


AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

OF

ORACLE CORPORATION

(a Delaware corporation)

Adopted January 31, 2006

 

ARTICLE 1

S TOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1.01. Annual Meetings . An annual meeting of stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date, time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors shall each year fix. Any other proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting.

 

Section 1.02. Special Meetings . Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Board of Directors or stockholders holding shares representing not less than twenty percent of the outstanding votes entitled to vote at the meeting. Special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons.

 

Section 1.03. Notice of Meetings . Written notice of all meetings of stockholders shall be given stating the place, date and time of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, such notice shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.

 

Section 1.04. Adjournments . Any meeting of stockholders may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or another place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time, date and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.

 

Section 1.05. Quorum . At each meeting of stockholders the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum, except where otherwise required by law. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, at the meeting may adjourn the meeting. Shares of the Corporation’s stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any other corporation to vote any of the Corporation’s stock held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

 

Section 1.06. Organization . Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by such person as the Board of Directors may designate, or, in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board, or, in the absence of such person, the President of the Corporation, or, in the absence of such person, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, at the meeting. Such person shall be chairman of the meeting and shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seems to him or her to be in order. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 1.07. Voting; Proxies . Unless otherwise provided by law, and subject to the provisions of Section 1.6 of these Bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by


such stockholder. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot and need not be conducted by inspectors unless such is demanded by a stockholder or stockholders holding shares representing at least one percent of the votes entitled to vote at such meeting, or by such stockholder’s or stockholders’ proxy. If a vote is to be taken by written ballot, each such ballot shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as the chairman of the meeting deems appropriate, and the ballots shall be counted by one or more inspectors appointed by the chairman of the meeting. At all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect. All other elections and questions, unless otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote thereon present in person or by proxy at the meeting.

 

Section 1.08. Fixing Date For Determination of Stockholders of Record . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, then the record date shall be as provided by law. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date for such consent. Such request shall include a brief description of the action proposed to be taken. The Board of Directors shall, within 10 days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date. Such record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and shall not be more than 10 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within 10 days of the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or any officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

Section 1.09. List of Stockholders Entitled To Vote . A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder, shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.

 

Section 1.10. Action By Consent of Stockholders . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, and except as set forth in Section 1.8 above, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.

 

2


ARTICLE 2

B OARD O F D IRECTORS

 

Section 2.01. Number; Qualifications . The Board of Directors shall consist of three or more members. The initial number of directors shall be three, and thereafter shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. Directors need not be stockholders.

 

Section 2.02. Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies . The Board of Directors shall initially consist of the person or persons elected by the incorporator. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Subject to the rights of any holders of Preferred Stock then outstanding, (i) any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors, and (ii) any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors for any cause, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors to be elected by all stockholders having the right to vote as a single class, may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, or by the stockholders. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

Section 2.03. Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places, within or without the State of Delaware, and at such times as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. Notice of regular meetings need not be given if the date, times and places thereof are fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.04. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Board of Directors and may be held at any time, date or place, within or without the State of Delaware, as the person or persons calling the meeting shall fix. Notice of the time, date and place of such meeting shall be given by the person or persons calling the meeting to all directors at least four days before the meeting if the notice is mailed, or at least two days before the meeting if such notice is given by telephone, hand delivery, telegram, telex, mailgram, facsimile or similar communication method. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.

 

Section 2.05. Telephonic Meetings Permitted . Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee of the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to conference telephone or similar communications equipment shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 2.06. Quorum; Vote Required For Action . At all meetings of the Board of Directors a majority of the total number of authorized directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Except as otherwise provided herein or required by law, the vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.07. Organization . Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, or in his or her absence by the President, or in his or her absence by a chairman chosen at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 2.08. Written Action By Directors . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.

 

3


Section 2.09. Powers . The Board of Directors may, except as otherwise required by law, exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

 

Section 2.10. Compensation of Directors . Directors, as such, may receive, pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, fees and other compensation for their services as directors, including, without limitation, their services as members of committees of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE 3

C OMMITTEES

 

Section 3.01. Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of the committee, the member or members thereof present at any meetings and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in a resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation (except that a committee may, to the extent authorized in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of shares of stock adopted by the Board of Directors as provided in subsection (a) of Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, fix the designations and any of the preferences or rights of such shares relating to dividends, redemption, dissolution and distribution of assets of the Corporation, or the conversion into, or the exchange of such shares for, shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation, or fix the number of shares of any series of stock or authorize the increase or decrease of the shares of any series), adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation under Sections 251 or 252 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending the Bylaws of the Corporation; and unless the resolution of the Board of Directors expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend, authorize the issuance of stock or adopt a certificate of ownership and merger pursuant to Section 253 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Section 3.02. Committee Rules . Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE 4

O FFICERS

 

Section 4.01. Generally . The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers, including a Chairman of the Board of Directors, as may from time to time be appointed by the Board of Directors. Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.02. President . Unless otherwise designated by the Board of Directors, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, he or she shall have the responsibility for the general management and

 

4


control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers that are commonly incident to the office of chief executive or that are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. He or she shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation that are authorized and shall have general supervision and direction of all of the duties, employees and agents of the Corporation.

 

Section 4.03. Vice President . Each Vice President shall have such powers and duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. A Vice President may be designated by the Board to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President in the event of the President’s absence or disability.

 

Section 4.04. Treasurer . The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for maintaining the financial records of the Corporation and shall have custody of all monies and securities of the Corporation. He or she shall make such disbursements of the funds of the Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 4.05. Secretary . The Secretary shall issue or cause to be issued all authorized notices for, and shall keep, or cause to be kept, minutes of, all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. He or she shall have charge of the corporate books and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 4.06. Delegation of Authority . The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officers or agents, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

 

Section 4.07. Removal . Any officer of the Corporation may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors. Such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if any, with the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE 5

S TOCK

 

Section 5.01. Certificates . Every holder of stock shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such stockholder in the Corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.

 

Section 5.02. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates . The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in the place of any certificate previously issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

 

Section 5.03. Other Regulations . The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of stock certificates shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.

 

ARTICLE 6

I NDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 6.01. Indemnification of Officers , Directors and Employees. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a

 

5


person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director, officer or employee of the Corporation (including any constituent corporation absorbed in a merger) or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation (including any such constituent corporation) as a director, officer or employee of another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer or employee and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnity in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 6.02. Advance of Expenses . The Corporation shall pay all expenses incurred by such a director, officer or employee in defending any such proceeding as they are incurred in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that if the Delaware General Corporation Law then so requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director, officer or employee in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director, officer or employee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it should be determined ultimately that such director, officer or employee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI or otherwise; and provided further that the Corporation shall not be required to advance any expenses to a person against whom the Corporation brings a claim, in a proceeding, for breach of the duty of loyalty to the Corporation, for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law or for any transaction from which such person derived an improper personal benefit.

 

Section 6.03. Non-exclusivity of Rights . The rights conferred on any person in this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other right that such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw, agreement, vote or consent of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

Section 6.04. Indemnification of Contracts . The Board of Directors is authorized to cause the Corporation to enter into a contract with any director, officer or employee of the Corporation, or any person serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including employee benefit plans, providing for indemnification rights equivalent to or, if the Board of Directors so determines, greater than, those provided for in this Article VI.

 

Section 6.05. Insurance . The Corporation shall maintain insurance, at its expense, to the extent it determines such to be reasonably available, to protect itself, its officers and directors and any other persons the Board of Directors may select, against any such expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Section 6.06. Effect of Amendment . Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision of this Article VI by the stockholders or the Directors of the Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any right or protection conferred on a person pursuant to this Article VI and existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.

 

ARTICLE 7

N OTICES

 

Section 7.01. Notice . Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or required by law, all notices required to be given pursuant to these Bylaws shall be in writing and may in every instance be effectively given by hand delivery (including use of a courier service), by depositing such notice in the mail, postage prepaid, or by sending such notice by prepaid telegram, telex, mailgram or facsimile. Any such notice shall be addressed to the person to whom notice is to be given at such persons address as it appears on

 

6


the records of the Corporation. The notice shall be deemed given (i) in the case of hand delivery, when received by the person to whom notice is to be given or by any person accepting such notice on behalf of such person, (ii) in the case of delivery by mail, when deposited in the mail, and (iii) in the case of delivery via telegram, mailgram, telex, or facsimile, when dispatched.

 

Section 7.02. Waiver of Notice . Any written waiver of notice, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice.

 

ARTICLE 8

I NTERESTED D IRECTORS

 

Section 8.01. Interest and Directors; Quorum . No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board or committee thereof that authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his, her or their votes are counted for such purpose if: (i) the material facts as to his, her or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; (ii) the material facts as to his, her or their relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof, or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

 

ARTICLE 9

M ISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 9.01. Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.02. Seal . The Board of Directors may provide for a corporate seal, which shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall otherwise be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.03. Form of Records . Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on, or be in the form of, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, microphotographs or any other information storage device, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect the same.

 

Section 9.04. Reliance Upon Books and Records . A member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or a member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers, or by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care by the Board of Directors or by any such committee, or in relying in good faith upon other records of the Corporation.

 

7


Section 9.05. Certificate of Incorporation Governs . In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall govern.

 

Section 9.06. Severability . If any provision of these Bylaws shall be held to be invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the provisions of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, then such provision shall nonetheless be enforced to the maximum extent possible consistent with such holding and the remaining provisions of these Bylaws (including without limitation, all portions of any section of these Bylaws containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation) that are not themselves invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 10

A MENDMENT

 

Section 10.01. Amendments . The shareholders of the Corporation shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Corporation, except Bylaws adopted by the shareholders that specify that they cannot be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors.

 

8

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

ORACLE CORPORATION

 

and

 

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

Rights Agent

 

PREFERRED SHARES RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of January 31, 2006


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

     Page

1. Certain Definitions

   1

2. Appointment of Rights Agent

   6

3. Issuance of Rights Certificates

   6

4. Form of Rights Certificates

   7

5. Countersignature and Registration

   8

6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates

   9

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

   10

8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates

   11

9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares

   12

10. Preferred Shares Record Date

   13

11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights

   13

12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares

   20

13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power

   21

14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares

   23

15. Rights Of Action

   24

16. Agreement of Rights Holders

   24

17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder

   25

18. Concerning the Rights Agent

   25

19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent

   26

20. Duties of Rights Agent

   26

21. Change of Rights Agent

   28

22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates

   29

23. Redemption

   29

24. Exchange

   30

25. Notice of Certain Events

   32

26. Notices

   32

27. Supplements and Amendments

   33

28. Successors

   33

29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc

   33

30. Benefits of this Agreement

   33

31. Severability

   34

32. Governing Law

   34

33. Counterparts

   34

34. Descriptive Headings

   34

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    Form of Rights Certificate
Exhibit B    Summary of Rights

 

-i-


ORACLE CORPORATION

 

PREFERRED SHARES RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of January 31, 2006, is made between Oracle Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “ Rights Agent ”).

 

RECITALS

 

On September 8, 2005 the Board of Directors of the Company approved and authorized the officers of the Company to enter into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 12, 2005, as amended, among the Company, Siebel Systems, Inc., Oracle Systems Corporation (“ Old Oracle ”), Ozark Merger Sub Inc. and Sierra Merger Sub Inc. (the “ Merger Agreement ”), which required that the Company adopt a shareholder rights plan, effective as of the effective time of the merger of Old Oracle with Ozark Merger Sub Inc. (the “ Merger ”), having terms and conditions substantially identical to the terms and condtions set forth in the Amended and Restated Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of March 31, 1998, as amended, between Old Oracle and BankBoston, N.A., as rights agent (the “ Original Agreement ”).

 

On the effective date of the Merger, (i) the Original Agreement will be terminated, (ii) this Agreement will become effective and (iii) the Company will declare a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “ Right ”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined) on January 31, 2006 (the “ Record Date ”), each Right then representing the right to purchase one one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined).

 

AGREEMENT

 

The parties 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 who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person either (i) as the result of the acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of Common Shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of Common Shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by


the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares), then such Person shall be deemed to be an Acquiring Person; or (ii) (x) if a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of the Common Shares that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of the Common Shares it beneficially owned but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and (y) if such Person divested or divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or to have become an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement. Furthermore, notwithstanding the foregoing,

 

(1) Lawrence J. Ellison (“ Ellison ”), and his Affiliates and Associates, shall not be or become an Acquiring Person on account of the beneficial ownership of Common Shares of the Company by any of them, so long as Ellison, and his Affiliates and Associates (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) do not, after the date hereof, acquire from any third party other than the Company, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of more than an additional 1% of the Company’s Common Shares then outstanding; and

 

(2) No Successor of Ellison, his Affiliates and Associates, or any Affiliate, Associate or Successor of such Successor, shall become an Acquiring Person on account of Common Shares received directly or indirectly from Ellison, so long as such Successor, Affiliate or Associate does not thereafter acquire from any third party other than the Company, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of more than an additional 1% of the Company’s Common Shares then outstanding.

 

(b) “ Affiliate ” and “ Associate ” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

 

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

 

(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 thereunder (or any comparable or successor law or regulation);

 

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(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided , however , that a Person shall not be deemed pursuant to this Section l(c)(ii)(A) the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (1) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange or (2) securities which a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may be deemed to have the right to acquire pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) if such agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to there being an Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided , however , that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security under this Section l(c)(ii)(B) if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

 

(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (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) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section l(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided , however , that in no case shall an officer or director of the Company be deemed (x) the Beneficial Owner of any securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the Company solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity as officers or directors of the Company or (y) the Beneficial Owner of securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the officer or director, by reason of any influence that such officer or director may have over the voting of the securities held in the plan.

 

(d) “ Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 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., Massachusetts time, on such date; provided , however , that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Massachusetts time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

-3-


(f) “ Common Shares ” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of Common Stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share. “ Common Shares ” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

 

(g) Intentionally Omitted

 

(h) “ Distribution Date ” shall mean the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth day (or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company) after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the Close of Business on the Record Date) or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth day (or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if, assuming the successful consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.

 

(i) “ Equivalent Shares ” shall mean Preferred Shares and any other class or series of capital stock of the Company that is entitled to participate in dividends and other distributions, including distributions upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, on a proportional basis with the Common Shares. In calculating the number of any class or series of Equivalent Shares for purposes of Section 11 of this Agreement, the number of shares, or fractions of a share, of such class or series of capital stock that is entitled to the same dividend or distribution as a whole Common Share shall be deemed to be one share.

 

(j) “ Expiration Date ” shall mean the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date, (iii) the time at which the Board of Directors orders the exchange of the Rights as provided in Section 24 of this Agreement or (iv) the consummation of a transaction contemplated by Section 13(d) of this Agreement.

 

(k) “ Final Expiration Date ” shall mean March 31, 2008.

 

(1) “ Permitted Offer ” shall mean a tender offer for all outstanding Common Shares made in the manner prescribed by Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; provided, however, that a majority of the Board has determined that the offer is both adequate and otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders (taking into account all factors that the Board deems relevant, including without limitation prices that could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value).

 

-4-


(m) “ Person ” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

(n) “ Preferred Shares ” shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company.

 

(o) “ Purchase Price ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) of this Agreement.

 

(p) “ Record Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

(q) “ Redemption Date ” shall mean the time at which the Board of Directors of the Company orders redemption of the Rights as provided in Section 23 of this Agreement.

 

(r) “ Redemption Price ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) of this Agreement.

 

(s) “ Right ” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

(t) “ Section 13 Event ” shall mean any event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a) of this Agreement.

 

(u) “ Shares Acquisition Date ” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such; provided that, if such person is determined not to have become an Acquiring Person pursuant to Section l(a) of this Agreement, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have occurred.

 

(v) “ Subsidiary ” of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect a majority of the directors or Persons having similar authority of such corporation or other entity is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or any corporation or other entity otherwise controlled by such Person.

 

(w) A “ Successor ” shall mean the estate or legal representative of a deceased individual, the beneficiary of a deceased individual’s estate, a trust created by a deceased individual as grantor, or the beneficiary of a trust created by a deceased individual as grantor or any other transferee of an individual approved by the Company’s Board of Directors prior to the ninetieth (90th) day after the Board of Directors receives written notice of such transfer.

 

(x) “ Total Exercise Price ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) of this Agreement.

 

(y) “ Trading Day ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) of this Agreement.

 

-5-


(z) A “ Triggering Event ” shall be deemed to have occurred upon any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becoming an Acquiring Person.

 

2. Appointment of Rights Agent . The Company hereby confirms the continuing appointment of the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.

 

3. Issuance of Rights Certificates .

 

(a) Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Sections 3(b) and 3(c) of this Agreement) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Rights Certificates) and not by separate Rights Certificates and (ii) the right to receive Rights Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of such certificates for Common Shares shall also constitute the surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Rights Certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement (a “ Rights Certificate ”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per Common Share has been made pursuant to Section 11(a)(i), Section 11(i) or Section 11(p) of this Agreement, then at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) of this Agreement) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates and may be transferred by the transfer of the Rights Certificates as permitted hereby, separately and apart from any transfer of one or more Common Shares, and the holders of such Rights Certificates as listed in the records of the Company or any transfer agent or registrar for the Rights shall be the record holders thereof.

 

(b) Upon the request of any holder of any Common Shares or, after the Distribution Date, the holder of any Rights, the Company shall, at its expense, provide a copy of the Summary of Rights in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B .

 

-6-


(c) Unless the Board of Directors, by resolution adopted at or before the time of the issuance (including pursuant to the exercise of rights under the Company’s benefit plans) of any Common Shares, specifies to the contrary, Rights shall be issued in respect of all Common Shares that are issued after the date of this Agreement but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 of this Agreement, after the Distribution Date. Certificates representing such Common Shares shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:

 

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Oracle Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., dated as of January 31, 2006, as such may subsequently be amended (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 Oracle Corporation Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Oracle Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As described in Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, Rights beneficially owned by any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain other Persons shall become null and void.

 

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.

 

4. Form of Rights Certificates .

 

(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Common Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 of this Agreement, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date (or in the case of Rights issued with respect to Common Shares issued by the Company after the Record Date, as of the date of issuance of such Common Shares), shall show the date of countersignature by

 

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the Rights Agent, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share being hereinafter referred to as the “ Purchase Price ” and the aggregate exercise price of all Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of one Right being hereinafter referred to as the “ Total Exercise Price ”), but the number and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

 

(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 of this Agreement that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) of this Agreement, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 of this Agreement upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:

 

The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement.

 

In the event that the Rights become exercisable, the Rights Agent and the Company will agree upon a procedure for determining which Rights will bear such legend.

 

5. Countersignature and Registration .

 

(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal (if any) or a facsimile thereof. The Rights Certificates shall be manually countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the 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

 

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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 Certificate 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 Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

 

(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purposes, 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), 14 and 24 of this Agreement, 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 Rights 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 one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates 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. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(e), 14 and 24 of this Agreement, countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.

 

(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

 

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

 

(a) Subject to Section 7(e) of this Agreement, 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 surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the Expiration Date.

 

(b) The Purchase Price for each one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a Preferred Share issuable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $125, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 of this Agreement and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

 

(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share (or other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9 of this Agreement in cash, or by certified check or cashier’s check payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) of this Agreement, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Shares) a certificate or certificates for the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depository agent, requisition from the depository agent of depository receipts representing such number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depository agent) and the Company hereby directs the depository agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 of this Agreement, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depository 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 thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced (including to zero) pursuant to Section 11(a)(iv) of this Agreement) may be made in cash or by certified check or cashier’s check payable to the order of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.

 

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(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise 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 to the registered holder of such Rights Certificate or to his or her duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 of this Agreement.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event or a Section 13 Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such (a “ Post Transferee ”), (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e) (a “ Prior Transferee ”) or (iv) any subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights from a Post Transferee or a Prior Transferee, either directly or through one or more intermediate transferees, shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) of this Agreement are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or any of such Acquiring Person’s 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 such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

 

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 to 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.

 

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9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares .

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will use its best efforts to cause to be reserved and kept available out of and to the extent of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock not reserved for another purpose (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Shares and/or other securities), the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of the Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

 

(b) If the Company shall hereafter list any of its Preferred Shares on a national securities exchange, then so long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable and deliverable upon exercise of the Rights may be listed on a national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable (but only to the extent that it is reasonably likely that the Rights will be exercised), all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

 

(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iv) of 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 “ Securities 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 Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and (B) the date of expiration of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating, and notify the Rights Agent, that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and notification to the Rights Agent at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. 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, or an exemption therefrom shall be available, and until a registration statement has been declared effective.

 

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

 

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

 

10. Preferred Shares Record Date . Each person in whose name any certificate for a number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share with respect to which the Rights have been exercised (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided , however , that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares 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 Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

 

11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights . The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or other property 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) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at any time after the date of this Rights Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare and pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination, stock split or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend payable in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then, in each such case, the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter,

 

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shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.

 

(ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event a Triggering Event shall have occurred, then promptly following such Triggering Event, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) of this Agreement, shall thereafter have the right to receive for each Right, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the then-current Total Exercise Price, in lieu of a number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the then-current Purchase Price by the then number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable (or would have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred) immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, and dividing that product by 50% of the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) for Common Shares on the date of occurrence of the Triggering Event (such number of shares being hereinafter referred to as the “ Adjustment Shares ”).

 

(iii) The right to buy Common Shares of the Company pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement shall not arise as a result of any Person becoming an Acquiring Person through an acquisition of Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer.

 

(iv) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement, the Company may, if the Board of Directors determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the interest of holders of Rights (and, in the event that the number of Common Shares which are authorized by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights, or if any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance has not been obtained by the Company, the Company shall): (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “ Current Value ”) over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the “ Spread ”) and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for such Common Shares, upon exercise of the Rights, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or units of shares of any series of Preferred Stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as Common Shares (such shares or units of shares of Preferred Stock are herein called “ common stock equivalents ”)), except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (4) debt securities of the Company, except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally

 

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recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided , however , if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Triggering Event and (y) the date on which the Company’s right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the “ Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date ”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available), except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights or that any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance will be obtained, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares or take action to obtain such regulatory approval (such period, as it may be extended, the “ Substitution Period ”). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iv), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) of this Agreement, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares, to take any action to obtain any required regulatory approval and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iv), the value of the Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) of the Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any “ common stock equivalent ” shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date.

 

(b) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this Agreement, fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares or of any class or series of Equivalent Shares entitling such holders (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or Equivalent Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares or Equivalent Shares at a price per share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares or Equivalent Shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Common Shares or Equivalent Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, then, in each such case, 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 Common Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any) outstanding on such record date, plus the number of Common Shares or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Common Shares or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the

 

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convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any) outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional Common Shares or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, 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 in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Common Shares and Equivalent 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) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this Agreement, fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Common Shares or of any class or series of Equivalent Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend, if any, or a dividend payable in Common Shares) or subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), then, in each such case, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) of a Common Share or an Equivalent Share on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a Common Share or Equivalent Share, as the case may be, and the denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) of a Common Share or Equivalent Share on such record date. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

(d) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iv) of this Agreement, the “ current per share market price ” of any security (a “ Security ” for the purpose of this Section 11(d)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iv) of this Agreement, the “ current per share market price ” of any Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date; provided , however , that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such

 

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Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares or (ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, 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 per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last sale price or, if such last sale price is not reported, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the Nasdaq National Market (“ Nasdaq ”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Shares, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term “ Trading Day ” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Shares are not publicly held or so listed or traded, “ current per share market price ” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent 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 1% in the Purchase Price; provided , however , that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share or other share or one hundred-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 requires such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

 

(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) or 13(a) of this Agreement, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and if required, the Purchase Price thereof, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Common Shares contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (h), (i), (j), (k), (1) and (m), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

 

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

 

(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b), 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 hundred-thousandth of a share) 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 as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) 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 such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 of this Agreement, 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.

 

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(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 one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share and the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.

 

(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the par or stated value, if any, of the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue as fully paid and nonassessable shares such number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share at such adjusted Purchase Price.

 

(1) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided , however , that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

 

(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, prior to the Distribution Date, 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 (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred or Common Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred or Common Shares at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of Preferred or Common Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred or Common Shares, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred or Common Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

 

(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, effect or permit to occur any Triggering Event or Section 13 Event, if (i) at the time or immediately after such Triggering Event or Section 13 Event there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such Section 13 Event, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the “ Principal Party ” for purposes of Section 13(b) of this Agreement shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.

 

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(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 23, 24 or 27 of this Agreement, take (or permit to be taken) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

 

(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event 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 (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of Preferred Shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11 and Section 7(e) of this Agreement: (1) each of the Rights outstanding at the time of the record date for such dividend or the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted to that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth (1/10,000) of a Right) equal to a fraction (the “ Exchange Fraction ”), the numerator of which shall be the total number of Preferred Shares or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of the Preferred Shares outstanding immediately following such time and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Preferred Shares outstanding immediately prior to such time, and the number of Rights that shall thereafter be issued with respect to each Common Share or share of other capital stock that shall be issued in a reclassification of the Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date shall be equal to the total number of outstanding Rights immediately after such event (as adjusted pursuant to this clause (1)) divided by the total number of outstanding Common Shares or shares of such other capital stock immediately after such event (subject to further adjustment pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement); (2) 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 shall be adjusted so that the Purchase Price thereafter shall equal the result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such time by the Exchange Fraction; provided , however , that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of such Right; and (3) the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share or share of such other capital stock issuable upon the exercise of each Right shall remain unchanged immediately after such event, but, in the event of a reclassification, the kind of shares issuable upon the exercise of each Right immediately after such reclassification shall be adjusted to be the kind of shares of such other capital stock issued in such reclassification, rather than Preferred Shares.

 

12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares . Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) if such adjustment occurs after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity

 

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of such adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

 

13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power .

 

(a) In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly:

 

(i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state of incorporation of the Company or that complies with Section 11(o) of this Agreement);

 

(ii) any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) of this Agreement) shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger; or

 

(iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions, each of which complies with Section 11(o) of this Agreement),

 

then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that:

 

(A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), free of any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Triggering Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Triggering Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence) and (2) dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the “ Total Exercise Price ” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) of the Common Shares of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;

 

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(B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;

 

(C) the term “ Company ” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 of this Agreement shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;

 

(D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions of this Agreement shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.

 

(b) “ Principal Party ” shall mean, in the case of any transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a), the Person referred to therein or such Person’s successor, including, if applicable, the Company, if it is the surviving corporation), provided , however , that in any such case, (i) if such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person, “ Principal Party ” shall refer to such other Person and (ii) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, “ Principal Party ” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate value, and provided , further , that for purposes of transactions described in clause (iii) of this Section 13(b), “ Principal Party ” shall refer to that Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions.

 

(c) If, for any reason, the Rights cannot be exercised for Common Shares of such Principal Party as provided in Section 13(a), then each holder of Rights shall have the right to exchange its Rights for cash from such Principal Party in an amount equal to the number of Common Shares that it would otherwise be entitled to purchase times 50% of the current per share market price, as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement, of such Common Shares of such Principal Party. If, for any reason, the foregoing formulation cannot be applied to determine the cash amount into which the Rights are exchangeable, then the Board of Directors, based upon the advice of one or more nationally recognized investment banking firms, and based upon the total value of the Company, shall determine such amount reasonably and with good faith to the holders of Rights. Any such determination shall be final and binding on the Rights Agent.

 

(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 13(a) if: (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons); (ii) the price per share of Common Shares offered in such transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Shares paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were purchased pursuant to such Permitted Offer; and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of Common Shares pursuant to such transaction is the same form as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer. Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.

 

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(e) The Company shall not consummate any Section 13 Event unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized Common 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 such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that such Principal Party shall, upon consummation of such Section 13 Event, assume this Agreement in accordance with Sections 13(a) and (b) of this Agreement, that all rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the issuance of Common Shares of such Principal Party upon exercise of outstanding Rights have been waived, that there are no rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights and that such transaction shall not result in a default by such Principal Party under this Agreement, and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of such Section 13 Event, such Principal Party will:

 

(i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;

 

(ii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a national securities exchange or to meet the eligibility requirements for quotation on NASDAQ; and

 

(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for such Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act.

 

In the event that at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering Event some or all of the Rights shall not have been exercised at the time of a transaction described in this Section 13, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter be exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a) (without taking into account any prior adjustment required by Section 11(a)(ii)).

 

(f) The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.

 

14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares .

 

(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, at

 

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the election of the Company, 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 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable, as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) of this Agreement.

 

(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share). In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share, the Company shall 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 a Common Share. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) of this Agreement) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

 

(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed; and

 

(c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f) of this Agreement, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common 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.

 

17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder . No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 of this Agreement), 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 of this Agreement.

 

18. Concerning the Rights Agent .

 

(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent such compensation as shall be agreed upon in writing between the Company and the Rights Agent for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

 

(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for the Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 of this Agreement.

 

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19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent .

 

(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties to this Agreement; provided , however , that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 of this Agreement. 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 Rights Agent 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.

 

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

 

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

 

(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 per share market price ”) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

 

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(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

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

 

(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery of this Agreement (except the due execution of this Agreement by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt by the Rights Agent of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12 describing such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five (5) Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

 

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

 

(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised 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 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

 

21. Change of Rights Agent . The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares by registered or certified 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 Preferred Shares and the Common Shares by registered or certified mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his or her 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 either (a) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stockholder

 

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services powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million or (b) an affiliate of such a corporation. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

 

22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates . Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided , however , that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued and this sentence shall be null and void ab initio if, and to the extent that, such issuance or this sentence would create a significant risk of or result in material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued or would create a significant risk of or result in such options’ or employee plans’ or arrangements’ failing to qualify for otherwise available special tax treatment and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.

 

23. Redemption .

 

(a) The Company may, at its option and with the approval of the Board of Directors, at any time prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of (i) the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company and publicly announced by the Company or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.000148 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of this Agreement (such redemption price being herein referred to as the “Redemption Price”) and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares (based on the current per share market price thereof (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement) at the time of redemption) or cash.

 

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

 

24. Exchange .

 

(a) Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, and subject to subsection (c) below, the Company may, at its option, by majority vote of the Board of Directors, at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, 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) of this Agreement) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of this Agreement (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “ Ratio of Exchange ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

 

(b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Ratio of Exchange. The Company shall give public notice of any such exchange; provided , however , that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares 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) of this Agreement) held by each holder of Rights.

 

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(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with Section 24(a), the Company shall either take such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights or alternatively, at the option of a majority of the Board of Directors, with respect to each Right (i) pay cash in an amount equal to the Current Value (as hereinafter defined), in lieu of issuing Common Shares in exchange therefor, or (ii) issue debt or equity securities or a combination thereof, having a value equal to the Current Value, in lieu of issuing Common Shares in exchange for each such Right, where the value of such securities shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors by majority vote of the Board of Directors, or (iii) deliver any combination of cash, property, Common Shares and/or other securities having a value equal to the Current Value in exchange for each Right. For purposes of this Section 24(c) only, the Current Value shall mean the product of the current per share market price of Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) on the date of the occurrence of the event described above in subparagraph (a)) multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which the Right otherwise would be exchangeable if there were sufficient shares available. To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of this Section 24(c), the Board of Directors may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to sixty (60) days following the date on which the event described in Section 24(a) shall have occurred, in order to seek any authorization of additional Common Shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to the above provision and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.

 

(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current per share market value of a whole Common Share (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) of this Agreement).

 

(e) The Company may, at its option, by majority vote of the Board of Directors, at any time before any Person has become an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding Rights for rights of substantially equivalent value, as determined reasonably and with good faith by the Board of Directors, based upon the advice of one or more nationally recognized investment banking firms.

 

(f) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of rights in exchange therefor as has been determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with subsection (e) above. The Company shall give public notice of any such exchange; provided , however , that the failure to

 

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give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company 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 transfer agent for the Common Shares of the Company. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Rights will be effected.

 

25. Notice of Certain Events .

 

(a) In case the Company shall propose to effect or permit to occur any Section 13 Event, the Company shall give notice thereof to each holder of Rights in accordance with Section 26 of this Agreement at least twenty (20) days prior to occurrence of such Section 13 Event.

 

(b) In case any Triggering Event or Section 13 Event shall occur, then, in any such case, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 of this Agreement, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Sections 11(a)(ii) and 13 of this Agreement.

 

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, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

 

Oracle Corporation

500 Oracle Parkway

Redwood City, CA 94065

Attention: General Counsel

 

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

 

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

250 Royall Street

Canton, MA 02021

Attention: Client Administration

 

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, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

 

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27. Supplements and Amendments . Prior to the Distribution Date, the Company, following the approval of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors, may supplement or amend this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, execute such supplement or amendment. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to (i) cure any ambiguity, (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person); provided, this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, (A) a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable or (B) any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Shares.

 

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

 

29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc . For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board, or the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificates and all other parties and (y) not subject the Board or the members of the Board of Directors of the Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

 

30. Benefits of this Agreement . Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or

 

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equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement. 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 Common 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, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided , however , that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 of this Agreement shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.

 

32. Governing Law . This Agreement and each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and 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.

 

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 of this Agreement.

 

-34-


The parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

ORACLE CORPORATION

By:

 

/s/ Safra A. Catz


Name:

 

Safra A. Catz

Title:

 

President and Chief Financial Officer

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

By:

 

/s/ Dennis Moccia


Name:

 

Dennis Moccia

Title:

 

Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Oracle Corporation Preferred Shares Rights Agreement]

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO

AMENDED AND RESTATED PREFERRED SHARES RIGHTS AGREEMENT


EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

 

Certificate No. R-

               Rights

 

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 31, 2008, OR EARLIER IF TERMINATED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.000148 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH RIGHTS AGREEMENT.] *

 

RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

 

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 Preferred Shares Rights Agreement, dated as of January 31, 2006 (the “ Rights Agreement ”), between Oracle Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (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., Massachusetts time, on March 31, 2008, at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the “ Preferred Shares ”) of the Company at a purchase price of $125.00 per one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a Preferred Share (the “ Purchase Price ”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of January 31, 2006, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind 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.

 


* The portion of the legend in bracket shall be inserted only if applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.


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, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.000148 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged by the Company in whole or in part for Common Shares, substantially equivalent rights or other consideration as determined by 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 amount of securities as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

 

At the election of the Company, no fractional portion less than integral multiples of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a Preferred Share will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, 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 the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (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 an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent.

 

-2-


WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of                      , 2006.

 

ATTEST:    ORACLE CORPORATION

 


   By:  

 


Secretary         

 

Countersigned:

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

as Rights Agent

By:

 

 


    Authorized Signatory

 

-3-


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 and address of transferee)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

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

 

Dated:                          ,         

 

   

 


    Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or any other member of a medallion signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association.


CERTIFICATE

 

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

 

(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);

 

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

 

Dated:                          ,         

 

   
    Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or any other member of a medallion signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association.


Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate — continued

 

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

 

(To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Rights Certificate)

 

To:                         

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise                                  Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such number of one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share be issued in the name of:

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

(Please print name and address)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

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

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

(Please print name and address)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Dated:                          ,         

 

   
    Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or any other member of a medallion signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association.


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 Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement);

 

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

 

Dated:                          ,         

   

 


    Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or any other member of a medallion signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association.


Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate — continued

 

NOTICE

 

The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.


EXHIBIT B

 

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO

 

PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES

 

Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger among Oracle Corporation (the “Company”), Oracle Systems Corporation (“Old Oracle”), Siebel Systems, Inc., Ozark Merger Sub Inc. and Sierra Merger Sub Inc., dated as of September 12, 2005, as amended, the Company entered into a rights agreement with substantially identical terms and conditions as Old Oracle’s Amended and Restated Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of March 31, 1998, as amended. On January 31, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend was paid to stockholders of record on January 31, 2006 (the “Record Date”). As of the date hereof, if certain events related to an unsolicited takeover attempt occur, each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company, at a price of $125.00 per one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in an Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, dated as of January 31, 2006.

 

Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days (or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the Company’s Directors) following a public announcement that a person, or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”), has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the date of such announcement being the “Shares Acquisition Date”) or (ii) 10 days (or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the Company’s Directors) following the date that a tender offer or exchange offer is first published or sent, the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of such outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced by such Common Share certificates and no separate Rights Certificates will be distributed.

 

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares, even without such notation or a copy of the Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.


The Rights Agreement provides that Lawrence J. Ellison and his affiliates, associates and successors, certain successors thereto, or any other transferee approved by the Company’s Board of Directors shall not be or become an Acquiring Person on account of the beneficial ownership of Common Shares of the Company by any of them, so long as Ellison and his affiliates, associates and successors, certain successors thereto, or any other transferee approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, do not acquire from any third party other than the Company, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of more than an additional 1% of the Company’s Common Shares.

 

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on March 31, 2008 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

 

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 to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Common Shares or Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then current market price of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Common Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

 

The number of Rights associated with each Common Share and the rights associated with each Preferred Share are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

 

Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable and are junior to any other series of preferred stock the Company may issue (unless otherwise provided in the terms of such stock). Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a quarterly dividend payment of 10,125 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, each Preferred Share will be entitled to a $10,125.00 preference, and thereafter the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 10,125 times the aggregate payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 10,125 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 10,125 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.


Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares’ dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one and one-half Common Shares.

 

In the event that, after the Shares Acquisition Date, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. If the Company does not have authorized but unissued Common Shares sufficient to satisfy such obligation to issue Common Shares, the Company is obligated to deliver upon payment of the exercise price of a Right an amount of cash or other securities equivalent in value to the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of a Right.

 

At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one and one-half Common Shares per Right (subject to adjustment).

 

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. At the election of the Company, no fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of the one-six thousand seven hundred fiftieths of a Preferred Share) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

 

At any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date, or such later date as may be determined by a majority of the Company’s Directors, and (ii) the expiration date of the Rights, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.000148 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any 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.


The terms of the Rights may be amended in any respect by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that, from and after the Distribution Date, no such amendments shall be made without the approval of the holders of the Rights other than amendments made to (i) cure ambiguities, (ii) correct or supplement provisions that may be defective or inconsistent with other provisions of the Rights Agreement, (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement, or (iv) change or supplement the provisions of the Rights Agreement in any manner the Company may deem necessary provided that such change or supplement does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than an Acquiring Person). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of the Rights may not be supplemented or amended from and after the Distribution Date to lengthen a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at a time when the Rights are not by their terms redeemable or lengthen any other time period unless such lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of the Rights.

 

Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

 

A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as 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 hereby incorporated herein by refer

Exhibit 99.1

 

Oracle Press Release

 

Contact(s):

 

Bob Wynne    Krista Bessinger
Oracle Corporate Communications    Oracle Investor Relations
+1.650.506.5834    +1.650.506.4073
bob.wynne@oracle.com    krista.bessinger@oracle.com

 

Oracle Completes Acquisition Of Siebel

Oracle Becomes #1 in Customer Relationship Management

 

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., 31-JAN-2006 Oracle Corporation announced today the completion of its acquisition of Siebel Systems, Inc.

 

“Oracle is now the undisputed leader in Customer Relationship Management software,” said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. “Oracle’s focus on modern, standards-based applications and middleware is moving us into a leadership position in applications and on-demand services. Siebel accelerates that move.”

 

“Siebel’s expertise with industry-specific customer-facing applications combined with rich analytics will not only serve as the centerpiece of our CRM strategy for Oracle Fusion Applications, but can also be used to extend our current customers investments today,” said Oracle President Charles Phillips.

 

Former Siebel stockholders electing to receive Oracle common stock will receive a combination of stock and cash because the stock portion of the consideration was oversubscribed. The pro rata allocation of cash and stock payable to the electing holders will be announced following receipt of the final election results, which are expected to be available on or about February 2, 2006. Former Siebel stockholders not electing to receive Oracle common stock will receive $10.66 per share in cash. Oracle intends to repurchase shares in the marketplace equal to the amount issued effectively making it a cash transaction.

 

Oracle will host a conference call on Thursday, February 9, at 2:00 p.m. PST / 5:00 p.m. EST to discuss preliminary guidance for the combined companies. A live audio webcast of the call will be made available on the Oracle Investor Relations website at www.oracle.com/investor. The webcast will be available for replay for seven days following the conference call.

 

About Oracle

 

Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world’s largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com

 

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Trademarks

 

Oracle, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and Siebel are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

 

The above is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decision. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle’s products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.