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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-A/A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AMENDMENT NO. 1
Coach, Inc.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland 52-2242751
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(State of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
516 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
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(Address of principal executive Offices) (Zip Code)
If this form relates to the If this form relates to the
registration of a class of debt registration of a class of debt
securities and is effective upon securities and is to become
filing pursuant to General effective simultaneously with the
Instruction A(c)(i) please check effectiveness of a concurrent
the following box. |_| registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to
General Instruction A(c)(2) please
check the following box. |_|
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered each class is to be registered
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Common Share Purchase Right New York Stock Exchange, Inc
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
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(Title of Class)
This Amendment No. 1 amends the Registrant's registration statement on Form
8-A dated May 9, 2001 in connection with the Registrant's listing of the Common
Share Purchase Rights on the New York Stock Exchange.
This Amendment No. 1 is being filed to amend and restate Item 1 of this
Registration Statement and to replace Exhibit 1 to this Registration Statement
with the First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2,
2005, between the Registrant and Mellon Investor Services LLC. Except as amended
hereby, there are no other changes to this Registration Statement.
Item 1. Description of Securities to be Registered.
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Item 1 of this Registration Statement is hereby restated in its entirety as
follows:
On May 3, 2001 the Board of Directors of Coach, Inc. (the "Company")
adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan (the "Rights Plan").
In connection with the Rights Plan, the Board of Directors of the Company
authorized and declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (the
"Rights") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share
(the "Common Shares"), of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
May 22, 2001 (the "Record Date"). Each Right will entitle the registered holder
thereof, after the Rights become exercisable and until the close of business on
May 2, 2011 (or the earlier redemption, exchange or termination of the Rights),
to purchase from the Company one Common Share, at a price of $170.00 per Common
Share, subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments (the "Purchase Price").
Until the earlier to occur of either (i) ten (10) days following a public
announcement that, or the date on which a majority of the Board of Directors
becomes aware that, a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has
acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 10% or more
of the Common Shares (an "Acquiring Person") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or
such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior
to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring
Person) following the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a
tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the
beneficial ownership by a person or group of 10% or more of the Common Shares
(the earlier of (i) and (ii) being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights
will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate. The Rights
will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares until the Distribution
Date or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights. 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 will at no time have any
voting rights.
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company
were the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any
affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person and the Common Shares were not
changed or exchanged, each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are or were
acquired or beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights 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 then current
Purchase Price of one Right. In the event that, after a person has become an
Acquiring Person, the Company were acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or more than 50% of its assets or earning power were
sold, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of
the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction would have a market
value of two times the then current Purchase Price of one Right.
At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the
earlier of one of the events described in the last sentence in the previous
paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which have
become void), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of one
Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).
The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per Right (the "Redemption Price") by the Board of Directors at any time prior
to the close of business on the tenth day following either the public
announcement that, or the date on which a majority of the Board of Directors
becomes aware that, an Acquiring Person has become such. 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 receive the
Redemption Price.
The Rights will expire at the close of business on May 2, 2011 (unless
earlier redeemed, exchanged or terminated). Mellon Investor Services LLC is the
Rights Agent.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common 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 Common
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or convertible securities at
less than the current market price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness, cash,
securities or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends at a rate not in
excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend
theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not
theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income
per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the
payment of such dividend, or dividends payable in Common Shares (which dividends
will be subject to the adjustment described in clause (i) above)) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company beyond those as an existing shareholder,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
Any of the provisions of the First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
dated as of February 2, 2005 between the Company and the Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agreement") may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company.
One Right will be distributed to shareholders of the Company for each
Common Share owned of record by them on the Record Date. As long as the Rights
are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue one Right with each
new Common Share so that all such shares will have attached Rights. The Company
has agreed that, from and after the Distribution Date, the Company will reserve
51,013,333 Common Shares initially for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.
The rights are designed to assure that all of the Company's shareholders
receive fair and equal treatment in the event of any proposed takeover of the
Company and to guard against partial tender offers, open market accumulations
and other abusive tactics to gain control of the Company without paying all
shareholders a control premium. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a
person or group that acquires 10% or more of the Company's stock on terms not
approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The Rights should not interfere
with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of
Directors.
The Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights and the text of the
press release announcing the declaration of the Rights, are incorporated herein
by reference as exhibits to this Registration Statement. The foregoing
description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
exhibits.
Item 2. Exhibits
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Item 2 of this Registration Statement is hereby amended by replacing
Exhibit 1 with the following Exhibit:
1. First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2,
2005, between Coach, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services LLC, which
includes the form of Right Certificate as Exhibit A and the Summary of
Rights to Purchase Common Shares as Exhibit B.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
COACH, INC.
Dated: February 2, 2005 By /s/ Carole Sadler
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Carole Sadler
Senior Vice President
General Counsel and Secretary
EXHIBIT INDEX
1. First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2,
2005, between Coach, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services LLC, which
includes the form of Right Certificate as Exhibit A and the Summary of
Rights to Purchase Common Shares as Exhibit B.
2. Text of Press Release, dated May 3, 2001 (previously filed).
================================================================================
Coach, Inc.
and
Mellon Investor Services LLC
as Rights Agent
First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement
Dated as of February 2, 2005
================================================================================
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2, 2005,
between Coach, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon Investor
Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company, as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").
RECITALS
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WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent entered into a Rights Agreement,
dated as of May 3, 2001 (the "Original Rights Agreement").
WHEREAS, on May 3, 2001, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized
and declared a dividend of one right (a "Right") for each Common Share (as
defined in Section 1.6) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on
May 22, 2001 (the "Record Date") and has authorized and directed the issuance of
one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each Common
Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of
the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in
Sections 3.1 and 7.1), each Right initially representing the right to purchase
one Common Share of the Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter set forth provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect
to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and
prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22.
WHEREAS, on October 12, 2004, the Board of Directors of the Company
approved certain amendments to the Original Rights Agreement, and authorized the
amendment and restatement of the Original Rights Agreement as set forth in this
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements
herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings indicated:
1.1. "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the
Company then outstanding but shall not include (i) an Exempt Person or (ii) any
Existing Holder, unless and until such time as such Existing Holder shall become
the Beneficial Owner of (A)15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding or (B) less than 10% of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding. "Existing Holder" shall mean Fidelity Management & Research and
Wellington Management Company, LLP, together with all of their respective
Affiliates and Associates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become
an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the
Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the
proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 10% (or, in
the case of an Existing Holder, 15%) or more of the Common Shares of the Company
then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of 10% (or, in the case of an Existing Holder, 15%) or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding solely by reason of share
purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company,
become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the
Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1,
has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such
Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that
would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (B) such Person
was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no
actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this
Agreement), and in any such case without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and such Person 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 Section 1.1, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or have become
an "Acquiring Person" at any time for any purposes of this Agreement. 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 Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date
of this Agreement.
1.2. "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations, under
the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
1.3. 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 (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3
of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the
date of this Agreement);
(ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether such
right is exercisable immediately, or only after the passage of time, compliance
with regulatory requirements, fulfillment of a condition or otherwise) pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (other
than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the
exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial
Owner of, or to beneficially own, (w) 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, (x) securities which such Person has a right to acquire
upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time that any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person, (y) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights
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from and after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such
Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section
22 ("Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11.9 or Section 11.15 with respect
to an adjustment to Original Rights or (z) securities which such Person or any
of such Person's Affiliates or Associates may acquire, does or do acquire or may
be deemed to acquire or 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 such Person's Affiliates or Associates) if prior to such
Person becoming a Acquiring Person the Board of Directors of the Company has
approved such agreement and determined that such Person shall not be or be
deemed to be the beneficial owner of such securities within the meaning of this
Section 1.3; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing); provided, however, that a Person
shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
security under this clause (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) and with respect to which
such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has 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), whether or not in writing, for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as
described in the proviso to Section 1.3(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities
of the Company; provided, however, that no Person who is an officer, director or
employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person's
status or authority as such, to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, to have
"Beneficial Ownership" of or to "beneficially own" any securities that are
"beneficially owned" (as defined in this Section 1.3), including, without
limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such
officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.
1.4. "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a
day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
1.5. "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
1.6. "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company. "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or
other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
other Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter
defined) of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such
first-mentioned Person, and which has issued and outstanding such capital stock,
equity securities or equity interest.
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1.7. "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company,
in each case including, without limitation, its fiduciary capacity, or any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any
entity or trustee holding shares of capital stock of the Company for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan, or for the purpose of funding other employee
benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.
1.8. "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture,
limited liability company, firm, corporation, unincorporated association, trust
or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of
such entity.
1.9. "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, the filing of a report pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act
or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an Acquiring
Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information
which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person or such earlier date as a
majority of the Board of Directors shall become aware of the existence of an
Acquiring Person.
1.10. "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity
of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or
equity interests is owned, of record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, by
such Person.
1.11. A "Trigger Event" shall be deemed to have occurred upon any Person
becoming an Acquiring Person.
1.12. The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in
the Sections set forth below:
Term Section
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Adjustment Shares 11.1.2
common stock equivalent 11.1.3
Company Recitals
current per share market price 11.4
Current Value 11.1.3
Distribution Date 3.1
Exchange Act 1.1
Exchange Consideration 27
Existing Holder 1.1
Expiration Date 7.1
Final Expiration Date 7.1
Nasdaq 9
Original Rights 1.3
Principal Party 13.2
Purchase Price 4
Record Date Recitals
Redemption Date 7.1
Redemption Price 23.1
Right Recitals
Right Certificate 3.1
Rights Agent Recitals
Security 11.4
Spread 11.1.3
Substitution Period 11.1.3
Summary of Rights 3.2
Trading Day 11.4
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Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights
Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agent shall
be as the Company shall determine. Contemporaneously with such appointment, if
any, the Company shall notify the Rights Agent thereof. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event
shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.
Section 3. Issuance of Right Certificates.
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3.1. Rights Evidenced by Share Certificates. Until the earlier of the close
of business on (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the
tenth Business Day after the date of the commencement of, or first public
announcement of the intent of any Person (other than an Exempt Person) to
commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in
any Person (other than an Exempt Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common
Shares aggregating 10% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares of the
Company (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or
terminated) will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3.2) by the
certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof
(which certificates for Common Shares shall also be deemed to be Right
Certificates) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the
right to receive certificates therefor) will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares. The preceding sentence
notwithstanding, prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date specified as a
result of an event described in clause (ii) (or such later Distribution Date as
the Board of Directors of the Company may select pursuant to this sentence), the
Board of Directors may postpone, one or more times, the Distribution Date which
would occur as a result of an event described in clause (ii) beyond the date set
forth in such clause (ii). The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in
writing of any such postponement. Nothing herein shall permit such a
postponement of a Distribution Date after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person,
except as a result of the operation of the third sentence of Section 1.1 or as
permitted by Section 23.1. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date,
the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the
Company (or, if requested and provided with all necessary information, the
Rights Agent) will send, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record
holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date
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(other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one
or more certificates for Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto
(a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided
herein) for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.
3.2. Summary of Rights. On the Record Date or as soon as practicable
thereafter, the Company sent or caused to be sent a copy of a Summary of Rights
to Purchase Common Shares, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit B to
the Original Rights Agreement (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Record Date at the address of such holder shown on the records
of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of
the close of business on the Record Date, until the Distribution Date (or the
earlier Expiration Date), the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for
Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a
copy of the Summary of Rights and the registered holders of the Common Shares
shall also be registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer
of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding at the close of business on the
Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares
represented thereby.
3.3. New Certificates After Record Date. Certificates for Common Shares
which become outstanding (whether upon issuance out of authorized but unissued
Common Shares or transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Shares) after the
Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date, shall have impressed, printed, stamped, written or otherwise affixed onto
them the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain rights as set forth in an Agreement between Coach,
Inc. (the "Company") and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as
Rights Agent, dated as of May 3, 2001, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), the terms of
which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy
of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this
certificate a copy of the Agreement without charge after
receipt of a written request therefor. As described in the
Agreement, Rights which are owned by, transferred to or have
been owned by Acquiring Persons or Associates or Affiliates
thereof (as defined in the Agreement) shall become null and
void and will no longer be transferable.
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With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date (or the earlier 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 certificates,
except as otherwise provided herein, 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.
Notwithstanding this Section 3.3, the omission of a legend shall not affect
the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of
the Rights.
Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the
forms of election to purchase shares, certification and assignment to be printed
on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which
do not affect the rights, duties or responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as
are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or trading
system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to
conform to usage. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Right
Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record Date, and shall
show the date of countersignature by the Rights Agent, and on their face shall
entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Common Shares as shall be
set forth therein at the price per Common Share set forth therein (the "Purchase
Price"), but the number of such Common Shares and the Purchase Price shall be
subject to adjustment as provided herein.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall
be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board of Directors,
the Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President, either manually or
by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a
facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary, or the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be
countersigned, either manually or by facsimile signature, by an authorized
signatory of the Rights Agent, but it shall not be necessary for the same
signatory to countersign all of the Right Certificates hereunder. No Right
Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall
cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights
Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates,
nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent, and issued and delivered
by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed
such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who,
at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
7
Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of all
necessary information, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its
office designated for such purpose, books for registration and transfer of the
Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates, the certificate
number of each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right
Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject
to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 and Section 14, 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 Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than
Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant
to Section 11.1.2 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 27) may be
transferred, split up or combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of
Common Shares as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up or combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender, together with any
required form of assignment and certificate duly completed, the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up or 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 Right
Certificate or Right Certificates until the registered holder shall have
properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of
assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate or Right Certificates
and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the
Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request. Thereupon
the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a
Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment from the holders of Right Certificates of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any transfer, split up or combination or exchange of such Right
Certificates. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any
action under any Section of this Agreement which requires the payment by a
Rights holder of applicable taxes and governmental charges unless and until the
Rights Agent is satisfied that all such taxes and/or charges have been paid.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 , at any time after the
Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company
and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss,
theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss,
theft or destruction, of indemnity or security satisfactory to them, and, at the
Company's or the Rights Agent's request, reimbursement to the Company and the
Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender
to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the
Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu
of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
8
Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
-------------------------------------------------------------
7.1. Exercise of Rights. Subject to Section 11.1.2 and except as otherwise
provided herein, the registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the
Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution
Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase and certification 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 aggregate Purchase Price for each Common Share (or
other securities, cash or other assets) as to which the Rights are exercised, at
or prior to the time (the "Expiration Date") that is the earliest of (i) the
close of business on May 2, 2011 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at
which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 (the "Redemption Date"),
(iii) the closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the
Company pursuant to an agreement of the type described in Section 13.3, at which
time the Rights are deemed terminated, or (iv) the time at which the Rights are
exchanged as provided in Section 27.
7.2. Purchase. The Purchase Price for each Common Share pursuant to the
exercise of a Right shall be initially $170.00, shall be subject to adjustment
from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 13 and 26 and shall be payable in
lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Section 7.3.
7.3. Payment Procedures. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certification duly
executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total
number of Common Shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable
tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in
accordance with Section 9, in cash or by certified or cashier's check or money
order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon
promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Common Shares (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent) certificates for the
number of Common Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably
authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the
Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of Common Shares issuable
upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from
the depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number
of Common Shares as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the
Common Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer
agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary
agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from
the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional
shares in accordance with Section 14 or otherwise in accordance with Section
11.1.3, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly
deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right
Certificate. 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 11.1.3, 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 necessary to comply with this Agreement.
9
7.4. Partial Exercise. In case the registered holder of any Right
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining
unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered
holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to
the provisions of Section 14.
7.5. Full Information Concerning Ownership. Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall
be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of
Rights upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this
Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase
set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such
exercise shall have been duly and properly completed and signed by the
registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the
Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company
otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock. The Company
covenants and agrees that from and after the Distribution Date it will cause to
be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares
the number of Common Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event,
Common Shares and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
So long as the Common Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger
Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable upon the exercise of
Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or traded in the
over-the-counter market and quoted on the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") (including the National
Market or Small Cap Market), the Company shall use its best efforts to cause,
from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved
for such issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on such exchange or quoted
on Nasdaq upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may
be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares (and, following the occurrence of
a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise
of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.
10
From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the Company
shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of Common
Shares upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such Common Shares
under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws
(to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration
statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such
filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier
of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities
and the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of
time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare
and file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to
become effective. Upon 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. The Company shall promptly provide the Rights Agent with
copies of such announcements. 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 and until
a registration statement under the Securities Act (if required) shall have been
declared effective.
The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all taxes and governmental charges which may be payable in
respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Common
Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the
exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax
or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right
Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates
for the Common Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may
be) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate
evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any
certificates for Common Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the
case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax or charge shall have been paid (any
such tax or charge being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the
time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.
Section 10. Common Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any
certificate for Common Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the
case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Shares (or Common
Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and
such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and any applicable taxes and charges) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common Shares (or
Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common Shares (or Common
Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are open.
11
Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares or other securities or
property purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights
outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this
Section 11.
11.1. Post Execution Events.
---------------------
11.1.1 Corporate Dividends, Reclassifications, Etc. In the event the
Company shall at any time after the date of the Original Rights Agreement (A)
declare and pay a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Common
Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares or (D) issue any shares of its
capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11.1, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital
stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the
aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had
been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Common
Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such
exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision,
combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment
under both Section 11.1.1 and Section 11.1.2, the adjustment provided for in
this Section 11.1.1 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, the
adjustment required pursuant to, Section 11.1.2.
11.1.2 Acquiring Person Events; Triggering Events. Subject to Sections 23.1
and 27, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from and after the first
occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right, except as provided below,
shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price per
Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of
Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to
this Section 11.1.2), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such
number of Common Shares as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying
the then current Purchase Price by the number of Common Shares for which a Right
is then exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2) and (y)
dividing that product by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common
Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the first of the date of the
occurrence of, or the date of the first public announcement of, a Trigger Event
(the "Adjustment Shares"); provided that the Purchase Price and the number of
Adjustment Shares shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6; provided, further, that nothing
contained in this Section 11.1.2 shall limit or otherwise diminish the power of
the Board of Directors to postpone the Distribution Date pursuant to Section 3.1
or to extend the period during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to
Section 23.1. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Trigger
12
Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by (1) any
Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof, (2) a transferee of any
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (3) a transferee of any
Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such
Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has
determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a
primary purpose or effect avoidance of this Section 11.1.2, and subsequent
transferees, shall become null and void without any further action, and any
holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or an Associate or
Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) of such Rights shall thereafter have no right
to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. From
and after the Trigger Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 or Section 6 that represents Rights that are or have become null and
void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate
delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become
null and void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled.
The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when this Section 11.1.2 applies
and shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this
Section 11.1.2 are complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent
shall have any liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as
a result of the Company's failure to make any determinations with respect to any
Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any
Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11.1.2
shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not
pursuant to this Section 11.1.2.
11.1.3 Insufficient Shares. In the event that upon the occurrence of a
Trigger Event there shall not be sufficient Common Shares authorized but
unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the
foregoing Section 11.1.2, the Company shall take all such action as may be
necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of
the Rights, provided, however, that if the Company determines that it is unable
to cause the authorization of a sufficient number of additional Common Shares,
then, in the event the Rights become exercisable, the Company, with respect to
each Right and to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any
agreements or instruments in effect on the date of the Original Rights Agreement
to which it is a party, shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the
Adjustment 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 (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to
Section 11.1.2), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction
in the Purchase Price, (3) shares of preferred stock or other equity securities
of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or fractions of shares,
of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation
rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Shares, the Board of
13
Directors of the Company has deemed in good faith to have substantially the same
value as Common Shares) (each such share of preferred stock or fractions of
shares of preferred stock constituting a "common stock equivalent")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the
foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such
aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company
based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided,
however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
occurrence of a Trigger Event, then the Company shall be obligated to deliver,
to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or
instruments in effect on the date of the Original Rights Agreement to which it
is a party, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring
payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) 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 unlikely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be
authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day
period set forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary,
but not more than ninety (90) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event,
in order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization of
such additional shares (such period as may be extended, the "Substitution
Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the second and/or third sentences of this Section 11.1.3, the
Company (x) shall provide 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 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 and the Company shall promptly provide the Rights Agent copies of such
announcements. For purposes of this Section 11.1.3, the value of a Common Share
shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section
11.4) on the date of the occurrence of a Trigger Event and the value of any
"common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common
Shares on such date. The Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be
required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares
upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section
11.1.3.
11.2. Dilutive Rights Offering. In case the Company shall fix a record date
for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares
entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or securities convertible into
Common Shares or common stock equivalents) at a price per Common Share (or
having a conversion or exercise price per Common Share, if a security
convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares or common stock equivalents)
less than the current per share market price of the Common Shares (as determined
pursuant to Section 11.4) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares or common stock
equivalents outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares or
14
common stock equivalents which the aggregate offering price of the total number
of Common Shares or common stock equivalents to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current per share market price and the denominator of which
shall be the number of Common Shares or common stock equivalents outstanding on
such record date plus the number of additional Common Shares or common stock
equivalents to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided,
however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription
price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the
Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Common Shares and/or common stock
equivalents owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such
computation. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed; and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued,
the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then
be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
11.3. Distributions. In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
making of a distribution to all holders of the Common 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, cash, securities or assets (other than a regular periodic cash
dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular
periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash
dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the
average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended
immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or a dividend payable in
Common Shares (which dividend, for purposes of this Agreement, shall be subject
to the provisions of Section 11.1.1(A))) or convertible securities, or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11.2),
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 of the Common Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) 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,
securities or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Common Share and the
denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Common
Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4); provided, however, that in no
event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less
than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be
issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is
not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price
which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
15
11.4. Current Per Share Market Value. For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the "current per share market price" of any security (a "Security"
for the purpose of this Section 11.4) 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 but not including such date; provided, however, that in the event that
the current per share market price of the Security is determined during any
period following the announcement by the issuer of such 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 thirty (30)
Trading Days after but not including the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current per share market
price" shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. 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
quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
system then in use, or, if on any such date the 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 such market maker is
making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security 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
Security is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date
the Security is not so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the
Security, "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.
11.5. Insignificant Changes. 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. Any adjustments which by reason of this Section
11.5 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 security, as the case may be.
11.6. Shares Other Than Common Shares. If as a result of an adjustment made
pursuant to Section 11.1, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than
Common Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon
exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a
manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with
respect to the Common Shares contained in Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.8,
11.9 and 11.13, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect
to the Common Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
16
11.7. Rights Issued Prior to Adjustment. 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 Common Shares purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
11.8. Effect of Adjustments. Unless the Company shall have exercised its
election as provided in Section 11.9, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price
as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11.2 and 11.3, 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
Common Shares (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of Common 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.
11.9. Adjustment in Number of Rights. The Company may elect on or after the
date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in
substitution for any adjustment in the number Common Shares issuable 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 Common Shares for which
a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of
record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number
of Rights (calculated to the nearest 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, and shall promptly
give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. This record date may be the
date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the
Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than
the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.9, the
Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing,
subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall
cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right
Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and 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 Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
17
11.10. Right Certificates Unchanged. Irrespective of any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price or the number of Common Shares issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of Common
Shares which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.
11.11. Par Value Limitations. Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the
Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any
corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order
that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable
Common Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.
11.12. Deferred Issuance. 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 (and shall
give prompt written notice of such election to the Rights Agent) until the
occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after
such record date of that number of Common Shares and shares of other capital
stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and
above the Common Shares and shares of other capital stock or other securities,
assets or cash of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis
of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon
the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
11.13. Reduction in Purchase Price. Anything in this Section 11 to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions
in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by
this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall
determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the
Common Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any of the Common Shares at less than
the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Common Shares or
securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common
Shares, stock dividends or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to
hereinabove in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Common Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders.
11.14. Company Not to Diminish Benefits of Rights. The Company covenants
and agrees that after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date or Distribution
Date it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 26 or Section 27,
take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is
taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will substantially diminish
or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
11.15. Adjustment of Rights Associated with Common Shares. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the
Company shall at any time after the date of the Original Rights Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the
outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) effect a subdivision or
consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise
than by the payment of dividends payable in Common Shares), or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Shares into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then
in any such case, the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then
outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution
Date or in accordance with Section 22, 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. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11.15
shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such
a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.
18
Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13, the Company
shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a
brief statement of the computations and facts accounting for such adjustment,
(b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Common Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to
each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained and shall have no duty with respect to and shall
not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall
have received such certificate.
Section 13.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
13.1. Certain Transactions. In the event that, from and after the first
occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly or indirectly, (A) the Company shall
consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person and the Company shall
not be the continuing or surviving corporation, (B) any Person shall consolidate
with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with
such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged
for stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any
other property, or (C) the Company shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise
transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, exchange, mortgage 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 wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11.14), then, and in each such
case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (other
than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per
Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of
Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first
occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to Sections
11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12), in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Common Shares, such number of validly authorized and
issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined) not subject to any liens,
19
encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal
to the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to
the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to
Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12) and (y) dividing that product
by 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such
Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of
consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided, that the
price per Right so payable and the number of Common Shares of such Principal
Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be subject to
further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6 to reflect any
events covered thereby occurring in respect of the Common Shares of such
Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall
assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term
"Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party; and (iv)
such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the
reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with
Section 9) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure
that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as
reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon
the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary
transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall
thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13.1, such cash, shares, rights,
warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to
receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common
Shares of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant
to this Section 13.1, and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to
permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof
for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property. The Company shall
not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior
thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered
to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that the requirements of
this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 shall promptly be performed in accordance
with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets
shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as the
same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to this Section
13.1 and Section 13.2 and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing
such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party, at its own
expense, shall
(1) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities
Act, if necessary, 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;
20
(2) use its best efforts, if the Common Shares of the Principal Party
shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or on
another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or continue
the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the
Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the
Common Shares of the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading
on the New York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause the
Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be
authorized for quotation on Nasdaq or on such other system then in use;
(3) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for
registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act; and
(4) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights
in respect of the Common Shares of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon
exercise of outstanding Rights.
In case the Principal Party has provision in any of its authorized
securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other instrument
governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Shares or
common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current
market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) or
securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or common stock
equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price
(other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), or (ii) providing
for any special payment, taxes or similar provision in connection with the
issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provision
of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder
of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto
the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the
Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question
of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the
authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will
have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of
the proposed transaction.
The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the
Trigger Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in clauses (A)
through (C) of this Section 13.1 if (i) at the time of or immediately after such
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights,
warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect
which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended
to be afforded by the Rights, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately
after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the
shareholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal
Party for purposes of Section 13.2 shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii)
the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or
limit the exercisability of the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall
similarly apply to successive transactions of the type described in clauses (A)
through (C) of this Section 13.1.
21
13.2. Principal Party. "Principal Party" shall mean:
(i) in the case of any transaction described in (A) or (B) of the
first sentence of Section 13.1: (i) the Person that is the issuer of the
securities into which the Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common
Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (ii) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party
to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than
one such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest
aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the
other party to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does
survive the merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person
resulting from the consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction described in (C) of the first
sentence in Section 13.1, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or
transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or
earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause (i)
or (ii) of this Section 13.2, if the Common Shares of such Person are not at
such time or have not been continuously over the preceding 12 month period
registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are
and have been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such
other Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of
more than one Person, the Common Shares of all of which are and have been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons
is the issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of
shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a
joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or
indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above
shall apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the
Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint
ventures, and the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations
set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person
bears to the total of such interests.
13.3. Approved Acquisitions. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to
the contrary, upon the consummation of any merger or other acquisition
transaction of the type described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 13.1
involving the Company pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement
between the Company and any Person (or one or more of such Person's Affiliates
or Associates) which agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to any Person becoming an Acquiring Person, this Agreement and
the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall be terminated in accordance with
Section 7.1.
22
Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
----------------------------------------
14.1. Cash in Lieu of Fractional Rights. The Company shall not be required
to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence
fractional Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date in accordance with
Section 11.15). In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of
this Section 14.1, the current market value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on
which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing
price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such
date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the current market
value of the Rights on such date shall be the fair value of the Rights as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
14.2. Cash In Lieu of Fractional Common Shares. The Company shall not be
required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which
evidence fractional Common Shares upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common
Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a whole Common Share (as determined in accordance
with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such
exercise or exchange.
14.3. Waiver of Right to Receive Fractional Rights or Shares. The holder of
a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right to receive
any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a
Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
14.4 Rights Agents Duties Regarding Fractional Shares. Whenever a payment
for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made by the Rights Agent,
the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a
certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such payment
and the prices and/or formulas utilized in calculating such payments, and (ii)
provide sufficient monies to the Rights Agent in the form of fully collected
funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in
relying upon such a certificate and shall have no duty with respect to, and
shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment for fractional Rights or
fractional shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the payment of
fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the Rights Agent shall
have received such a certificate and sufficient monies.
23
Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section
18, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates
(and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common
Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce this Agreement, and may institute and maintain any suit, action
or proceeding against the Company to enforce this Agreement, or otherwise
enforce or act in respect of his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of
any Person (including, without limitation, the Company) subject to this
Agreement.
Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right by
accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and
with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;
(b) as of and after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or
accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with all required certifications
completed; and
(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in
whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated 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.
Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder,
as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common 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
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
shareholders (except as provided in Section 24), or to receive dividends or
subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
24
Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to
time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees
and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the preparation,
execution, delivery, amendment and administration of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to
indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss,
liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or
expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on
the part of the Rights Agent (each as determined by a final, non-appealable
order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction), for any
action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation,
the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising
therefrom, directly or indirectly. The costs and expenses incurred in enforcing
this right of indemnification shall be paid by the Company. The provisions of
this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, the exercise or expiration of the Rights and the resignation or
removal of the Rights Agent.
The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in reliance
upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Common Shares or the Common
Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or
transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice,
instruction, 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. The Rights
Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was
supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be
fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in
connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice in writing.
Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any
Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged
or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or
consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a
party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer
business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the
successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto;
provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21. In case at the time such
successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement,
any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the
predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned;
and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right
Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
25
In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes only the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement (and no implied duties and
obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:
20.1. Legal Counsel. The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel
selected by it (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or
opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection
to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in
respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with such
advice or opinion.
20.2. Certificates as to Facts or Matters. Whenever in the performance of
its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or
desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior
to taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate
shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights
Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered
or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance
upon such certificate.
20.3. Standard of Care. The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for
its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by
a final, nonappealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent
jurisdiction). Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the
Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or
incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to
lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of
such loss or damage. Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Rights
Agreement will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the
Rights Agent.
26
20.4. Reliance on Agreement and Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall
not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals
contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except as to its
countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.
20.5. No Responsibility as to Certain Matters. The Rights Agent shall not
be under any responsibility or have any liability in respect of the validity of
this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution
hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any
Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained
in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for
any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming
null and void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) or any adjustment required under the
provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 27 or responsible for the manner, method
or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts
that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of
Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such 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 Common
Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares will, when so issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
20.6. Further Assurance by Company. 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.
20.7. Authorized Company Officers. The Rights Agent is hereby authorized
and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its
duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant
Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or
instructions in connection with its duties under this Agreement, and such
instructions shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with instructions of any
such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for these 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 with respect to its duties or
obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action
shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not
be liable to the Company 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 therein (which date shall not be less than three business
days after the date any such officer actually receives such application, unless
any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless,
prior to taking of any such action (or the effective date in the case of
omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response
to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
27
20.8. Freedom to Trade in Company Securities. The Rights Agent and any
shareholder, affiliate, 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.
20.9. Reliance on Attorneys and Agents. The Rights Agent may execute and
exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty
hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the
Company resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct,
absent gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by
a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of
competent jurisdiction) in the selection and continued employment thereof.
20.10. Incomplete Certificate. If, with respect to any Rights Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
contained in the form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set
forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to
certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate
thereof), the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
20.11. Rights Holders List. At any time and from time to time after the
Distribution Date, and no more often than quarterly upon the reasonable request
of the Company, the Rights Agent shall promptly deliver to the Company a list,
as of the most recent practicable date (or as of such earlier date as may be
specified by the Company), of the holders of record of Rights.
20.12. Assurance to Rights Agent. 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 it believes that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnification against such risk or liability is not assured to it.
Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Common Shares, as applicable, by registered or certified
mail. Following the Distribution Date, the Company shall promptly notify the
holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail of any such resignation.
The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common
28
Shares, as applicable, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of
the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or
be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the resigning,
removed, or incapacitated Rights Agent shall remit to the Company, or to any
successor Rights Agent designated by the Company, all books, records, funds,
certificates or other documents or instruments of any kind then in its
possession which were acquired by such resigning, removed or incapacitated
Rights Agent in connection with its services as Rights Agent hereunder, and
shall thereafter be discharged from all duties and obligations hereunder.
Following notice of such removal, resignation or incapacity, the Company shall
appoint a successor to such 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
Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for
inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new
Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by
such a court, shall be (i) a Person organized and doing business under the laws
of the United States or any other state of the United States so long as such
Person is duly qualified and authorized to do business, authorized to exercise
stock transfer powers and 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 $10 million or (ii) an affiliate of
such Person referenced in clause (i) above. After appointment, the successor
Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Shares, as applicable, and, following the
Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of
the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section
21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may,
at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as
may be approved by 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 Right Certificates made in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or
sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the
Expiration Date, the Company shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or
sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement, granted or awarded, or upon exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities hereinafter issued by the Company, in each case existing prior to the
Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number
of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i)
no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the
Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued and (ii) no such Right
Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment
shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
29
Section 23. Redemption.
-----------
23.1. Right to Redeem. The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its
option, at any time prior to the close of business on the tenth day following
the Shares Acquisition Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then
outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar
transaction occurring after the date of the Original Rights Agreement (such
redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and
the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based
on the "current per share market price," determined pursuant to Section 11.4, of
the Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The preceding
sentence notwithstanding, prior to the expiration of the period during which the
Rights may be redeemed as specified therein (or such longer period as the Board
of Directors of the Company may select pursuant to this sentence), the Board of
Directors of the Company may extend, one or more times, the period during which
the Rights may be redeemed beyond the close of business on the tenth day
following the Shares Acquisition Date. The redemption of the Rights by the Board
of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to
such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable following a transaction or event described in Section
11.1.2 prior to the expiration or termination of the Company's right of
redemption hereunder.
23.2. Redemption Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at such later
time as the Board of Directors may establish for the effectiveness of such
redemption), and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of such redemption (as well as prompt
written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the failure
to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such
redemption. The Company shall promptly give, or cause the Rights Agent to give,
notice of such redemption to 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 shall 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 27, and other than in
connection with the purchase, acquisition or redemption of Common Shares prior
to the Distribution Date.
30
Section 24. Notice of Certain Events. In case the Company shall propose at
any time after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date and the Distribution
Date (a) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of
Common Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of Common Shares
(other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of
the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case
regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in
excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four
quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividends, or a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Common
Shares), or (b) to offer to the holders of Common Shares rights or warrants to
subscribe for or to purchase any additional Common Shares or shares of stock of
any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (c) to effect any
reclassification of its Common Shares (other than a reclassification involving
only the subdivision of outstanding Common Shares), or (d) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer
(or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other
transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning
power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other
Person (other than pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement of the
type described in Section 1.3(ii)(A)(z)), or (e) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (f) to declare or pay any dividend
on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such
case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, a notice of such proposed action,
which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend,
distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the
Common Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so
given in the case of any action covered by clause (a) or (b) above at least ten
(10) days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Common Shares
for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least
ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares, whichever
shall be the earlier.
In case any event set forth in Section 11.1.2 or Section 13 shall occur,
then, in any such case, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give
to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance
with Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Section 11.1.2 and Section 13.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior to the
Distribution Date a filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the holders of securities of
the Company, including the Rights, for purposes of this Agreement and no other
notice need be given.
Section 25. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be
given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to
or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage-prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) or by facsimile transmission as follows:
Coach, Inc.
-----------
516 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10001
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No.: 212-629-2398
31
Subject to the provisions of Section 21 and Section 24, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage-prepaid, addressed (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) or by facsimile transmission as
follows:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
120 Broadway, 13th Floor
New York, New York 10271
Attention: Relationship Manager
Facsimile No.: (917) 320-6318
with a copy to:
Mellon Investor Services LLC
85 Challenger Road
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile No.: (201) 296-4004
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing Common
Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail,
postage-prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown
on the registry books of the Company.
Section 26. Supplements and Amendments. For so long as the Rights are
redeemable, the Board of Directors may in its sole and absolute discretion, and
the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of Directors (or an appropriate officer of
the Company acting at the direction of the Board of Directors) so directs but
subject to the other provisions of this Section, supplement or amend any
provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders
of Rights or Common Shares. From and after the time that the Rights are no
longer redeemable, the Board of Directors may, and the Rights Agent shall, if
the Board of Directors so (or an appropriate officer of the Company acting at
the direction of the Board of Directors) directs but subject to the other
provisions of this Section, from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity or to
correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (ii) to shorten or lengthen any
time period hereunder or (iii) to make any other changes or provisions in regard
to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Board of Directors may deem
necessary or desirable, including but not limited to extending the Final
Expiration Date; provided, however, that no such supplement or amendment shall
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and no
such supplement or amendment may cause the Rights again to become redeemable or
cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with
this sentence; provided further, that the right of the Board of Directors to
extend the Distribution Date or the Redemption Date shall not require any
amendment or supplement hereunder. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an
appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or
amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, and provided, such
supplement or amendment does not change or increase the Rights Agent's rights,
duties, liabilities or obligations, the Rights Agent shall execute such
supplement or amendment.
32
Section 27. Exchange.
---------
27.1. Exchange of Common Shares for Rights. The Board of Directors of the
Company may, at its option, at any time after the occurrence of a Trigger Event,
exchange Common Shares for all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable
Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) by exchanging at an exchange ratio of one
Common Share per Right or that number of Common Shares having an aggregate value
equal to the Spread (with such value being based on the current per share market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of the occurrence of
a Trigger Event) per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of the Original
Rights Agreement (such amount per Right being hereinafter referred to as the
"Exchange Consideration"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors
shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Acquiring
Person shall have become the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common
Shares then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in
Section 13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to
this Section 27.1 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with
Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1. The exchange
of the Rights by the Board of Directors 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.
27.2. Exchange Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board of
Directors of the Company ordering the exchange for any Rights pursuant to
Section 27.1 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a the
holders of such Rights shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration. The
Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange (as well as
prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange shall state the method by which the
exchange of the 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
the Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section
11.1.2) held by each holder of Rights.
33
27.3. Insufficient Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company
shall pay 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 market value of a whole Common
Share. For the purposes of this Section 27.3, the current market value of a
whole Common Share shall be the current per share market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11.4) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 27.
Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement
by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to
the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to give to any Person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).
Section 30. Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors; General
Limitations on Redemption, Modification or Termination of Rights or Amendment to
Agreement. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board of Directors of the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) redeem, modify or terminate the
Rights, (ii) amend this Agreement in any way, (iii) interpret the provisions of
this Agreement and (iv) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable
for the administration of this Agreement. All Board of Director actions
(including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to
Board of Director actions) that are done or made by the Board of Directors of
the Company in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the
Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other
Persons, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the
holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent shall always be entitled to assume that
the Company's Board of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully
protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.
Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued
hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of
Maryland 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; provided, however, that all provisions regarding the
rights, duties and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.
34
Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.
Section 34. Descriptive Heading. Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
[INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
35
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.
COACH, INC.
By:
------------------------------------------
Name:
-----------------------------------
Title:
----------------------------------
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
By:
------------------------------------------
Name:
-----------------------------------
Title:
----------------------------------
36
EXHIBIT A
---------
[Form of Right Certificate]
Certificate No. R) _______ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON MAY 2, 2011, OR EARLIER
IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE IS GIVEN OR IF THE COMPANY IS
MERGED OR ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED IN
SECTION 1.3(ii)(A)(z) OF THE AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH
IN THE AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION
11.1.2 OF THE AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED
TO AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT), OR ANY SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
TRANSFERABLE.
Right Certificate
COACH, INC.
This certifies that ____________, or registered assigns, is the registered
owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the First Amended
and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2, 2005, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), between Coach, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the "Company"), and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey
limited liability company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase
from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to 5:00 P.M.
(New York City time) on May 2, 2011, at the offices of the Rights Agent, or its
successors as Rights Agent, designated for such purpose, one fully paid,
nonassessable common share (the "Common Shares") of the Company, at a purchase
price of $170.00 per share, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase and certification duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate (and the number of Common Shares which may be purchased
upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above,
are the number and Purchase Price as of ________, ____ based on the Common
Shares as constituted at such date. Capitalized terms used in this Right
Certificate without definition shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the
Agreement. As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of
Common Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced
by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the
happening of certain events.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Agreement
reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of
rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the
Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Agreement are
on file at the offices of the Company.
A-1
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Common Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof-another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Board of Directors may, at
its option, (i) redeem the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate at a
redemption price of $.001 per Right at any time prior to the close of business
on the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date, (ii) exchange Common Shares
for the Rights evidenced by this Certificate, in whole or in part or (iii)
extend the period during which redemption of the Rights is permitted.
No fractional Common Shares 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 Agreement.
No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares
or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement or herein be
construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Agreement), or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided
in the Agreement.
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of the 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 the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in
no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or binding for any purpose until
it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.
A-2
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________.
Attest: COACH, INC.
By: By:
----------------------------------- -------------------------------
Title: Title:
--------------------------- ------------------------
Countersigned:
MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, as Rights Agent
By:
-----------------------------------------
Authorized Signature
A-3
[Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
------------------
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED
--------------------------------------------
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
----------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address
of transferee)
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and
interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney,
to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within named
Company, with full power of substitution.
Dated:
------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
- ----------------------------------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as
defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
A-4
The undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially
owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an
Associate thereof; and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Dated:
------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Signature
A-5
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
----------------------------
(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Right Certificate.)
To: COACH, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________________
Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Common Shares
issuable upon the exercise of such Rights (or such other securities or property
of the Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name
of:
- ------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- ------------------------------------------------------------
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security
or other identifying number
- ------------------------------------------------------------
(Please print name and address)
- ------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Dated:
------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
- -----------------------------------------
Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as
defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
A-6
The undersigned hereby certifies that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially
owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an
Associate thereof; and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof.
Dated:
------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Signature
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTICE
------
The signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment and Form of Election to
Purchase must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or
Form of Election to Purchase is not completed, the Company will deem the
beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate hereof and such Assignment or
Election to Purchase will not be honored.
A-7
As described in the Rights Agreement, Rights which are held
by or have been held by an Acquiring Person or Associates or Affiliates
thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain transferees
thereof shall become null and void and will no longer be transferable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON SHARES
On May 3, 2001 the Board of Directors of Coach, Inc. (the "Company")
authorized and declared a dividend of one right (a "Right") for each share of
common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company
outstanding at the close of business on May 22, 2001 (the "Record Date"). As
long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue one
Right (subject to adjustment) with each new Common Share so that all such shares
will have attached Rights. When exercisable, each Right will entitle the
registered holder to purchase from the Company one Common Share at a price of
$170.00 per Common Share, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated
as of May 3, 2001, as the same may be amended from time to time (the
"Agreement"), between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent").
Until the earlier to occur of (i) either ten (10) days following a public
announcement that, or the date on which a majority of the Board becomes aware
that, a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Common
Shares (an "Acquiring Person") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later
date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time
as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a tender
offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 10% or more of the Common Shares (the earlier
of (i) and (ii) being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be
evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as
of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate together with a copy of
this Summary of Rights.
The Agreement provides that until the Distribution Date (or earlier
redemption exchange, termination, or expiration of the Rights), 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 after the close of business on the Record Date upon transfer
or new issuance of the Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption,
exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer
of any certificates for Common Shares, with or without such notation or a copy
of this Summary of Rights, 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.
B-1
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will
expire on the close of business on May 2, 2011, subject to the Company's right
to extend such date (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless earlier redeemed or
exchanged by the Company or terminated.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common 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 Common
Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or convertible securities at
less than the current market price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness, cash,
securities or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends at a rate not in
excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend
theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not
theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income
per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the
payment of such dividend, or dividends payable in Common Shares (which dividends
will be subject to the adjustment described in clause (i) above)) or of
subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company
were the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any
affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person and the Common Shares were not
changed or exchanged, each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are or were
acquired or beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights 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 then current
Purchase Price of the Right. In the event that, after a person has become an
Acquiring Person, the Company were acquired in a merger or other business
combination transaction or more than 50% of its assets or earning power were
sold, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then
current Purchase Price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of
the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction would have a market
value of two times the then current Purchase Price of the Right.
At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the
earlier of one of the events described in the last sentence of the previous
paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the
outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which will
have become void), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of
one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).
No adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative
adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No
fractional Common Shares will be issued and in lieu thereof, a payment in cash
will be made based on the market price of the Common Shares on the last trading
date prior to the date of exercise.
B-2
The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001
per Right (the "Redemption Price") by the Board of Directors at any time prior
to the close of business on the tenth day following either the public
announcement that, or the date on which a majority of the Board becomes aware
that, a Person has become an Acquiring Person. Redeeming the Rights would
require the approval of a majority of the Board members. 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.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company beyond those as an existing shareholder,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.
Any of the provisions of the Agreement may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company.
A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the
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 Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
B-3
Coach, Inc. Declares 'Poison Pill' Dividend
Distribution of Common Share Purchase Rights
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2001--The Board of Directors of
Coach, Inc., (NYSE: COH) a leading marketer of modern classic American
accessories, has declared a "poison pill" dividend distribution of one
Common Share Purchase Right on each outstanding share of Coach common
stock.
Subject to limited exceptions, the Rights will be exercisable if
a person or group intentionally acquires 10% or more of the Company's
common stock or announces a tender offer for 10% or more of the common
stock on terms not approved by the Coach Board. Under certain
circumstances, each Right will entitle shareholders to buy one Common
Share of the Company at an exercise price of $170.00. Subject to
certain exceptions, the Coach Board will be entitled to redeem the
Rights at $0.001 per Right at any time before the close of business on
the tenth day following either the public announcement that, or the
date on which a majority of the Coach Board becomes aware that, a
person has acquired 10% or more of the outstanding common stock. The
Company is currently aware of two institutional shareholders whose
Common Stock holdings exceed the 10% threshold established by the
Rights Plan. Each of these holders has been given permission by the
Coach Board to increase their ownership in the company to a maximum of
15%, subject to certain exceptions, before triggering the provisions
of the Rights Plan.
The Rights are intended to enable all Coach shareholders to
realize the long-term value of their investment in the Company. They
do not prevent a takeover but should encourage anyone seeking to
acquire the Company to negotiate with the Coach Board prior to
attempting a takeover.
The Rights are not being distributed in response to any specific
effort to acquire control of the Company. The Rights are designed to
assure that all Coach shareholders receive fair and equal treatment in
the event of any proposed takeover of the Company and to guard against
partial tender offers, open market accumulations and other abusive
tactics to gain control of Coach without paying all shareholders a
control premium.
If a person becomes an Acquiring Person, each Right will entitle
its holder to purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a
number of common shares of Coach having a market value at that time of
twice the Right's exercise price. Rights held by the Acquiring Person
will become void and will not be exercisable to purchase shares at the
bargain purchase price. An Acquiring Person is defined as a person who
acquires 10% or more of the outstanding common stock of Coach. If
Coach is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction which has not been approved by the Board of Directors,
each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's
then-current exercise price, a number of the acquiring company's
common shares having a market value at that time of twice the Right's
exercise price.
The dividend distribution to establish the new Rights Plan will
be payable to shareholders of record on May 22, 2001. The Rights will
expire at the close of business on May 2, 2011. The Rights
distribution is not taxable to shareholders.
Coach, with headquarters in New York, is a leading American
marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men, including
handbags, business cases, furniture, luggage and travel accessories,
wallets, footwear, watches and related accessories. Coach is sold
worldwide through Coach stores, select department stores and specialty
stores, through the Coach catalogue in the U.S. by calling
800-262-2411 and through Coach's website at www.Coach.com.
Coach's shares are traded on The New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol COH.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, based on
current expectations, that involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause results of Coach, Inc. to differ materially from management's
current expectations. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may,"
"will," "should," "expect," "intend," "estimate," or "continue," or
the negative thereof or comparable terminology. Future results will
vary from historical results and historical growth is not indicative
of future trends, which will depend upon expected economic trends, our
ability to anticipate consumer preferences for accessories and fashion
trends, our ability to control costs, our store expansion and
renovation program, and are subject to risks, including currency
fluctuations, and other factors. Please refer to the company's most
recent Prospectus for a complete list of risk factors.
CONTACT: Coach, Inc., New York
Andrea Shaw Resnick, 212/629-2618
DVP Investor Relations