RightsAgreement




Exhibit 4.1


CONTANGO ORE, INC.
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Rights Agent




RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of December 20, 2012



    


TABLE OF CONTENTS




                                                                                                                                              Page






		
	Section 1.
	Certain Definitions                                                                                                  2


		
	Section 2.
	Appointment of Rights Agent                                                                                 6


		
	Section 3.
	Issuance of Rights Certificates                                                                               7


		
	Section 4.
	Form of Rights Certificates                                                                                    9


		
	Section 5.
	Countersignature and Registration                                                                        10


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


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


		
	Section 8.
	Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.                                            13


		
	Section 9.
	Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration of Securities.          13


		
	Section 10.
	Capital Stock Record Date.                                                                                   15


		
	Section 11.
	Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number                of Rights.                                                                                                               15


		
	Section 12.
	Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.                              24


		
	Section 13.
	Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.                                                                                                                   25


		
	Section 14.
	Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.                                                              28


		
	Section 15.
	Rights of Action.                                                                                                   29


		
	Section 16.
	Agreement of Rights Holders.                                                                              29


		
	Section 17.
	Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.                                         30


		
	Section 18.
	Concerning the Rights Agent.                                                                               30


		
	Section 19.
	Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.                           31


		
	Section 20.
	Duties of Rights Agent.                                                                                         31


		
	Section 21.
	Change of Rights Agent.                                                                                       33


		
	Section 22.
	Issuance of New Rights Certificates.                                                                    34


		
	Section 23.
	Redemption and Termination.                                                                               35


		
	Section 24.
	Exchange.                                                                                                              36


		
	Section 25.
	Notice of Certain Events.                                                                                      37


		
	Section 26.
	Notices.                                                                                                                 37


		
	Section 27.
	Supplements and Amendments.                                                                            38


		
	Section 28.
	Successors.                                                                                                            39


		
	Section 29.
	Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.                                39


		
	Section 30.
	Benefits of this Agreement.                                                                                  39


		
	Section 31.
	Severability.                                                                                                          40



	
			
	 
	i
	 








TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)


                                                                                                                                            Page




		
	Section 32.
	Governing Law.                                                                                                    40


		
	Section 33.
	Counterparts.                                                                                                        40


		
	Section 34.
	Descriptive Headings.                                                                                          40


		
	Section 35.
	Force Majeure.                                                                                                     40


Exhibit A --    Certificate of Designation, Preferences, and Relative Rights and Limitations of Series A Junior Preferred Stock


Exhibit B --    Form of Rights Certificate


Exhibit C --    Form of Summary of Rights



	
			
	 
	ii
	 










Exhibit 4.1


RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of December 20, 2012 (the “Agreement”), between CONTANGO ORE, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”).
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on  December 19, 2012, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on December 20, 2012 (the “Record Date”) (subject to the right to cancel such dividend in certain events) and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company’s treasury) and the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designations, Preferences, and Relative Rights and Limitations as provided in Resolutions of the Board of Directors attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the “Rights”); and 
WHEREAS, the Rights will be held by the Rights Agent under this Agreement as trustee for the stockholders of the Company until the Distribution Date; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has considered whether approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the interests of the Company and all other pertinent factors; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has concluded that approval of this Agreement and the distribution of the Rights is in the interests of the Company because the existence of the Rights will help (i) reduce the risk of coercive two-tiered, front-end loaded or partial offers that may not offer fair value to all stockholders, (ii) mitigate against market accumulators who through open market and/or private purchases may achieve a position of substantial influence or control without paying to selling or remaining stockholders a fair control premium, (iii) deter market accumulators who are simply interested in putting the Company into “play,” (iv) restrict self-dealing by a substantial stockholder, and (v) preserve the Board of Directors’ bargaining power and flexibility to deal with third-party acquirors and to otherwise seek to maximize values for all stockholders.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Section 1.Certain Definitions.  
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a)    “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (iv) Kenneth R. Peak, the estate of Kenneth R. Peak if Kenneth R. Peak is deceased, or any Affiliate or Associate of Kenneth R. Peak or the estate of Kenneth R. Peak, Donna Peak, the wife of Kenneth R. Peak, or the children of Kenneth R. Peak.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company, which by reducing the then number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person to fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchase by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” as of the date of such additional purchase.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” then such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement.
(b)    “Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(c)    “Adjustment Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(d)    “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date hereof (the “Exchange Act”); provided, further, that the counter party to any derivative security included in the calculation of the Beneficial Ownership of an Acquiring Person shall be deemed an Affiliate of such Acquiring Person solely with respect to the Common Stock synthetically owned pursuant to such derivative security.
(e)    “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.

2    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(f)    A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to “beneficially own,” any securities:
(i)    that such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for payment, purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event which 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(a) or Section 22 hereof (the “Original Rights”) or pursuant to Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
(ii)    that such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote or dispose of or has “beneficial ownership” of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act), including without limitation 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 subparagraph (ii) solely as a result of an oral or written agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding: (A) arises exclusively from a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii)    that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy as described in the proviso to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (f)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company,
(iv)    that are the subject of a derivative transaction entered into by such Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person), which gives such 

3    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person) the economic equivalent of ownership of an amount of such securities due to the fact that the value of the derivative is explicitly determined by reference to the price or value of such securities, without regard to whether (a) such derivative conveys any voting rights in such securities to such Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person), (b) the derivative is required to be, or capable of being, settled through delivery of such securities, or (c) such Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person) may have entered into other transactions that hedge the economic effect of such derivative.
provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph (f) shall cause a Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to “beneficially own,” any securities acquired through such Person’s participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.  In determining the number of Common Stock deemed Beneficially Owned by virtue of subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph (f), the subject Person shall be deemed to Beneficially Own (without duplication) the number of Common Stock that are synthetically owned pursuant to such derivative securities.
(g)    “Book Entry Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof. 
(h)    “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the State of Texas are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. 
(i)    “close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., New York, 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, New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(j)    “Common Stock” shall mean the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, shares of any other class or series of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the shares of Common Stock, except that “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the shares of capital stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person.
(k)    “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.
(l)    “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

4    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(m)    “equivalent preferred shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b).
(n)    “Exchange Act” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of Affiliate.
(o)    “Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.
(p)    “Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(q)    “Final Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.
(r)    “NASDAQ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.
(s)    “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or other entity.
(t)    “Preferred Stock” shall mean a share of the Series A Junior Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of Series A Junior Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, shares of any other series of Preferred Stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series A Junior Preferred Stock.
(u)    “Preferred Stock Fraction” shall mean one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock.
(v)    “Principal Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(n) hereof.
(w)    “Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
(x)    “Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals hereof.
(y)    “Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof.
(z)    “Rights Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.

5    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(aa)    “Rights Certificates” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof.
(bb)    “Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals hereof.
(cc)    “Section 11(a)(ii) Event” shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A), (B) or (C) hereof.
(dd)    “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(ee)    “Section 13 Event” shall mean any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(ff)    “Spread” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(gg)    “Stock Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.
(hh)    “Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
(ii)    “Substitution Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.
(jj)    “Summary of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(kk)    “Trading Day” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(ii) hereof.
(ll)    “Triggering Event” shall mean any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
Unless otherwise specified, where reference is made in this Agreement to sections of, and the General Rules and Regulations under, the Exchange Act, such reference shall mean such sections and rules as amended from time to time and any successor provisions thereto.
Section 2.    Appointment of Rights Agent.
(a)    The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable, upon ten (10) days’ prior 

6    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


written notice to the Rights Agent.  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.
(b)    On the Record Date, the Company will deliver a Rights Certificate to the Rights Agent, registered in the name of the Rights Agent as trustee for the beneficial owners of the Rights represented thereby, for that number of Rights equal to the number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the Record Date, and the Rights Agent shall hold the Rights represented thereby in trust for the beneficial owners in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 3.    Issuance of Rights Certificates.
(a)    Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after a Stock Acquisition Date involving an Acquiring Person that has become such in a transaction as to which the Board of Directors has not made the determination referred to in Section 11(a)(ii)(B) hereof, or (ii) the close of business on such date as may be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Company by notice to the Rights Agent and publicly announced by the Company, which date shall not be later than 65 days after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision thereto, if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) beneficial interests in the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the certificates for the shares of Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the shares of Common Stock (which certificates for shares of Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for beneficial interests in the Rights), or, in the case of uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form (“Book Entry Shares”), by notation in book entry accounts reflecting the ownership of such Common Stock and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights and beneficial interests therein will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company).  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the “Rights Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided herein.  In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of 

7    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights.  As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.  Upon the distribution of the Rights Certificates as provided in this subsection (a), the trust created hereby shall cease.
(b)    As promptly as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.  With respect to certificates for the shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, beneficial interests in the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for the shares of Common Stock and the registered holders of the shares of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the beneficial interests in the associated Rights.  Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the transfer of any certificates representing shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock.  Certificates issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date upon the transfer of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date shall bear the legend set forth in subsection (c).
(c)    Except as provided in Section 22 hereof, Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock that are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company’s treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date.  Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for beneficial interests in the associated Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
“This certificate also evidences a beneficial interest in and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Contango ORE, Inc. (the “Company”) and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”) dated as of December 20, 2012 (the “Rights Agreement”), and as the same may be amended from time to time, the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Company.  Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and beneficial interests therein will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.  The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor.  Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null and void.”

8    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


With respect to any Book Entry Shares, a legend in substantially similar form will be included in a notice to the record holder of such shares.  With respect to such certificates or Book Entry Shares, as applicable, containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, beneficial interests in the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates or Book Entry Shares shall be evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of shares of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of beneficial interests in the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such certificates or Book Entry Shares shall also constitute the transfer of beneficial interests in the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates.   Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of the legend required hereby, the inclusion of a legend that makes reference to a rights agreement other than this Agreement or the failure to provide notice thereof will not affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of Rights.
Section 4.    Form of Rights Certificates.
(a)    The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Preferred Stock Fractions as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth therein (such exercise price per Preferred Stock Fraction, the “Purchase Price”), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b)    Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights that the Company knows are beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 

9    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible) the following legend:
“The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).  Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement.”
Section 5.    Countersignature and Registration.
(a)    The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature, which signature shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature.  The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.  In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.
(b)    Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued hereunder.  Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates, the Certificate number and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.
Section 6.    Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.
(a)    Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or, following a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock or 

10    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be, as the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder or former holder in the case of a transfer to purchase).  Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.  Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.  Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.  The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b)    Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
Section 7.    Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a)    Subject to subsection (e), the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price (except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof) with respect to the total number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable (except as provided in Section 11(q) hereof), at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on December 19, 2014 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the consummation of a transaction contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof, or (iii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed or terminated as 

11    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


provided in Section 23 hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as the “Expiration Date”).
(b)    The Purchase Price for each Preferred Stock Fraction pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $80, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 and hereof and shall be payable in accordance with subsection (c).
(c)    Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock Fraction (or shares of Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) and Section 14(b) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such Shares) certificates for the total number of shares of Preferred Stock 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 some or all of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of Preferred Stock Fractions as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate.  The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made, at the election of the holder of the Rights Certificate, (x) in cash or by certified bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company or (y) by delivery of Rights if and to the extent authorized by Section 11(q) hereof.  In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company (including shares of Common Stock), pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.
(d)    In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights 

12    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e)    Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing oral or written plan, 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 an oral or written plan, agreement, arrangement or understanding which has, as a primary purpose or effect, the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise; provided, however, that the Rights held by an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or the transferees of such Persons referred to above shall not be voided unless the Acquiring Person in question or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person shall be involved in the transaction giving rise to the Section 11(a)(ii) Event.  The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.
(f)    Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Section 8.    Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.  
All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement.  The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, 

13    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.  The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
Section 9.    Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock; Registration of Securities.
(a)    The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding Rights as many of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), which together shall at all times after the Distribution Date be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b)    So long as the shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock or other securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares and other securities reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c)    The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement or statements under the Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form or forms, (ii) cause such registration statement or statements to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement or statements to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and (B) the date of the expiration of the Rights.  The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights.  The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this subsection (c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.  Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating 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.  In addition, if the Company shall determine that a registration statement is required following the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights 

14    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


until such time as a registration statement has been declared effective.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law, or a registration statement shall not have been declared effective.
(d)    The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock (and, following a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares or other securities (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and, with respect to shares of Preferred Stock, shares of Common Stock or other shares of capital stock, fully paid and nonassessable.
(e)    The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights.  The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock 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 such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.
Section 10.    Capital Stock Record Date.  
Each Person in whose name any certificate for a number of Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock 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 such Preferred Stock Fractions (or shares of Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the applicable 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 applicable transfer books of the Company are open.  Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without 

15    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
Section 11.    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.  
The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares and other securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i)    In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on any security of the Company payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the shares of Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be adjusted to the extent appropriate so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the adjusted Purchase Price, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, that, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books were open, the holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.  If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii)    In the event:
(A) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person, at any time after the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (1) shall merge into the Company or otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination and the shares of Common Stock of the Company or other equity securities of the Company shall remain outstanding, (2) shall, in one transaction or a series of transactions, transfer any assets to the Company or to any of its Subsidiaries in exchange (in whole or in part) for shares of Common Stock, for shares of other equity securities of the Company, or for securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of equity securities of 

16    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


the Company (shares of Common Stock or otherwise) or otherwise obtain from the Company, with or without consideration, any additional shares of such equity securities or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of such equity securities (other than pursuant to a pro rata distribution to all holders of shares of Common Stock), (3) shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of assets in one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with (as the case may be) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on terms and conditions less favorable to the Company than the Company would be able to obtain in arm’s-length negotiation with an unaffiliated third party, other than pursuant to a Section 13 Event, (4) shall sell, purchase, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or otherwise acquire or dispose of assets having an aggregate fair market value of more than $10,000,000 in one transaction or a series of transactions, to, from or with (as the case may be) the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than incidental to the lines of business, if any, engaged in as of the date hereof between the Company and such Acquiring Person or Associate or Affiliate), other than pursuant to a Section 13 Event, (5) shall receive any compensation from the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries other than compensation for full-time employment as a regular employee at rates in accordance with the Company’s (or its Subsidiaries’) past practices, or (6) shall receive the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder and except if resulting from a requirement of law or governmental regulation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantage provided by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
(B)    any Person, alone or together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after the Record Date, become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a Section 13 Event, or is an acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or an exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms that provide fair value to all stockholders, as determined by at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors, after taking into consideration all factors that such members of the Board of Directors deem relevant, including, without limitation, the long-term prospects and value of the Company and the prices and terms that such members of the Board of Directors believe, in good faith, could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value, or
(C)    during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, there shall be any reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split), or recapitalization of the Company, or any merger or consolidation 

17    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


of the Company with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction or series of transactions involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than a Section 13 Event or series of such Section 13 Events (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person) that has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing by more than 1% the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is directly or indirectly beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person,
then, promptly following the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of Preferred Stock Fractions, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Preferred Stock Fractions for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the “Adjustment Shares”).
(ii)    In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock that are authorized by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”) over the Purchase Price (such excess, the “Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right, 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 Common Stock of the same or a different class or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, preferred shares or units of preferred shares that a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office at the time has deemed (based, among other things, on the dividend and liquidation rights of such preferred shares) to have substantially the same economic value as shares of Common Stock (such preferred shares, hereinafter referred to as “common share equivalents”)), (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 a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office at the time after considering the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to 

18    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company’s right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (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 likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution Period”).  To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and 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.  For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the shares of Common Stock shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any “common share equivalent” shall be deemed to have the same value as the shares of Common Stock on such date.
(b)    In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to holders of any security of the Company entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) shares of Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock (“equivalent preferred shares”)) or securities convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Stock or per equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock 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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock that the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or 

19    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible).  In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which may 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 Company, the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.  Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.  Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c)    In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a regular quarterly dividend referred to above or dividend payable in shares of Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than shares of Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the then fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to a Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock.  Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(d)    (0)    For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “current market price” per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per Common Stock for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date.  For purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “current market price” per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily 

20    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


closing prices per share of Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current market price per share of Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such shares of Common Stock, and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10) Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the “current market price” shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading.  The closing price for each Trading Day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE MKT LLC or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE MKT LLC, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.  Automated Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.  If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the shares of Common Stock, the fair value of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.  The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.  If the shares of Common Stock are not publicly held or not so listed or traded, “current market price” per share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(i)    For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current market price” per share of Preferred Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for the shares of Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof).  If the current market price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided above or if the shares of Preferred Stock are not publicly held or listed or traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the “current market price” per share 

21    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the shares of Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current market price per share of Common Stock.  If neither the shares of Common Stock nor the shares of Preferred Stock are publicly held or so listed or traded, “current market price” per share of Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.  For all purposes of this Agreement, the “current market price” of a Preferred Stock Fraction shall be equal to the “current market price” of one Preferred Stock divided by 100.
(e)    Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.  Notwithstanding the first sentence of this subsection (e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the transaction that mandates such adjustment, or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(f)    If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than shares of Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the shares of Preferred Stock contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m) and (q), and the provisions of Section 7, Section 9, Section 10, Section 13 and Section 14 hereof with respect to the shares of Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g)    All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Stock Fractions purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.
(h)    Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in subsections (b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Preferred Stock Fractions (calculated to the nearest one-

22    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


millionth of a Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Stock Fractions covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i)    The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the number of Preferred Stock Fractions purchasable upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Preferred Stock Fractions 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 of a share of Preferred Stock) 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.  The record date for the adjustment may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement.  If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.  Rights Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j)    Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Preferred Stock Fractions issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock Fraction and the number of Preferred Stock Fractions that were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k)    Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated or par value, if any, of the number of Preferred Stock Fractions issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the 

23    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Company may validly and legally issue such number of fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Stock Fractions at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l)    In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the number of Preferred Stock Fractions and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Preferred Stock Fractions and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m)    Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the shares of Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash or shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its shares of Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.
(n)    The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% 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 and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect that would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the “Principal Party” for purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.

24    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(o)    The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27 hereof, 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 diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p)    Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the number of Rights associated with each Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.
(q)    In the event that the Rights become exercisable following a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Company, by action of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office at the time, may permit the Rights, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, to be exercised for 50% of the shares of Common Stock (or cash or other securities or assets to be substituted for the Adjustment Shares pursuant to subsection (a)(iii)) that would otherwise be purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the Company of the Rights so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price.  Rights exercised under this subsection (q) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and shall be canceled.
Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.  
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer agent for the shares of Preferred Stock and the shares of Common Stock, a copy of such certificate, and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 25 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.

25    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(a)    In the event that, following the Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof) shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), then, and in each such case and except as contemplated by subsection (d), proper provision shall be made so that:
(i)    each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof or subsection (e), shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Preferred Stock Fractions for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) per share of Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event,
(ii)    such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iii)    the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of 

26    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event;
(iv)    such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and
(v)    the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b)    “Principal Party” shall mean
(ii)    in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation; and
(iii)    in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence of subsection (a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the shares of Common Stock of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12) month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the shares of Common Stock of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person, and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the shares of Common Stock of two or more of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the shares of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c)    The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any Section 13 Event, the Principal Party will:

27    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(i)    prepare and file a registration statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date; and
(ii)    deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.  In the event that a Section 13 Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the Rights that have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable solely in the manner described in Section 13(a).
(d)    Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Section 13 (other than this subsection (d)) shall not be applicable to, and the term “Section 13 Event” shall not include, a transaction described in subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is consummated with a Person, or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock that complies with the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) (B) hereof (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person or Persons), (ii) the price per Common Stock offered in such transaction is not less than the price per Common Stock paid to all holders of shares of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as the form of consideration paid pursuant to such tender or exchange offer.  Upon consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this subsection (d), all Rights hereunder shall expire.
(e)    In the event that the Rights become exercisable under subsection (a) (except as provided in subsection (d)), the Company, by action of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office at the time, may agree with the Principal Party that the Principal Party shall permit the Rights to be exercised for 50% of the shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party that would otherwise be purchasable under subsection (a), in consideration of the surrender to the Principal Party, as the successor to the Company under subsection (a) (ii), of the Rights so exercised and without other payment of the Purchase Price.  Rights exercised under this subsection (e) shall be deemed to have been exercised in full and shall be canceled.
Section 14.    Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
(a)    The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute 

28    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights.  In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right.  For purposes of this subsection (a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.  The closing price of the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE MKT LLC or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE MKT LLC, 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 fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b)    The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock.  In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a share of Preferred Stock.  For purposes of this subsection (b), the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c)    Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock.  In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one share of Common Stock.  For purposes of this subsection (c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

29    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(d)    The holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right by the acceptance thereof expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares of Common Stock upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.
Section 15.    Rights of Action.  
All rights of action in respect of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the shares of Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the shares of Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the shares of Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement.  Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights or beneficial interests therein, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights or beneficial interests therein would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section 16.    Agreement of Rights Holders.  
Every holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other such holder that:
(a)    prior to the Distribution Date, beneficial interests in the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of shares of Common Stock;
(b)    after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c)    subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated certificate for Common Stock or Book Entry Shares) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated certificate for Common Stock or Book Entry Shares made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

30    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(d)    notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or a beneficial interest in a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
Section 17.    Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  
No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of Preferred Stock Fractions or any other securities of the Company (including the shares of Common Stock) that may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a)    The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.  The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, for and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.  Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(b)    The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for shares of Common Stock or for other securities of the Company (or registration on the 

31    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


transfer books of the Company, including, in the case of uncertificated shares, by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership), instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.
Section 19.    Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a)    Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the 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, however, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof.  In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency and trust created by this Agreement, any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b)    In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 20.    Duties of Rights Agent.  
The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates or beneficial interests in the Rights, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a)    The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the written opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

32    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(b)    Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of “current market price”) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering 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 the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c)    The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d)    The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e)    The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or shares of Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f)    The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g)    The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of 

33    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.
(h)    The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this Agreement and none of such actions shall constitute a breach of trust.  Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i)    The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however, reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j)    No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k)    If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.
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’ prior written notice mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the shares of Common Stock and shares of Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, in the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is not also the transfer agent for the Company.  In the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to resign automatically on the effective date of such termination; and any notice required to be provided pursuant to this Agreement will be sent by the Company.  The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice mailed 

34    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the shares of Common Stock and shares of Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail.  Any notices required to be sent to the holders of shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock or Rights Certificates pursuant to either of the preceding two sentences shall be sent by the Company.  If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.  Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation or trust company organized, doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States or of any state, that is authorized by law to exercise corporate trust and stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and that has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of $50,000,000, or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation or trust company described in clause (a) of this sentence.  After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose.  Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the shares of Common Stock and shares of Preferred Stock.  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 Rights Certificates.  
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, in connection with the issuance, sale or delivery of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued, sold or delivered pursuant to the exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights, grants or awards outstanding on the Distribution Date under any benefit plan or arrangement for employees or directors, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities outstanding on the Record Date or hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by 

35    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
Section 23.    Redemption and Termination.
(a)    The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following a Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the Stock Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day following the Record Date), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”) and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price either in shares of Common Stock (based on the “current market price”, as defined in Section 11(d)(ii) hereof, of the shares of Common Stock at the time of redemption) or cash; provided, however, that if, following the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (i) an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or otherwise disposed of a number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or series of transactions, not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering Event or the Company shall have issued additional equity securities, in either instance such that such Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or less of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (ii) there is no other Acquiring Person immediately following the occurrence of the event described in clause (i), then the right of redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject to the provisions of this Section 23.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company’s right of redemption hereunder has expired.
(b)    Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.  Promptly after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at each holder’s last address as it appears upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.  Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.

36    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(c)    In deciding whether or not to exercise the Company’s right of redemption hereunder, the directors of the Company shall exercise their powers in good faith, with a view to the interests of the Company and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence, as a person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances.
Section 24.    Exchange.
(a)    The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for a number of shares of Common Stock having a current market price equal to the Spread (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company’s Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding.
(b)    Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.  The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange.  The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent of any 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 will state the method by which the exchange of the Rights for shares of Common Stock will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null or void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.
(c)    In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company may substitute, to the extent of the insufficiency, cash, shares of a class of other equity securities of the Company, debt securities of the Company or any combination of the foregoing.

37    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


(d)    The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock.  In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Stock.  For the purposes of this Section 24(d), the current market value of a whole Common Stock shall be the closing price of a Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.
Section 25.    Notice of Certain Events.
(a)    In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its shares of Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), 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 transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50% 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 and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, 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 shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date for determining holders of shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
(b)    Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which 

38    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


shall specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph (a) to shares of Preferred Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to shares of Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other securities.
Section 26.    Notices.  
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
	
	
	Contango ORE, Inc.
3700 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 960
Houston, Texas  77098
Attention: President 

	 




Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
	
	
	Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
350 Indiana Street, Suite  750
Golden, Colorado  80401
Attention: Client Services

	 




Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date to the holder of certificates representing shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
Section 27.    Supplements and Amendments.
(a)    For so long as the Rights are then redeemable and except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 27(a), the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of the Rights.  From and after the date that the Rights are not redeemable, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of the Rights in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement the 

39    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


provisions hereunder in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person).  Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment, provided that such supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the rights, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent under this Agreement, and shall be fully protected hereunder by doing so. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no supplement or amendment shall be made that reduces the Redemption Price, it being understood that an adjustment of the Redemption Price pursuant to Section 23 shall not be deemed a supplement or amendment of this Agreement.
(b)    In deciding whether or not to supplement or amend this Agreement, the directors of the Company shall exercise their powers in good faith, with a view to the interests of the Company and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence, as a Person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances, and they may consider the effects of any action upon employees, suppliers and customers of the Company and upon communities in which offices or other establishments of the Company are located, and all other pertinent factors.
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.    Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.  
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.  The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend or supplement the Agreement).  All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

40    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Section 30.    Benefits of this Agreement.  
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the shares of Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the shares of Common Stock).
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 for any purpose or under any set of circumstances or as applied to any Person, such invalid, void or unenforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction shall continue in effect to the maximum extent possible for all other purposes, under all other circumstances and as applied to all other Persons; and the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Section 32.    Governing Law.  
This Agreement, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such jurisdiction.
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.  A signature to this Agreement transmitted electronically shall have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature.
Section 34.    Descriptive Headings.  
Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

41    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


Section 35.    Force Majeure.  
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war or civil unrest.



42    CORE Rights Agreement




Exhibit 4.1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
	
		
	 
	CONTANGO ORE, INC.
By:  /s/ BRAD JUNEAU  
Name:   Brad Juneau
Title:   President

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 
	COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
By:  /s/ DENNIS V MONICA 
Name:   Dennis V. Monica
Title: Manager, Contract Administration

	 
	 









CORE Rights Agreement






EXHIBIT A


CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES,
AND RELATIVE RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR PREFERRED STOCK
OF
CONTANGO ORE, INC.


It is hereby certified that:


1.     The name of the corporation (hereinafter called the “Corporation”) is
Contango ORE, Inc.


2.     The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation authorizes the issuance of preferred stock of the Corporation in series and expressly vests in the Board of Directors of the Corporation the authority provided therein to determine the rights, preferences, privileges of preferred stock and to fix the number of shares and designation of such series.


3.     At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation held on December 19, 2012, the following resolutions were adopted authorizing the creation and issuance of 100,000 shares of a series of preferred stock designated as “Series A Junior Preferred Stock”:
 
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors does hereby create, authorize and provide for the issuance of up to 100,000 shares of Series A Junior Preferred Stock, having the designations, preferences and relative and other special rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions set forth on the Certificate of Designations attached hereto as Schedule A.


FURTHER RESOLVED, that the statements contained in the foregoing resolutions creating and designating the said Series A Junior Preferred Stock, and fixing the number, preferences and relative, and other special rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof shall, upon the effective date of said series, be deemed to be included in and be a part of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of Sections 104 and 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate on December 20, 2012.




/s/ Sergio Castro
Sergio Castro, Secretary



A-1    CORE Rights Agreement






Schedule A


CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS, PREFERENCES,
AND RELATIVE RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS
OF
SERIES A JUNIOR CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
OF
CONTANGO ORE, INC.


Section 1.    Dividends and Distributions.
(a)    The rate of dividends payable per share of Series A Junior Preferred Stock on the first day of January, April, July and October in each year or such other quarterly payment date as shall be specified by the Board of Directors (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of the Series A Junior Preferred Stock, shall be (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $80 or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in cash, based upon the fair market value at the time the non-cash dividend or other distribution is declared or paid as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Corporation since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of the Series A Junior Preferred Stock.  Dividends on the Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall be paid out of funds legally available for such purpose.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time after December 20, 2012 (the “Record Date”), (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amounts to which holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b)    Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding Series A Junior Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock, unless (i) the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or (ii) the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of 

A-2    CORE Rights Agreement






holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the Series A Junior Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.
Section 2.    Voting Rights.  In addition to any other voting rights required by law, the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a)    Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1 vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b)    In the event that dividends upon the Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall be in arrears to an amount equal to six full quarterly dividends thereon, the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall become entitled to the extent hereinafter provided to vote noncumulatively at all elections of directors of the Corporation, and to receive notice of all stockholders’ meeting to be held for such purpose.  At such meetings, to the extent that directors are being elected, the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock voting as a class shall be entitled solely to elect two members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock have elected two members of one class of the Board of Directors, they shall not have the right to elect additional members of the Board of Directors until the term of the two directors previously elected has expired.  All other directors of the Corporation shall be elected by the other stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors.  Such voting rights of the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall continue until all accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon shall have been paid or funds sufficient therefor set aside, whereupon all such voting rights of the holders of shares of such series shall cease, subject to being again revived from time to time upon the reoccurrence of the conditions above described as giving rise thereto. 
(c)    At any time when such right to elect directors separately as a class shall have so vested, the Corporation may, and upon the written request of the holders of record of not less than 15% of the then outstanding total number of shares of all the Series A Junior Preferred Stock having the right to elect directors in such circumstances shall, call a special meeting of 

A-3    CORE Rights Agreement






holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock for the election of directors.  In the case of such a written request, such special meeting shall be held within 90 days after the delivery of such request, and in either case, at the place and upon the notice provided by law and in the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, that the Corporation shall not be required to call such a special meeting if such request is received less than 120 days before the date fixed for the next ensuing annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation.  Upon the mailing of the notice of such special meeting to the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock, or, if no such meeting be held, then upon the mailing of the notice of the next annual or special meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the number of directors of the Corporation, shall, ipso facto, be increased to the extent, but only to the extent, necessary to provide sufficient vacancies to enable the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock to elect the two directors hereinabove provided for, and all such vacancies shall be filled only by vote of the holders of such Series A Junior Preferred Stock as hereinabove provided.  Whenever the number of directors of the Corporation shall have been increased, the  number as so increased may thereafter be further increased or decreased in such manner as may be permitted by the Bylaws and without the vote of the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock, provided that no such action shall impair the right of the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock to elect and to be represented by two directors as herein provided.
(d)    So long as the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock are entitled hereunder to voting rights, any vacancy in the Board of Directors caused by the death or resignation of any director elected by the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock, shall, until the next meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, in each case be filled by the remaining director elected by the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock having the right to elect directors in such circumstances.
(e)    Upon termination of the voting rights of the holders of any series of Series A Junior Preferred Stock the terms of office of all persons who shall have been elected directors of the Corporation by vote of the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock or by a director elected by such holders shall forthwith terminate.
(f)    Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation or by law, the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock and the holders of Common Stock (and the holders of shares of any other series or class entitled to vote thereon) shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
Section 3.    Reacquired Shares.  Any Series A Junior Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.  All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors.
Section 4.    Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive the greater of (a) $20.00 per share, 

A-4    CORE Rights Agreement






plus accrued dividends to the date of distribution, whether or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event pursuant to clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 5.    Consolidation, Merger, etc.  In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 6.    No Redemption.  The Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable. 
Section 7.    Ranking.  The Series A Junior Preferred Stock shall rank junior to, and subordinate to, all other series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets.
Section 8.    Fractional Shares.  Series A Junior Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Junior Preferred Stock.



A-5    CORE Rights Agreement






EXHIBIT B
[Form of Rights Certificate]


Certificate No.  R-                 ___________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 19, 2014 (OR SUCH LATER DATE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY MAY DESIGNATE BY AMENDMENT OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) OR AFTER EARLIER REDEMPTION BY THE COMPANY.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT (SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT AS PROVIDED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.  [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).  ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.]*



B-1    CORE Rights Agreement






CONTANGO ORE, INC.
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
This certifies that _______________________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2012 (the “Rights Agreement”), between Contango ORE, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York, New York time) on December 19, 2014 (or such later date as the Board of Directors of the Company may designate by amendment of the Rights Agreement) at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable Series A Junior Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the Company, at a purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) of $80 per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Stock (such fraction, a “Preferred Stock Fraction”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed.  Except as provided in Sections 11(q) and 13(e) of the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price shall be paid in cash.  The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of Preferred Stock Fractions that may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per Preferred Stock Fraction set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of December 20, 2012, based on the shares of Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rights Agreement, upon the occurrence of any Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of any such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities that may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific 

B-2    CORE Rights Agreement






circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.  Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Stock Fractions as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at any time prior to the earlier of the close of business on (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of a Preferred Stock, which may, as the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company (including shares of Common Stock) that may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

B-3    CORE Rights Agreement






WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.
	
		
	Dated as of   ____________, 20__
	 

	 
	 

	ATTEST
Secretary
	CONTANGO ORE, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:

	 
	 

	 
	 

	Countersigned
	 

	 
	 

	Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
By:
Authorized Signature
	 









B-4    CORE Rights Agreement






[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such 
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto __________________
 
(Please print name and address of transferee)
 
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.
	
		
	Dated: _________________, 20 __
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 
	Signature

	 
	 

	 
	 

	Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 




Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
	
		
	Dated: _________________, 20 __
	Signature

	 
	 

	 
	 

	Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
	 

	 
	 





B-5    CORE Rights Agreement






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



B-6    CORE Rights Agreement






FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if holder desires to exercise 
Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To:  CONTANGO ORE, INC.:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or shares of Common Stock or such other securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to:
	
		
	Please insert social security
or other identifying number
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	(Please print name and address)

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 

	 
	 






If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
	
		
	Please insert social security
or other identifying number
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	(Please print name and address)

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 

	 
	 

	 
	 

	Dated:  _____________, 20__
	 

	 
	 

	 
	Signature

	 
	 

	Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
	 





B-7    CORE Rights Agreement






Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that
(1)    the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);
(2)    after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
	
		
	Dated: _________________, 20 __
	Signature

	 
	 

	 
	 

	Signature Medallion Guaranteed:
	 

	 
	 

	 
	 




NOTICE
The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.



B-8    CORE Rights Agreement






EXHIBIT C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE 
PREFERRED STOCK
On December 19, 2012, the Board of Directors of Contango ORE, Inc. (the “Company”) declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of Common Stock, $.01 par value (each, a “Common Stock”), of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of business on  December 20, 2012.  Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of the Series A Junior Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”), or a combination of securities and assets of equivalent value, at a Purchase Price of $80 per Unit, subject to adjustment.  The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent.
Initially, ownership of the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates representing shares then outstanding (or, with respect to any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, by notation in book entry), and no separate Rights Certificates will be distributed.  The Rights will separate from the shares of Common Stock and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “Stock Acquisition Date”), or (ii) the close of business on such date as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, which date shall not be more than 65 days following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group beneficially owning fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.  Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after December 20, 2012 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for shares of Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificate.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the close of business on December 19, 2014, unless the Rights Agreement is extended by the Board by amendment to the Rights Agreement, unless earlier redeemed by the Company as described below or unless a transaction under Section 13(d) of the Rights Agreement has occurred.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights.  Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, and except in connection with the exercise of employee stock options or stock appreciation rights or under any other benefit plan for employees or directors or in connection with the exercise of warrants or the conversion of 

C-1    CORE Rights Agreement






convertible securities, only shares of Common Stock issued after December 20, 2012, and prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date will be issued with Rights.
Except in the circumstances described below, after the Distribution Date each Right will be exercisable for one one-hundredth of a Preferred Stock (a “Preferred Stock Fraction”). The voting and dividend rights of the shares of Preferred Stock are subject to adjustment in the event of dividends, subdivisions and combinations with respect to the shares of Common Stock of the Company.  In lieu of issuing certificates for Preferred Stock Fractions which are less than an integral multiple of one Preferred Stock (i.e., 100 Preferred Stock Fractions), the Company may pay cash representing the current market value of the Preferred Stock Fractions.
In the event that at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person and its shares of Common Stock remain outstanding, (ii) a Person becomes the beneficial owner of more than fifteen percent (15%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock other than pursuant to a tender offer that provides fair value to all stockholders, (iii) an Acquiring Person engages in one or more “self-dealing” transactions as set forth in the Rights Agreement, or (iv) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person, an event occurs that results in such Acquiring Person’s ownership interest being increased by more than 1% (e.g., a reverse stock split), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.  In lieu of requiring payment of the Purchase Price upon exercise of the Rights following any such event, the Company may permit the holders simply to surrender the Rights, in which event they will be entitled to receive Common Stock (and other property, as the case may be) with a value of 50% of what could be purchased by payment of the full Purchase Price.  Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person who was involved in the transaction giving rise to any such event will be null and void.  
For example, assuming an exercise price of $80 per Right, each Right not otherwise voided following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase $160 worth of shares of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $80.  Assuming that the shares of Common Stock had a per share value of $20 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase eight shares of Common Stock for $80.  Alternatively, the Company could permit the holder to surrender each Right in exchange for stock or cash equivalent to four shares of Common Stock (with a value of $80) without the payment of any consideration other than the surrender of the Right. 
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger that is described in, or that follows a tender offer or exchange offer described in, the second preceding paragraph), or (ii) 50% or more of the Company’s assets or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a Right (except Rights that previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, 

C-2    CORE Rights Agreement






upon exercise, common shares of the acquiring company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.  Again, provision is made to permit surrender of the Rights in exchange for one-half of the value otherwise purchasable.  The events set forth in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the “Triggering Events.”
The Purchase Price payable and the number of Units of shares of Preferred Stock 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 shares of Preferred Stock, (ii) if holders of the shares of Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or warrants to subscribe for shares of Preferred Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the shares of Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the shares of Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular quarterly dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase Price.  No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the shares of Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such Person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board may exchange all or part of the Rights (other than Rights held by such Person or group which may have become void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock having a value equal to the spread between the value of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a Right and the exercise price.
At any time until ten days following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right, subject to adjustment.  That ten day redemption period may be extended by the Board of Directors so long as the Rights are still redeemable.  Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, 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 stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.  While the distribution of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable for shares of Preferred Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for common shares of the acquiring company as set forth above.
Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company so long as the rights are redeemable by the Board except to reduce the redemption price.  After such time, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity, to make changes that do not adversely affect the 

C-3    CORE Rights Agreement






interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person) or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.
A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.  A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.  This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.



C-4    CORE Rights Agreement