<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

                                  BARRA, INC.

                                       AND

                          MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC

                                  RIGHTS AGENT









                        PREFERRED STOCK RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           DATED AS OF AUGUST 15, 2001











<PAGE>   2




                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                              ----
<S>            <C>                                                                            <C>
Section 1.     Certain Definitions...............................................................1


Section 2.     Appointment of Rights Agent.......................................................7


Section 3.     Issuance of Rights Certificates...................................................7


Section 4.     Form of Rights Certificates.......................................................9


Section 5.     Countersignature and Registration.................................................9


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


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


Section 8.     Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates..............................13


Section 9.     Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares.................................13


Section 10.    Record Date......................................................................14


Section 11.    Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights...............15


Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares.......................21


Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.............21


Section 14.    Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..........................................25


Section 15.    Rights of Action.................................................................26


Section 16.    Agreement of Rights Holders......................................................27


Section 17.    Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder...............................27


Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent......................................................27


Section 19.    Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent........................28


Section 20.    Duties of Rights Agent...........................................................29


Section 21.    Change of Rights Agent...........................................................31

</TABLE>


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<PAGE>   3









                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (CONTINUED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              PAGE
                                                                                              ----
<S>            <C>                                                                            <C>
Section 22.    Issuance of New Rights Certificates..............................................32


Section 23.    Redemption.......................................................................32


Section 24.    Exchange.........................................................................33


Section 25.    Notice of Certain Events.........................................................35


Section 26.    Notices..........................................................................35


Section 27.    Supplements and Amendments.......................................................36


Section 28.    Successors.......................................................................37


Section 29.    Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc........................37


Section 30.    Benefits of this Agreement.......................................................37


Section 31.    Severability.....................................................................37


Section 32.    Governing Law....................................................................37


Section 33.    Counterparts.....................................................................38


Section 34.    Descriptive Headings.............................................................38


EXHIBITS

Exhibit A      Form of Certificate of Designation

Exhibit B      Form of Rights Certificate

Exhibit C      Summary of Rights

</TABLE>

                                      -iii-


<PAGE>   4
                        PREFERRED STOCK RIGHTS AGREEMENT



        This Preferred Stock Rights Agreement, is dated as of August 15, 2001,
between Barra, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a
New Jersey limited liability company.

        On August 15, 2001 (the "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE"), the Board
of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend of one Preferred
Share Purchase Right (a "RIGHT") for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined)
of the Company outstanding as of the Close of Business (as hereinafter defined)
on September 7, 2001 (the "RECORD DATE"), each Right representing the right to
purchase one one-thousandth (0.001) of a share of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of
this Agreement), having the rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the
form of Certificate of Designations of Rights, Preferences and Privileges of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement) with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution
Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined), and in
certain circumstances after the Distribution Date.

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

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

            (a) "ACQUIRING PERSON" shall mean any Person, who or which, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Andrew Rudd, the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company,
shall not be deemed an Acquiring Person unless and until he is the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, and no Person shall
be deemed to be an Acquiring Person as the result of an acquisition of Common
Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding,
increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person
to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided,
however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases
by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the
Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company (other than
pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the
outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision
of the outstanding Common Shares), then such Person shall be deemed to be an
Acquiring Person unless upon becoming the

<PAGE>   5






Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares of the Company such Person
does not beneficially own 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then
outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if the Company's Board of
Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation,
because (A) such Person was unaware that it beneficially owned a percentage of
the Common Shares that would otherwise cause such Person to be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a),
or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of the Common Shares it beneficially
owned but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such beneficial
ownership under this Agreement) and without any intention of changing or
influencing control of the Company, and if such Person divested or divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement; and
(ii) if, as of the date hereof, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the Common Shares outstanding, such Person shall not be or become an
"Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph (a), unless and until such time as such Person shall become the
Beneficial Owner of additional Common Shares (other than pursuant to a dividend
or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in
Common Shares or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common
Shares), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common
Shares, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the
Common Shares then outstanding.

            (b) "ADJUSTMENT FRACTION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(i) hereof.

            (c) "AFFILIATE" and "ASSOCIATE" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

            (d) A Person shall be deemed the "BENEFICIAL OWNER" of and shall be
deemed to "BENEFICIALLY OWN" any securities:

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

                  (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between
underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise;
provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed pursuant to this Section
1(d)(ii)(A) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (1)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf
of such Person or

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<PAGE>   6

any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange, or (2) securities which a Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates may be deemed to have the right to
acquire pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the
Company and such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) if such
agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to
there being an Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security
under this Section 1(d)(ii)(B) if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to
vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to
such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange
Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act
(or any comparable or successor report); or

                  (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person
or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement
or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements
with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona
fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B))
or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that in no
case shall an officer or director of the Company be deemed (x) the Beneficial
Owner of any securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the
Company solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity
as officers or directors of the Company or (y) the Beneficial Owner of
securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the officer or director, by
reason of any influence that such officer or director may have over the voting
of the securities held in the plan.

            (e) "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday
or a day on which banking institutions in New Jersey and California are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

            (f) "CLOSE OF BUSINESS" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
California time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., California time, on the next succeeding
Business Day.

            (g) "COMMON SHARES" when used with reference to the Company shall
mean the shares of Common Stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share.
Common Shares when used with reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

            (h) "COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.


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<PAGE>   7


            (i) "COMPANY" shall mean Barra, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
subject to the terms of Section 13(a)(iii)(C) hereof.

            (j) "CURRENT PER SHARE MARKET PRICE" of any security (a "Security"
for purposes of this definition), for all computations other than those made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, shall mean the average of the daily
closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive
Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date, and for purposes
of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the Current Per
Share Market Price of any Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average
of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the ten (10)
consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date;
provided, however, that in the event that the Current Per Share Market Price of
the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the
issuer of such Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security
payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares or
(ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and
prior to the expiration of the applicable thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10)
Trading Day period, after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or
distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or
reclassification, then, and in each such case, the Current Per Share Market
Price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per
share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange
on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last
sale price or, if such last sale price is not reported, the average of the high
bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq
or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security
selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market
maker is making a market in the Security, 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. If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the Current Per Share
Market Price of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the
product of (x) the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares as
determined pursuant to this Section 1(j), as appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date
hereof, multiplied by (y) 1000. If the Security is not publicly held or so
listed or traded, Current Per Share Market Price shall mean the fair value per
share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

            (k) "CURRENT VALUE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.



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<PAGE>   8

            (l) "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall mean the earlier of (i) the Close of
Business on the tenth day (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Company's Board of Directors) after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the
tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the
Close of Business on the Record Date) or (ii) the Close of Business on the tenth
Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Company's
Board of Directors) 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
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms
of any such plan) is first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule
14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if,
assuming the successful consummation thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring
Person.

            (m) "EQUIVALENT SHARES" shall mean Preferred Shares and any other
class or series of capital stock of the Company which is entitled to the same
rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares.

            (n) "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

            (o) "EXCHANGE RATIO" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
24(a) hereof.

            (p) "EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a) hereof.

            (q) "EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean the earliest to occur of: (i) the
Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date, or
(iii) the time at which the Board of Directors orders the exchange of the Rights
as provided in Section 24 hereof.

            (r) "FINAL EXPIRATION DATE" shall mean September 7, 2011.

            (s) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System.

            (t) "PERSON" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, limited
liability company or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or
otherwise) of such entity.

            (u) "POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(e) hereof.

            (v) "PREFERRED SHARES" shall mean shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company.

            (w) "PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(e) hereof.

            (x) "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.



                                                                             -5-
<PAGE>   9

            (y) "RECORD DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
at the beginning of this Agreement.

            (z) "REDEMPTION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.

            (aa) "REDEMPTION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.

            (bb) "RIGHTS AGENT" shall mean (i) Mellon Investor Services LLC,
(ii) its successor or replacement as provided in Sections 19 and 21 hereof or
(iii) any additional Person appointed pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

            (cc) "RIGHTS CERTIFICATE" shall mean a certificate substantially in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

            (dd) "RIGHTS DIVIDEND DECLARATION DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.

            (ee) "SECTION 11(a)(ii) TRIGGER DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

            (ff) "SECTION 13 EVENT" shall mean any event described in clause
(i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a) hereof.

            (gg) "SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

            (hh) "SHARES ACQUISITION DATE" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act) by
the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such;
provided that, if such Person is determined not to have become an Acquiring
Person pursuant to Section 1(a) hereof, then no Shares Acquisition Date shall be
deemed to have occurred.

            (ii) "SPREAD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof.

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

            (kk) "SUBSTITUTION PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

            (ll) "SUMMARY OF RIGHTS" shall mean a summary of this Agreement
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.



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<PAGE>   10

            (mm) "TOTAL EXERCISE PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a) hereof.

            (nn) "TRADING DAY" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which a referenced security is listed or admitted to
trading is open for the transaction of business or, if a referenced security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a
Business Day.

            (oo) A "TRIGGERING EVENT" shall be deemed to have occurred upon any
Person becoming an Acquiring Person.

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

        Section 3.    Issuance of Rights Certificates.

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

                  (b) On the Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter,
the Company will send a copy of the Summary of Rights by first-class,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of


                                                                             -7-
<PAGE>   11


Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company's transfer agent and registrar.
With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record
Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with the
Summary of Rights.

                  (c) Unless the Board of Directors by resolution adopted at or
before the time of the issuance of any Common Shares after the Record Date but
prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (or, in
certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution
Date) specifies to the contrary, Rights shall be issued in respect of all Common
Shares that are so issued, and Certificates representing such Common Shares
shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following
legend:

        THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO
        CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN BARRA, INC.
        AND MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, AS THE RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF
        AUGUST 15, 2001, (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY
        INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE
        PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF BARRA, INC. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
        AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY
        SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS
        CERTIFICATE. BARRA, INC. WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A
        COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN
        REQUEST THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 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.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate
shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common
Shares represented thereby.

                  (d) In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
      Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date,
      any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and
      retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights
      associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.


                                                                             -8-
<PAGE>   12

        Section 4.    Form of Rights Certificates.

                  (a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
      purchase Common Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse
      thereof) shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 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 (but which do not affect the rights, duties or
      responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent with the
      provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
      applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or
      with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or a national market
      system, on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or included,
      or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and
      Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be
      dated as of the Record Date (or in the case of Rights issued with respect
      to Common Shares issued by the Company after the Record Date, as of the
      date of issuance of such Common Shares) and on their face shall entitle
      the holders thereof to purchase such number of one-thousandths of a
      Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth
      therein (such exercise price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
      being hereinafter referred to as the "EXERCISE PRICE" and the aggregate
      Exercise Price of all Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of one Right
      being hereinafter referred to as the "TOTAL EXERCISE PRICE"), but the
      number and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right
      and the Exercise Price 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 beneficially owned by: (i) an
      Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person,
      (ii) a Post-Event Transferee, (iii) a Pre-Event Transferee or (iv) any
      subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights from a Post-Event
      Transferee or a Pre-Event Transferee, either directly or through one or
      more intermediate transferees, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant
      to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or
      adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence,
      shall contain (to the extent feasible and to the extent the Rights Agent
      has been notified thereof) the following legend:

        THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE
        BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
        AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
        DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
        AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE
        CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

        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
      Chief Financial Officer, its President or any Vice President, either
      manually or by facsimile signature, and by the Secretary or an Assistant
      Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, and
      shall have affixed thereto



                                                                             -9-
<PAGE>   13

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

                  (b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will
      keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purposes,
      books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued
      hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective
      holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its
      face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights
      Certificates.

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

            (a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 7(e), 14 and 24 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
Rights Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for
another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, entitling the registered
holder to purchase a like number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or,
following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then
entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer,
split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall
surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be transferred, split
up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any
action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights
Certificate until the registered holder shall have properly 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 or the Rights Agent shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(e), 14 and 24 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. The Rights Agent shall have no duty or
obligation to take any action under any Section of this Agreement which requires
the payment by a Rights holder of applicable taxes and governmental


                                                                            -10-
<PAGE>   14

charges unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all such taxes
and/or charges have been paid.

            (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 satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's or the Rights Agent's
request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and
cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and
deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery
to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.

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

            (a) Subject to Sections 7(e), 23(b) and 24(b) hereof, the registered
holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution Date and prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date by
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on
the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the
Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the Exercise
Price for each one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering
Event, other securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) as to which
the Rights are exercised.

            (b) The Exercise Price for each one-thousandth of a Preferred Share
issuable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be Two-Hundred
Dollars ($200.00), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided
in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

            (c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable
Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by
payment of the Exercise Price for the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets
as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or
charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in
accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section
20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer
agent for the Preferred Shares) a certificate or certificates for the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other
securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) to be purchased and the
Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such
requests or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other
securities, cash or other assets as the case may be) issuable upon exercise of
the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary
agent depositary receipts representing such number of one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or
other assets as the case may be) as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the Preferred Shares (or, following a Triggering Event, other
securities, cash or other assets as the case



                                                                            -11-
<PAGE>   15

may be) represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent
with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent
to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company
the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 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) when appropriate, after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Rights Certificate. The payment of the Exercise Price (as such amount may be
reduced (including to zero) pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e) hereof, may be made in cash
or by certified bank check, cashier's check or bank draft payable to the order
of the Company. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities
of the Company other than Preferred Shares, 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 necessary to
comply with this Agreement.

            (d)  In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate shall
exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Rights Certificate or to
his or her duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and
14 hereof.

            (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from
and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially
owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such (a
"POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE"), (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any
such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently
with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to
either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person
with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or
understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the
Company's Board of Directors has determined is part of an agreement, arrangement
or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e) (a "PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE") or (iv) any subsequent transferee
receiving transferred Rights from a Post-Event Transferee or a Pre-Event
Transferee, either directly or through one or more intermediate transferees,
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder of such
Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether
under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall notify the
Rights Agent when this Section 7(e) applies and shall use all reasonable efforts
to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are
complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any
liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person as a
result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or any of such Acquiring Person's Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.



                                                                            -12-
<PAGE>   16

            (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, in
addition to having complied with the requirements of Section 7(a), have (i) duly
and properly 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 or the Rights Agent 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 to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire, any 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 evidencing the destruction thereof to the Company.

        Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Shares.

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

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

            (c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon
exercise of the Rights is described in Section 11(a)(ii) or 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 under the Securities Act with respect to
the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form,
(ii) cause such registration statement to become



                                                                            -13-
<PAGE>   17

effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (iii) cause such
registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and
(B) the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period not
to exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first
sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating,
and notify the Rights Agent, that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement and notification to the
Rights Agent at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance
with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with
the exercisability of the Rights. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any
jurisdiction, unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have
been obtained, or an exemption therefrom shall be available, and until a
registration statement has been declared and remains effective.

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

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

      Section 10 Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for a
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities of the
Company) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed
to have become the holder of record of Preferred Shares (or other securities of
the Company) 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 Total Exercise Price with respect to which the
Rights have been exercised (and any applicable taxes and charges) was made;
provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon
which the transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed
to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall
be dated, the next succeeding


                                                                            -14-
<PAGE>   18

Business Day on which the transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate
shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares (or other
securities of the Company) for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including,
without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

        Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights. The Exercise Price, the number and kind of shares or other property
covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

            (a) (i) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,
in the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement
(A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B)
subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Preferred Shares (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of
Preferred Shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise
provided in this Section 11 and Section 7(e) hereof: (1) the Exercise Price in
effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date
of such subdivision, combination or reclassification shall be adjusted so that
the Exercise Price thereafter shall equal the result obtained by dividing the
Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such time by a fraction (the
"ADJUSTMENT FRACTION"), the numerator of which shall be the total number of
Preferred Shares (or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of
the Preferred Shares) outstanding immediately following such time and the
denominator of which shall be the total number of Preferred Shares outstanding
immediately prior to such time; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of such Right; and (2) the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred
Share (or share of such other capital stock) issuable upon the exercise of each
Right shall equal the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or share
of such other capital stock) as was issuable upon exercise of a Right
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event described in clauses (A)-(D) of
this Section 11(a)(i), multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction; provided, however,
that, no such adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i) to the
extent that there shall have simultaneously occurred an event described in
clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) of Section 11(n) with a proportionate adjustment
being made thereunder. Each Common Share that shall become outstanding after an
adjustment has been made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i) shall have associated
with it the number of Rights, exercisable at the Exercise Price and for the
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital
stock) as one Common Share has associated with it immediately following the
adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11(a)(i).

            (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that a
Triggering Event shall have occurred, then promptly following such Triggering
Event each holder of a Right,



                                                                            -15-
<PAGE>   19
except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive for each Right, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and payment of the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to
the occurrence of the Triggering Event, in lieu of a number of one-thousandths
of a Preferred Share, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal
the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the product obtained by multiplying (1)
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of the
Triggering Event by (2) the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right was exercisable (or would have been exercisable if the
Distribution Date had occurred) immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event, by (B) 50% of the Current Per Share Market Price for Common
Shares on the date of occurrence of the Triggering Event; provided, however,
that the Exercise Price and the number of Common Shares of the Company so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e) hereof to reflect any events
occurring in respect of the Common Shares of the Company after the occurrence of
the Triggering Event.

            (iii) In lieu of issuing Common Shares in accordance with Section
11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, if the Company's Board of Directors
determines that such action is necessary or appropriate and not contrary to the
interest of holders of Rights and, in the event that the number of Common Shares
which are authorized by the Company's Certificate of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights, or
if any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance has not been obtained by
the Company, the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the
Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "CURRENT VALUE") over
(2) the Exercise Price (such excess, the "SPREAD") and (B) with respect to each
Right, make adequate provision to substitute for such Common Shares, upon
exercise of the Rights, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Exercise Price, (3)
other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or
units of shares of any series of preferred stock which the Company's Board of
Directors has deemed to have the same value as Common Shares (such shares or
units of shares of preferred stock are herein called "COMMON STOCK
EQUIVALENTS")), except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any
necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (4) debt
securities of the Company, except to the extent that the Company has not
obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, (5)
other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value
equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
the Company's Board of Directors based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Company's Board of Directors;
provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to
deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the
later of (x) the first occurrence of a Triggering Event and (y) the date on
which the Company's right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the
later of (x) and (y) being referred to herein as the "SECTION 11(a)(ii) TRIGGER
DATE"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for
exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Exercise Price, Common
Shares (to the extent available), except to the extent that the Company has not
obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance, and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal
to the Spread. If the Company's Board of Directors shall determine in good faith
that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized
for issuance upon exercise in


                                                                            -16-
<PAGE>   20

full of the Rights or that any necessary regulatory approval for such issuance
will be obtained, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended to
the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section
11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval
for the authorization of such additional shares or take action to obtain such
regulatory approval (such period, as it may be extended, the "SUBSTITUTION
PERIOD"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii),
the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action
shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (y) may suspend the
exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in
order to seek any authorization of additional shares, to take any action to
obtain any required regulatory approval and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the
value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a
public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been
temporarily suspended, as well as issue a public announcement at such time as
the suspension is no longer in effect (with prompt written notice of each such
announcement to the Rights Agent). For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of the Common Shares shall be the Current Per Share Market Price of the
Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any Common
Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on
such date.

            (b) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this
Agreement, fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to
all holders of Preferred Shares entitling such holders (for a period expiring
within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or
purchase Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares or securities convertible into
Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares at a price per share (or having a
conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or
Equivalent Shares) less than the then Current Per Share Market Price of the
Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares on such record date, then, in each such
case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any) outstanding on such record date,
plus the number of Preferred Shares or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be,
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares or
Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, to be offered or issued (and/or the
aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities to be offered
or issued) would purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of
which shall be the number of Preferred Shares and Equivalent Shares (if any)
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional Preferred Shares
or Equivalent Shares, as the case may be, to be offered for subscription or
purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Company's
Board of Directors, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of the Rights. Preferred Shares and Equivalent Shares owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such


                                                                            -17-
<PAGE>   21

computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record
date is fixed, and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so
issued, the Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

        (c) In case the Company shall, at any time after the date of this
Agreement, fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of
the Preferred Shares or of any class or series of Equivalent Shares (including
any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which
the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of
indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend, if any, or
a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights, options or
warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), then, in each such
case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Per Share
Market Price of a Preferred Share or an Equivalent Share on such record date,
less the fair market value per Preferred Share or Equivalent 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) 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
Share or Equivalent Share, as the case may be, and the denominator of which
shall be such Current Per Share Market Price of a Preferred Share or Equivalent
Share on such record date; provided, however, that in no event shall the
consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon
exercise of one Right. 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 Exercise Price shall be adjusted to be the Exercise Price which would have
been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

        (d) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in
the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least one percent (1.0%) of the Exercise Price;
provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(d)
are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in
any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made
to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Common Share or other
share or one hundred-thousandth of a Preferred Share, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(d), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
(3) years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or
(ii) the Expiration Date.

         (e) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a)
or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall
become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred
Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise
of any Right and, if required, the Exercise 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 Preferred Shares contained in
Sections 11(a), 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), 11(f), 11(g), 11(h),



                                                                            -18-
<PAGE>   22

11(i), 11(j), 11(k) and 11(l), and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and
14 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such
other shares.

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

        (g) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(h), upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price as a result of the
calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, that number of Preferred Shares
(calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a share) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of Preferred Shares covered by a Right immediately
prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior
to such adjustment of the Exercise Price, and (ii) dividing the product so
obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of
the Exercise Price.

        (h) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Exercise Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) or (c) to
adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of
Preferred Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights
outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable
for the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one hundred-thousandth) obtained by dividing
the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Exercise
Price by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the
Exercise Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to
adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and,
if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made, and shall
promptly give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. This record date may
be the date on which the Exercise Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if any 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(h), 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 Exercise
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.


                                                                            -19-
<PAGE>   23

        (i) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or
the number of Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the
Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express
the Exercise Price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share and the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.

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

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

        (l) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, prior
to the Distribution Date, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions
in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by
this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of
the Preferred or Common Shares, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred
or Common Shares at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly
for cash of Preferred or Common Shares or securities which by their terms are
convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred or Common Shares, (iv) stock
dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred or Common
Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

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

        (n) In the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of
this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common
Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding
Common Shares (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of
Common Shares, or (D) issue any shares of



                                                                            -20-
<PAGE>   24

its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then, in each such event,
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof: (1)
each Common Share (or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of
the Common Shares) outstanding immediately following such time shall have
associated with it the number of Rights as were associated with one Common Share
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event described in clauses (A)-(D)
above; (2) the Exercise Price in effect at the time of the record date for such
dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or
reclassification shall be adjusted so that the Exercise Price thereafter shall
equal the result obtained by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such time by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be
the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the event
described in clauses (A)-(D) above, and the denominator of which shall be the
total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of such Right; and (3) the
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital
stock) issuable upon the exercise of each Right outstanding after such event
shall equal the number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of
such other capital stock) as were issuable with respect to one Right immediately
prior to such event. Each Common Share that shall become outstanding after an
adjustment has been made pursuant to this Section 11(n) shall have associated
with it the number of Rights, exercisable at the Exercise Price and for the
number of one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or shares of such other capital
stock) as one Common Share has associated with it immediately following the
adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11(n). If an event occurs which would
require an adjustment under both this Section 11(n) and Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be in addition
to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.

        Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares.
Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and/or 13 hereof, the
Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment
and a brief statement of the facts and computations accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof
to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company to make such
certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity of such
adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment contained therein and shall have no duty with respect to and
shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it
shall have received such certificate.

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

               (a)    In the event that, following a Triggering Event, directly
or indirectly:




                                                                            -21-
<PAGE>   25

            (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any
other Person (other than a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company in a
transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state of
incorporation of the Company and which complies with Section 11(m) hereof);

            (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with
and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such merger,
all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or
other securities of any other Person (or the Company); or

            (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more
of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more
transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any
other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly
owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions, each of which individually (and
together) complies with Section 11(m) hereof), then, concurrent with and in each
such case,

                  (A) each holder of a Right (except as provided in Section 7(e)
hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at
a price equal to the Total Exercise Price applicable immediately prior to the
occurrence of the Section 13 Event in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as
hereinafter defined), free of any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal
or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by dividing
such Total Exercise Price by an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the
Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party on
the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event; provided, however, that the
Exercise Price and the number of Common Shares of such Principal Party so
receivable upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to further adjustment as
appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e) hereof;

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

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

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

                  (E) upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect
of such Principal Party, each



                                                                            -22-
<PAGE>   26

holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a
Right and payment of the Total Exercise Price as provided in this Section 13(a),
such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would
have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction,
owned the Common Shares of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of
such Right pursuant to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party shall take
such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as
may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance
with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other
property.

                  (F) For purposes hereof, the "earning power" of the Company
and its Subsidiaries shall be determined in good faith by the Company's Board of
Directors on the basis of the operating income of each business operated by the
Company and its Subsidiaries during the three fiscal years preceding the date of
such determination (or, in the case of any business not operated by the Company
or any Subsidiary during three full fiscal years preceding such date, during the
period such business was operated by the Company or any Subsidiary).

            (b) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "PRINCIPAL PARTY" shall
mean:

                  (i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or
(ii) of Section 13(a) hereof: (A) the Person that is the issuer of the
securities into which the Common Shares are converted in such merger or
consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common
Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding,
or (B) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to
the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one
such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate
market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party
to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the
merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from
the consolidation; and

                  (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii)
of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest
portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction
or transactions, or, if more than one Person that is a party to such transaction
or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred and each such portion would, were it not for the other equal
portions, constitute the greatest portion of the assets or earning power so
transferred, or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or
earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of
Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding;
provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause
(b)(i) or (b)(ii), if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time or
have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect
Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so
registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2)
if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person,
the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, the term "Principal
Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares
having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such



                                                                            -23-
<PAGE>   27

Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or
more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly by the same Person, the
rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners
having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture
was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint ventures, and the Principal Party
in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the
same ration as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.

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

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

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

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

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

            (d) In case the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(b)
hereof has provision in any of its authorized securities or in its certificate
of incorporation or by-laws or other


                                                                            -24-
<PAGE>   28

instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the
effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of
Rights pursuant to Section 13 hereof), in connection with, or as a consequence
of, the consummation of a Section 13 Event, Common Shares or Equivalent Shares
of such Principal Party at less than the then Current Per Share Market Price
thereof or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or
Equivalent Shares of such Principal Party at less than such then Current Per
Share Market Price, or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar
provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal
Party pursuant to the provisions of Section 13 hereof, then, in such event, the
Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate
any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party
shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement
providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been
canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be
redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection
with or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

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

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

        Section 14.   Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

        (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such
fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be
issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current
market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would
have been otherwise issuable, as determined pursuant to the second sentence of
Section 1(j) hereof.

        (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Interests in fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate



                                                                            -25-
<PAGE>   29

agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided,
however, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are
entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such
depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall
pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are
exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a Preferred Share. For purposes of this Section 14(b),
the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the product equal to (x)
one thousandth multiplied by (y) the closing price of a Common Share (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 1(j) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

        (c) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares
upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional Common
Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates
at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal
to the same fraction of the current market value of a Common Share. For purposes
of this Section 14(c), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 1(j) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.

        (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly
waives his or her right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of a Right.

        (e) Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares
is to be made by the Rights Agent, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare and
deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the
facts related to such payments and the prices and/or formulas utilized in
calculating such payments, and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights
Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon such a certificate and shall have
no duty with respect to, and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any
payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares under any Section of this
Agreement relating to the payment of fractional Rights or fractional shares
unless and until the Rights Agent shall have received such a certificate and
sufficient monies.

      Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent pursuant to
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior
to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the
Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his or her own behalf and for
his or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action
or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of,
his or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in
the manner provided in such



                                                                            -26-
<PAGE>   30

Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations
of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.

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

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

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

            (c) subject to Sections 6(a) and 7(f) hereof, the Company and the
Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Rights Certificate
(or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate)
is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights
Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other
than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither
the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary.

        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 to be the holder of the Preferred Shares
or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any
Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company
or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted
to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as specifically provided in Section 25 hereof), or to
receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions 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
other disbursements incurred in the preparation, administration, delivery,
execution and amendment of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of
its duties and its rights, including, but not limited to, its right to
indemnification hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for,


                                                                            -27-
<PAGE>   31


and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine,
penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense, incurred in connection with
its performance under the Agreement, unless caused by the Rights Agent's gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by a final
non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent
jurisdiction), for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in
connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability hereunder. In no event will the Rights Agent be liable for special,
indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever, even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the possibility of such
loss or damage. The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 below shall
survive the termination of this Agreement, the exercise or expiration of the
Rights and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent.

        (b) The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur
no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with, its acceptance and administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment
or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice,
direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document reasonably
believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary,
verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the
advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof. The Rights Agent shall not
be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive
notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and
shall incur no liability for failing to take any action in connection therewith
unless and until it has received such notice in writing.

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

        (a) Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the 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
Person 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 created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in
the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.

         (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned
but not delivered, the Rights Agent


                                                                            -28-
<PAGE>   32

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 only the
duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied
duties and obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which
the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:

        (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be
full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the
Rights Agent shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such advice or
opinion.

        (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the
determination of Current Per Share Market Price) be proved or established by the
Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder,
such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein
specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established
by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial
Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered
to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization and
protection to the Rights Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

        (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company only for
its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by
a final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of
competent jurisdiction). Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement
will be limited to the amount of fees paid by the Company to the Rights Agent.

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

        (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility or have any
liability in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any 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


                                                                            -29-
<PAGE>   33

shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights, a
transfer to an Acquiring Person or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights
(including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Sections 3, 11,
13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require
any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt by the Rights Agent of a
certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12 describing such change or
adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

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

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

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


                                                                            -30-
<PAGE>   34

misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or any
other reason resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (each as determined by a
final, non-appealable order, judgment, decree or ruling of a court of competent
jurisdiction) in the selection and continued employment thereof.

        (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
it believes 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' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Preferred
Shares and the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders
of the Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign
or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall
appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his or her Rights
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be (i) a Person organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United
States, in good standing, which is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million, or (ii) an
Affiliate of a Person described in clause (i). After appointment, the successor
Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Preferred Shares and the Common Shares, and mail
a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Rights
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity


                                                                            -31-
<PAGE>   35

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

        Section 23.   Redemption.

            (a) The Company may, at its option and with the approval of the
Board of Directors, at any time prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of
(i) the fifth day following the Shares Acquisition Date (or such later date as
may be determined by action of the Company's Board of Directors and publicly
announced by the Company) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not
less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.0001 per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
herein referred to as the "REDEMPTION PRICE") and the Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price either in Common Shares (based on the Current
Per Share Market Price thereof at the time of redemption) or cash. Such
redemption of the Rights by the Company may be made effective at such time, on
such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in
its sole discretion may establish. The date on which the Board of Directors
elects to make the redemption effective shall be referred to as the "REDEMPTION
DATE."

            (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


                                                                            -32-
<PAGE>   36

Price. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption;
provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice
shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within ten (10) days after the
action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the
Company shall give prompt written notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent
and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all
such holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of
the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at
any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23
or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of
Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

        Section 24.   Exchange.

            (a) Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, and subject
to subsection 24(c) below, the Company may, at its option, by action of its
Board of Directors, at any time after the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share
per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being
hereinafter referred to as the "EXCHANGE RATIO"). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
such 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 for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the
Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

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


                                                                            -33-
<PAGE>   37

number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

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

        (d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In
lieu of such fractional Common Shares, there shall be paid to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common
Shares would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current market value of a whole Common Share (as determined pursuant to
the second sentence of Section 1(j) hereof).

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

        (f) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors ordering the
exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection 24(e) of this Section 24 and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of rights in exchange therefor as has been


                                                                            -34-
<PAGE>   38

determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with subsection 24(e) above.
The Company shall give public notice of any such exchange (with prompt written
notice thereof to the Rights Agent); provided, however, that the failure to
give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such
exchange. The Company shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the
holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry
books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares of the Company. Any notice
which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or
not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the
method by which the exchange of the Rights will be effected.

        Section 25.   Notice of Certain Events.

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

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

        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 first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) or by facsimile transmission as follows:

                             Barra, Inc.
                             2100 Milvia Street
                             Berkeley, California 94704-1113
                             Attn:  General Counsel
                             Facsimile No.:  (510) 548-5374

                             with a copy to:
                             Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                             Professional Corporation
                             650 Page Mill Road
                             Palo Alto, California 94304-1050
                             Attn: N. Anthony Jeffries
                             Facsimile No.:  (650) 493-9300

      Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder
of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given
or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,


                                                                            -35-
<PAGE>   39

addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) or by
facsimile transmission as follows:

                             Mellon Investor Services LLC
                             235 Montgomery Street, 23rd Floor
                             San Francisco, California 94104
                             Attn: Relationship Manager
                             Facsimile No.:  (415) 989-5241

                             with a copy to:

                             Mellon Investor Services LLC
                             85 Challenger Road
                             Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660
                             Attn: General Counsel
                             Facsimile No.:  (201) 296-4004

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

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




                                                                            -36-
<PAGE>   40


        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 Common
Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining
the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person
is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of
Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and
authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board, or the Company, or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power (i) to interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and (ii) to make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations,
interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below,
all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificates and all other parties and
(y) not subject the Board of Directors of the Company to any liability to the
holders of the Rights. The Rights Agent shall always be entitled to assume the
Company's Board of Directors acted in good faith and shall be fully protected
and incur no liability in reliance thereon.

        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, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or
claim pursuant to this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common
Shares).

        Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
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 (with prompt written notice to the Rights Agent) and shall
not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day following the date of
such determination by the Company's Board of Directors.

      Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right and each Rights
Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the
laws of the State of Delaware and


                                                                            -37-
<PAGE>   41

for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws
of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within
such State; provided, however, that all provisions regarding the rights, duties
and obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.

        Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.

        Section 34. Descriptive 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.

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

"COMPANY"                       BARRA, INC.

                                By: /s/ KAMAL DUGGIRALA
                                   --------------------------------
                                Name: Kamal Duggirala
                                     ------------------------------
                                Title: CEO
                                      -----------------------------



"RIGHTS AGENT"                  MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC

                                By: /s/ ASA DREW
                                   --------------------------------
                                Name: Asa Drew
                                     ------------------------------
                                Title: Assistant Vice President
                                      -----------------------------




                                                                            -38-
<PAGE>   42


                                    EXHIBIT A

                CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, PREFERENCES
                                AND PRIVILEGES OF
                     SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
                                 OF BARRA, INC.


      The undersigned, Kamal Duggirala and Maria Louisa Hekker, do hereby
certify:

      1. That they are the duly elected and acting Chief Executive Officer and
Secretary, respectively, of Barra, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"CORPORATION").

      2. That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors on
August 15, 2001 adopted the following resolution creating a series of 500,000
shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Participating Preferred Stock:

      "RESOLVED, That pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors
of the corporation by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors
does hereby provide for the issue of a series of Preferred Stock of the
Corporation and does hereby fix and herein state and express the designations,
powers, preferences and relative and other special rights and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions of such series of Preferred Stock
as follows:

      Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK." The Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.0001 per share, and
the number of shares constituting such series shall be 500,000.

      Section 2. Proportional Adjustment. In the event that the Corporation
shall at any time after the issuance of any share or shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock of the
Corporation ("COMMON STOCK") payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into
a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Corporation shall
simultaneously effect a proportional adjustment to the number of outstanding
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

      Section 3. Dividends and Distributions.

            (a) Subject to the prior and superior right of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders
of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day
of February, May, August and November in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "QUARTERLY


<PAGE>   43

DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest
cent) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends,
and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of
Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the
immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or
fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

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

               (c) Dividends shall begin to accrue on outstanding shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock, unless 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
unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after
the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A
Participating 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 from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the
total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares
shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at
the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon,
which record date shall be no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed
for the payment thereof.

      Section 4. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

               (a) Each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of
the stockholders of the Corporation.

               (b) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of
Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote
of stockholders of the Corporation.

               (c) Except as required by law, the holders of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their
consent shall not be required (except to the extent


                                                                             -2-
<PAGE>   44

that they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein)
for taking any corporate action.

      Section 5. Certain Restrictions.

               (a) The Corporation shall not declare any dividend on, make any
distribution on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of Common Stock after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless concurrently therewith it
shall declare a dividend on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as
required by Section 3 hereof.

               (b) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or
distributions payable on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided
in Section 3 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:

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

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

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

                  (iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except in
accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual
dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective
series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and
equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

            (c) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the


                                                                             -3-
<PAGE>   45

Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 5, purchase or otherwise
acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

        Section 6. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Participating
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
shares of 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, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein and in the Certificate of Incorporation, as then amended.

        Section 7. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount
per share equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share
to holders of shares of Common Stock plus an amount equal to any accrued and
unpaid dividends on such shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

        Section 8. 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 shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly
exchanged or changed in an amount per share equal to 1,000 times the aggregate
amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind),
as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is
changed or exchanged.

        Section 9. No Redemption.  The shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

        Section 10. Ranking. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall
rank junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.

        Section 11. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be further amended in any manner which would materially
alter or change the powers, preference or special rights of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series.

        Section 12. Fractional Shares. Series A Participating 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 Participating Preferred Stock.



                                                                             -4-
<PAGE>   46




        RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Chief Executive Officer, President or any
Vice President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of this Corporation
be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed to prepare and file a
Certificate of Designation of Rights, Preferences and Privileges in accordance
with the foregoing resolution and the provisions of Delaware law and to take
such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent
of the foregoing resolution."

        We further declare under penalty of perjury that the matters set forth
in the foregoing Certificate of Designation are true and correct of our own
knowledge.

        Executed at Berkeley, California on August ___, 2001.



                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Chief Executive Officer




                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Secretary




                                                                             -5-
<PAGE>   47


                                    EXHIBIT B

                           FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE



Certificate No. R-                                            _________ Rights


        NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER THE EARLIER OF (i) SEPTEMBER 7, 2011, (ii) THE
        DATE TERMINATED BY THE COMPANY OR (iii) THE DATE THE COMPANY EXCHANGES
        THE RIGHTS PURSUANT TO THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO
        REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.0001 PER RIGHT ON THE
        TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
        RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR
        ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
        RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME
        NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
        WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING
        PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH
        TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS
        CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID
        IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH RIGHTS
        AGREEMENT.]1


                               RIGHTS CERTIFICATE


                                   BARRA, INC.

      This certifies that ______________________________, or registered assigns,
is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement dated as of August 15, 2001, (the "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"),
between Barra, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and Mellon Investor
Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company, ( the "RIGHTS AGENT"), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., New York time, on
September 7, 2011 at the office of the



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

<PAGE>   48






Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a fully paid and non-assessable
share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
(the "PREFERRED SHARES"), of the Company, at an Exercise Price of Two-Hundred
Dollars ($200.00) per one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "EXERCISE
PRICE"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number
of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise
hereof) set forth above are the number and Exercise Price as of August 15, 2001
based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the
Rights Agreement, the Exercise Price and the number and kind of Preferred Shares
or other securities which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events.

               This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company.

               Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Rights Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company, at its
option, at a redemption price of $0.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged by
the Company in whole or in part for Common Shares, substantially equivalent
rights or other consideration as determined by the Company.

               This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for
such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to
purchase a like aggregate amount of securities as the Rights evidenced by the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such
holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

               No fractional portion of less than one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights
evidenced hereby but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in
the Rights Agreement.

               No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled
to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the
Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to


                                                                             -2-
<PAGE>   49

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.

        WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal.  Dated as of  _______________, _____.


ATTEST:                                  BARRA, INC.


___________________________________      By:___________________________________
Secretary

                                         Its:__________________________________

Countersigned:

MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
as Rights Agent

By:_________________________________


Its:________________________________


                                                                             -3-
<PAGE>   50


                   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: _______________, ____



                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Signature



Signature Guaranteed:

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




<PAGE>   51






                                   CERTIFICATE

        The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

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

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


Dated: _______________, ____



                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Signature



Signature Guaranteed:

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




<PAGE>   52






             FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE -- CONTINUED

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

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


To:___________________________

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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

_______________________________________________________________________________
                         (Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________


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

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

_______________________________________________________________________________
                         (Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________


Dated: _______________, ____


                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

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




<PAGE>   53







                                   CERTIFICATE


        The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

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

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

Dated: _______________, ____



                                                   ____________________________
                                                   Signature



Signature Guaranteed:

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




<PAGE>   54






             FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE -- CONTINUED

                                     NOTICE


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



<PAGE>   55




                                    EXHIBIT C

                             SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
                                   BARRA, INC.

                                SUMMARY OF RIGHTS


<TABLE>

<S>                                  <C>
DISTRIBUTION AND                     The Board of Directors has declared a dividend of one Right
TRANSFER OF RIGHTS;                  for each share of Common Stock of Barra, Inc. (the "COMPANY")
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE:                  outstanding.  Prior to the Distribution Date referred to
                                     below, the Rights will be evidenced by and
                                     trade with the certificates for the Common
                                     Stock. After the Distribution Date, the
                                     Company will mail Rights certificates to
                                     the Company's stockholders and the Rights
                                     will become transferable apart from the
                                     Common Stock.

DISTRIBUTION DATE:                   Rights will separate from the Common Stock and become
                                     exercisable following (a) the tenth business day (or such
                                     later date as may be determined by the Company's Board of
                                     Directors) after a person or group acquires beneficial
                                     ownership of 15% or more (or, in the case of Andrew Rudd, 20%
                                     or more) of the Company's Common Stock or (b) the tenth
                                     business day (or such later date as may be determined by the
                                     Company's Board of Directors) after a person or group
                                     announces a tender or exchange offer, the consummation of
                                     which would result in ownership by a person or group of 15% or
                                     more (or, in the case of Andrew Rudd, 20% or more) of the
                                     Company's Common Stock.

PREFERRED STOCK                      After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the
PURCHASABLE UPON                     holder to purchase for Two-Hundred Dollars ($200.00) (the
EXERCISE OF RIGHTS:                  "EXERCISE PRICE"), a fraction of a share of the Company's
                                     Preferred Stock with economic terms similar
                                     to that of one share of the Company's
                                     Common Stock.

FLIP-IN:                             If an acquiror (an "ACQUIRING PERSON") obtains 15% or more
                                     (or, in the case of Andrew Rudd, 20% or more) of the Company's
                                     Common Stock, then each Right (other than Rights owned by an
                                                   ----
                                     Acquiring Person or its affiliates) will entitle the holder
                                     thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of
                                     shares of the Company's Common Stock having a then-current
                                     market value of twice the Exercise Price.

FLIP-OVER:                           If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 15% or more (or, in the
                                     case of Andrew Rudd, 20% or more) of the Company's Common
                                     Stock, (a) the Company merges into another entity, (b) an
                                     acquiring entity merges into the Company or (c) the Company
                                     sells more than 50% of the Company's assets or earning power,
                                     then each Right (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring
                                     ----
                                     Person or its affiliates) will entitle the holder thereof to
                                     purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of shares of Common
                                     Stock of the person engaging in the transaction having a then
                                     current market value of twice the Exercise Price.

EXCHANGE PROVISION:                  At any time after the date on which an Acquiring Person
                                     obtains 15% or more (or, in the case of Andrew Rudd, 20% or
                                     more) of the Company's Common Stock, and prior to the
                                     acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% of the outstanding
                                     Common Stock, a majority of the Board of Directors and the
                                     Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights
                                     (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person or its
                                     affiliates), in whole or in part,

</TABLE>

<PAGE>   56





<TABLE>

<S>                                  <C>
                                     for shares of Common Stock of the Company
                                     at an exchange ratio of one share of Common
                                     Stock per Right (subject to adjustment).

REDEMPTION OF THE                    Rights will be redeemable at the Company's option for $0.0001
RIGHTS:                              per Right at any time on or prior to the fifth day (or such
                                     later date as may be determined by the
                                     Company's Board of Directors) after public
                                     announcement that a Person has acquired
                                     beneficial ownership of 15% or more (or, in
                                     the case of Andrew Rudd, 20% or more) of
                                     the Company's Common Stock (the "SHARES
                                     ACQUISITION DATE").

EXPIRATION OF THE                    The Rights expire on the earliest of (a) September 7, 2011 or
RIGHTS:                              (b) exchange or redemption of the Rights as described above.

AMENDMENT OF TERMS                   The terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be
OF RIGHTS:                           amended in any respect without the consent of the Rights
                                     holders on or prior to the Distribution
                                     Date; thereafter, the terms of the Rights
                                     and the Rights Agreement may be amended
                                     without the consent of the Rights holders
                                     in order to cure any ambiguities or to make
                                     changes which do not adversely affect the
                                     interests of the Rights Agent or the Rights
                                     holders (other than the Acquiring Person).

VOTING RIGHTS:                       Rights will not have any voting rights.

ANTI-DILUTION                        Rights will have the benefit of certain customary
PROVISIONS:                          anti-dilution provisions.

TAXES:                               The Rights distribution should not be taxable for federal
                                     income tax purposes.  However, following an event which
                                     renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the
                                     Rights, stockholders may recognize taxable income.
</TABLE>

The foregoing is a summary of certain principal terms of the Stockholder Rights
Plan. It may be amended from time to time. A copy of the Rights Agreement will
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a
Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated August ___, 2001. A copy of the Rights
Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.

                                                                             -2-