Exhibit 4.1

 

	
 
    


 

SCIO DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

 

and

 

EMPIRE STOCK TRANSFER INC.

 

as Rights Agent

 

Rights Agreement

 

Dated as of April 15, 2014

 

	
 
    


 











 

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

Rights Agreement, dated as of April 15, 2014 (this “Agreement”), between Scio Diamond Technology Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Empire Stock Transfer Inc., a Nevada corporation, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, on April 15, 2014, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company adopted this Agreement, and has authorized and declared a dividend of one common stock purchase right (a “Right”) for each share of Common Stock (as defined in Section 1.6) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on April 25, 2014 (the “Record Date”) and has authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in Sections 3.1 and 7.1, respectively), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one share (subject to adjustment) of Common Stock of the Company, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth; provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22.

 

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

 

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

 

1.1.                            “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Related Persons of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding, but shall not include (i) an Exempt Person or (ii) any Existing Holder, unless and until such time as such Existing Holder shall, after the first public announcement of this Agreement, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock in Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), unless upon acquiring such Beneficial Ownership, such Existing Holder does not Beneficially Own 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares Beneficially Owned by such Person to 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding solely by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock in Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Stock, such Person

 











 

does not Beneficially Own 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1, has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it Beneficially Owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an “Acquiring Person” or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and had no intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable (as determined, in good faith, by the Board) a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or have become an “Acquiring Person” at any time for any purposes of this Agreement.  For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall include the number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding at the time of such calculation that such Person is otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own for purposes of this Agreement.  The number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding that such Person is otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own for purposes of this Agreement shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of the outstanding number of shares of Common Stock owned by such Person but shall not be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of outstanding Common Stock owned by any other Person.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) (other than a Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” has become so as a result of its actions in the ordinary course of such Person’s business as a derivatives dealer that the Board determines, in good faith, were taken without the intent or effect of evading or assisting any other Person to evade the purposes and intent of this Agreement, then, and unless and until the Board shall otherwise determine, such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement.

 

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

 

1.3.                            A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” or have “Beneficial Ownership” of any securities:

 

1.3.1.                  which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise has or shares: (A) voting power, which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security (except that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any security under this clause (A) if such voting power 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, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by means of a solicitation statement filed on

 

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Schedule 14A), and/or (B) investment power, which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, such security;

 

1.3.2.                  which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, directly or indirectly, has the Right to Acquire; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, (x) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (y) securities which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, has a Right to Acquire upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (z) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 22 (“Original Rights”) or pursuant to Section 11.9 or Section 11.15 with respect to an adjustment to Original Rights;

 

1.3.3.                  which are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with whom such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons, has an agreement, arrangement or understanding to act together for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any securities of the Company (except that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any security under this Section 1.3.3 if such voting power 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, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by means of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A);

 

1.3.4.                  which such Person would otherwise be deemed to be the beneficial owner pursuant to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; or

 

1.3.5.                  which are “Beneficially Owned” (within the meaning of Sections 1.3.1 through 1.3.4 hereof), directly or indirectly, by a Counterparty (as such term is defined in the immediately following paragraph) (or any of such Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) that has any Synthetic Equity Position (as such term is defined in the immediately following paragraph) (without regard to any short or similar position under the same or any other Synthetic Equity Position) to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is a Receiving Party (as such term is defined in the immediately following paragraph) and that is not otherwise included in the definition of Beneficial Ownership (within the meaning of Sections 1.3.1 through 1.3.4 hereof); provided, however, that the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company that a Person is deemed to “Beneficially Own” pursuant to this Section 1.3.5 in connection with a particular Synthetic Equity Position shall not exceed the number of Notional Common Shares (as such term is defined in the immediately following paragraph) with respect to such Synthetic Equity Position; provided further, that the number of securities Beneficially Owned by each Counterparty (including its Affiliates and Associates) under a Synthetic Equity Position shall for purposes of this clause Section 1.3.5 be deemed to include all securities that are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Counterparty (or any of such other Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) under any Synthetic Equity Position to which such first Counterparty (or any of such first Counterparty’s Affiliates or Associates) is a Receiving Party, with this proviso being applied to successive Counterparties as appropriate.

 

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A “Synthetic Equity Position” is a “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) between two parties (the “Receiving Party” and the “Counterparty”) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act); provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument become determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination .  The number of shares of Common Stock of the Company specified or referenced in such derivative security contract (as determined by the Board in good faith) is the number of “Notional Common Shares.”  For the avoidance of doubt, interests in broad-based index options, broad-based index futures and broad-based publicly traded market baskets of stocks approved for trading by the appropriate federal governmental authority shall not be deemed to be Synthetic Equity Positions.

 

No Person shall be deemed to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own” any securities which such Person or any of such Person’s Related Persons would otherwise be deemed to “Beneficially Own” pursuant to this Section 1.3 solely as a result of any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons), or any tender, voting or support agreement entered into by such Person (or one or more of such Person’s Related Persons) in connection therewith, if, prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board has approved such merger or other acquisition agreement, or such tender, voting or support agreement.

 

No Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the “Beneficial Owner” of, to have “Beneficial Ownership” of or to “Beneficially Own” any securities that are “Beneficially Owned” (as defined in this Section 1.3), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.

 

1.4.                            “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

1.5.                            “close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

1.6.                            “Common Stock” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.  “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management of, such other Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,

 

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the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person, and which has issued and outstanding such capital stock, equity securities or equity interest.

 

1.7.                            “Exempt Person” shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including, without limitation, the officers and members of the board of directors thereof acting in their fiduciary capacities, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity or trustee holding (or acting in a fiduciary capacity in respect of) shares of capital stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or for the purpose of funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

1.8.                            “Existing Holder” shall mean any Person who, immediately prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Agreement, is the Beneficial Owner of 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding, together with any Affiliates and Associates of such Person.

 

1.9.                            “Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, firm, corporation, unincorporated association or organization, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of any such Person.

 

1.10.                     “Related Person” shall mean, as to any Person, any Affiliates or Associates of such Person.

 

1.11.                     “Right to Acquire” shall mean a legal, equitable or contractual right to acquire (whether directly or indirectly and whether exercisable immediately, or only after the passage of time, compliance with regulatory requirements, fulfillment of a condition or otherwise), pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether or not in writing (excluding customary agreements entered into in good faith with and between an underwriter and selling group members in connection with a firm commitment underwriting registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)), or upon the exercise of any option, warrant or right, through conversion of a security, pursuant to the power to revoke a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement, pursuant to the power to terminate a repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, or pursuant to the automatic termination of a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement.

 

1.12.                     “Stock Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, the filing of a report pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person or such earlier date as a majority of the Board shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.

 

1.13.                     “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, firm, corporation, unincorporated association, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interests is owned, of record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

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1.14.                     A “Trigger Event” shall be deemed to have occurred upon any Person becoming an Acquiring Person.

 

1.15.                     The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below:

 

	
TERM
    	
 
    	
Section
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Adjustment   Shares
    	
 
    	
11.1.2
    
	
Agreement
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Board
    	
 
    	
Recitals
    
	
Book   Entry Shares
    	
 
    	
3.1
    
	
call   equivalent position
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
common   stock equivalent
    	
 
    	
11.1.3
    
	
Company
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Counterparty
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
current   per share market price
    	
 
    	
11.4.1
    
	
Current   Value
    	
 
    	
11.1.3
    
	
derivative   security
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
Distribution   Date
    	
 
    	
3.1
    
	
Exchange   Act
    	
 
    	
1.2
    
	
Exchange   Consideration
    	
 
    	
27.1
    
	
Expiration   Date
    	
 
    	
7.1
    
	
Final   Expiration Date
    	
 
    	
7.1
    
	
Notional   Common Shares
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
Original   Rights
    	
 
    	
1.3.2
    
	
OTCBB
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
Principal   Party
    	
 
    	
13.2
    
	
Purchase   Price
    	
 
    	
4
    
	
Receiving   Party
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
Record   Date
    	
 
    	
Recitals
    
	
Redemption   Date
    	
 
    	
7.1
    
	
Redemption   Price
    	
 
    	
23.1
    
	
Right
    	
 
    	
Recitals
    
	
Right   Certificate
    	
 
    	
3.1
    
	
Rights   Agent
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Securities   Act
    	
 
    	
1.12
    
	
Security
    	
 
    	
11.4.1
    
	
Spread
    	
 
    	
11.1.3
    
	
Substitution   Period
    	
 
    	
11.1.3
    
	
Summary   of Rights
    	
 
    	
3.2
    
	
Synthetic   Equity Position
    	
 
    	
1.3.5
    
	
Trading   Day
    	
 
    	
11.4.1
    
	
Trust
    	
 
    	
27.1
    
	
Trust   Agreement
    	
 
    	
27.1
    


 

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Section 2.                                           Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.  In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agent shall be as the Company shall determine.  Contemporaneously with such appointment, if any, the Company shall notify the Rights Agent thereof.

 

Section 3.                                           Issuance of Right Certificates.

 

3.1.                            Rights Evidenced by Stock Certificates.  Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth (10th) Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an Acquiring Person (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3.2) by the certificates representing the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof or, in the case of uncertificated shares of Common Stock registered in book entry form (“Book Entry Shares”), by notation in book entry (which certificates for Common Stock and Book Entry Shares shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive certificates therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Stock.  The preceding sentence notwithstanding, prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date specified as a result of an event described in clause (ii) (or such later Distribution Date as the Board may select pursuant to this sentence), the Board may postpone, one or more times, the Distribution Date which would occur as a result of an event described in clause (ii) beyond the date set forth in such clause (ii).  Nothing herein shall permit such a postponement of a Distribution Date after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, except as a result of the operation of the third sentence of Section 1.1.  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Company (or, if requested, the Rights Agent) will send, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Related Person of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company or the transfer agent or registrar for the Common Stock, one or more certificates for Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each share of Common Stock so held.  As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

 

3.2.                            Summary of Rights.  On the Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send or cause to be sent a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Stock, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Related Person of any Acquiring Person) at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company or the

 

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transfer agent or registrar for the Common Stock.  Any failure to send a copy of the Summary of Rights shall not invalidate the Rights or affect their transfer with the Common Stock.  With respect to certificates representing Common Stock and Book Entry Shares outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date, until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof or Book Entry Shares, as applicable, together with a copy of the Summary of Rights and the registered holders of the Common Stock shall also be registered holders of the associated Rights.  Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Stock or Book Entry Shares outstanding at the close of business on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby and the Book Entry Shares, as applicable.

 

3.3.                            New Certificates and Uncertificated Shares After Record Date.  Certificates for Common Stock that become outstanding (whether upon issuance out of authorized but unissued Common Stock, disposition out of treasury or transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Stock) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances provided in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date, shall have impressed, printed, stamped, written or otherwise affixed onto them a legend in substantially the following form:

 

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Scio Diamond Technology Corporation (the “Company”) and Empire Stock Transfer Inc., as Rights Agent, dated as of April 15, 2014, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company.  Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Agreement, such Rights (as defined in the Agreement) will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.  The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.  As described in the Agreement, Rights which are owned by, transferred to or have been owned by Acquiring Persons (as defined in the Agreement) or any Related Person (as defined in the Agreement) of any Acquiring Person shall become null and void and will no longer be transferable.

 

With respect to any Book Entry Shares, such legend shall be included in a notice to the record holder of such shares in accordance with applicable law.  Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates and such Book Entry Shares shall be evidenced solely by such certificates or the Book Entry Shares alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificates or Book Entry Shares, except as otherwise provided herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby.  In the event that the Company purchases or otherwise acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the

 

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Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock that are no longer outstanding.

 

Notwithstanding this Section 3.3, neither the omission of the legend required hereby, nor the failure to provide the notice thereof, shall affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any holder of the Rights.

 

Section 4.                                           Form of Right Certificates.  The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares and assignment, including the certifications therein, to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or trading system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record Date, and shall show the date of countersignature by the Rights Agent, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of shares of the Common Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per share of Common Stock set forth therein (the “Purchase Price”), but the number of such shares and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

 

Section 5.                                           Countersignature and Registration.  The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company or by such officers as the Board may designate, either manually or by facsimile signature.  The Right Certificates shall be countersigned, either manually or by facsimile signature, by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent, but it shall not be necessary for the same signatory to countersign all of the Right Certificates hereunder.  No Right Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned.  In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer.

 

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

 

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Section 6.                                           Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.  Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, including but not limited to Section 11.1.2 and Section 14, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 27) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of shares of Common Stock as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase.  Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender, together with any required form of assignment and certificate duly executed and properly completed, the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up or combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose.  Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate or Right Certificates until the registered holder shall have properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate or Right Certificates and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof or any Related Person of such registered holder or such Beneficial Owner (or such former Beneficial Owner), in each case, as the Company shall reasonably request.  Thereupon, the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.  The Company may require payment from the holders of Right Certificates of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up or combination or exchange of such Right Certificates.

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.2, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

 

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

 

7.1.                            Exercise of Rights.  Subject to Section 11.1.2 and except as otherwise provided herein, the registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and certification on the reverse side thereof properly completed and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for each share of Common Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the time (the “Expiration Date”) that is the earliest of (i) the close of

 

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business on April 15, 2017 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 (the “Redemption Date”), (iii) the closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the Company pursuant to an agreement of the type described in Section 13.3 at which time the Rights are deemed terminated, or (iv) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 27.

 

7.2.                            Purchase.  The Purchase Price for each share of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall be initially $1.20, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 13 and 26 and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Section 7.3.

 

7.3.                            Payment Procedures.  Except as otherwise provided herein, upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certification properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for shares of Common Stock to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9, in cash or by certified or cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Common Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent) certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from such depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of shares of Common Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Common Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with all such requests; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 or otherwise in accordance with Section 11.1.3; (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate, or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to the registered holder of such Right Certificate, or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, to such other Person as designated by such holder.  In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11.1.3, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.

 

7.4.                            Partial Exercise.  In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his or her duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14.

 

7.5.                            Full Information Concerning Ownership.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to

 

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undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported transfer or exercise of Rights pursuant to Section 6 or as set forth in this Section 7 unless the certification contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise shall have been properly completed and duly executed by the registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof or any Related Person of such registered holder or such Beneficial Owner (or such former Beneficial Owner), in each case, as the Company shall reasonably request.

 

Section 8.                                           Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.  All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement.  The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.  Subject to applicable law and regulation, the Rights Agent shall maintain in a retrievable database electronic records or physical records of all cancelled or destroyed Rights Certificates which have been cancelled or destroyed by the Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent shall maintain such electronic records or physical records for the time period required by applicable law and regulation.  Upon written request of the Company (and at the expense of the Company), the Rights Agent shall provide to the Company or its designee copies of such electronic records or physical records relating to Rights Certificates cancelled or destroyed by the Rights Agent.

 

Section 9.                                           Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.  The Company covenants and agrees that, from and after the Distribution Date, it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock or other securities or out of its shares held in its treasury) the number of shares of Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

 

So long as the Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed on the OTC Bulletin Board (the “OTCBB”) or any national securities exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed or admitted to trading on the OTCBB or such other exchange or market upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

 

The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

 

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From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary, to permit the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such Common Stock under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws (to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and the Expiration Date.  The Company may temporarily suspend, from time to time for a period of time not to exceed one hundred twenty (120) days in any particular instance, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become effective or in order to prepare and file any supplement or amendment to such registration statement that the Board determines to be necessary and appropriate under applicable law.  Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification or exemption in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities Act (if required) shall have been declared effective.

 

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

 

Section 10.                                    Common Stock Record Date.  Each Person in whose name any certificate for Common Stock (and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common Stock (and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable taxes or charges) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Common Stock (and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common Stock (and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open.  Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby (or an exchange pursuant to Section 27), the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Common Stock (or other securities, as the case may be) for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without

 

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limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or other distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

 

Section 11.                                    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

 

11.1.                     Post-Execution Events.

 

11.1.1.           Corporate Dividends, Reclassifications, Etc.  In the event the Company shall, at any time after the date of this Agreement, (A) declare and pay a dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11.1.1, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Common Stock transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.  If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11.1.1 and Section 11.1.2, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11.1.1 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, the adjustment required pursuant to, Section 11.1.2.

 

11.1.2.           Acquiring Person Events; Triggering Events.  Subject to Section 27, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from and after the first occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right, except as provided below, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of whole shares of Common Stock as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the first of the date of the occurrence of, or the date of the first public announcement of, a Trigger Event (such number of whole shares of Common Stock, the “Adjustment Shares”); provided that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon and after the occurrence of a Trigger Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned by (1) any Acquiring Person or any Related Person of such Acquiring Person, (2) a

 

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transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any Related Person of such Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (3) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any Related Person of such Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of this Section 11.1.2, and subsequent transferees, shall become void without any further action, and any holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person) of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise.  From and after the Trigger Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled.

 

The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 11.1.2 are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or any other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to any Acquiring Person or its Related Persons or transferees hereunder.

 

From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11.1.2 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11.1.2.

 

11.1.3.           Insufficient Shares.  In the event that upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event there shall not be sufficient Common Stock authorized but unissued, or held by the Company as treasury shares, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing Section 11.1.2, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, provided, however, that if the Company determines that it is unable to cause the authorization of a sufficient number of additional shares of Common Stock, then, in the event the Rights become exercisable, the Company, with respect to each Right and to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on the date hereof to which it is a party, shall:  (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”), over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the “Spread”) and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or fractions of shares, of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Stock, the Board has deemed in good faith to have substantially the same value as the Common Stock) (each such share of preferred stock or fractions of shares of preferred stock constituting a “common stock equivalent”)), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing having an

 

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aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good faith by the Board; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on the date hereof to which it is a party, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Stock (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.  If, upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event, the Board shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, then, if the Board so elects, the thirty (30) day period set forth above, may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than one hundred twenty (120) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such thirty (30) day period, as it may be extended, is herein called the “Substitution Period”).  To the extent that the Company determines that some actions need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11.1.3, the Company (x) shall provide that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof.  In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.  For purposes of this Section 11.1.3, the value of a share of Common Stock shall be the then current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of the occurrence of a Trigger Event and the value of any “common stock equivalent” shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock on such date.  The Board may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.1.3.

 

11.2.                     Dilutive Rights Offering.  In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Stock entitling them (for a period expiring within forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Stock (or common stock equivalents) or securities convertible into Common Stock or common stock equivalents at a price per share of Common Stock or per share of common stock equivalents (or having a conversion or exercise price per share, if a security convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock or common stock equivalents) less than the then current per share market price of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of

 

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Common Stock and common stock equivalents outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Common Stock and common stock equivalent shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock and/or common stock equivalents to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current per share market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock and shares of common stock equivalents outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Common Stock and/or common stock equivalents to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.  In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.  Common Stock and common stock equivalents owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.  Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

11.3.                     Distributions.  In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Common Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or a dividend payable in Common Stock (which dividend, for purposes of this Agreement, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.1(A))) or convertible securities, or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11.2), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets, securities or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Common Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Common Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right.  Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

11.4.                     Current Per Share Market Value.

 

11.4.1.           General.  For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security” for the purpose of this Section 11.4.1) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for

 

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the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to, but not including, such date; provided, however, that in the event that the then current per share market price of the Security is determined during any period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares or (ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after 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 then 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 OTCBB or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the OTCBB, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if on such date the Security is not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported thereby 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.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security on such date as determined in good faith by the Board shall be used.  The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.  If the Security is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date the Security is not so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the Security, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

 

11.4.2.           Reserved.

 

11.5.                     Insignificant Changes.  No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price.  Any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11.5 are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or security, as the case may be.

 

11.6.                     Shares Other Than Common Stock.  If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11.1, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Common Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to

 

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adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Common Stock contained in Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.13, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Common Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

 

11.7.       Rights Issued Subsequent to Adjustment.  All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock and shares of other capital stock or other securities, assets or cash of the Company, if any, purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

 

11.8.       Effect of Adjustments on Existing Rights.  Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11.9, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11.2 and 11.3, each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of shares of Common Stock (calculated to the nearest ten- thousandth of a share of Common Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

 

11.9.       Adjustment in Number of Rights.  The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price.  The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.  This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement.  If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.9, the Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.  Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and may bear, at the 

 

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option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

 

11.10.     Right Certificates Unchanged.  Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

 

11.11.     Par Value Limitations.  Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Common Stock or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Common Stock or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

 

11.12.     Deferred Issuance.  In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of that number of shares of Common Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the shares of Common Stock and shares of other capital stock or other securities, assets or cash of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

 

11.13.     Reduction in Purchase Price.  Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Common Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any of the Common Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Common Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, dividends on Common Stock payable in Common Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Common Stock shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

 

11.14.     Company Not to Diminish Benefits of Rights.  The Company covenants and agrees that after the earlier of the Stock Acquisition Date or Distribution Date it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 26 or Section 27, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

 

11.15.     Adjustment of Rights Associated with Common Stock.  Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company shall at any 

 

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time after the date hereof and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) effect a subdivision or consolidation of the outstanding Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by the payment of dividends payable in shares of Common Stock), or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in any such case, the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date or in accordance with Section 22 shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event.  The adjustments provided for in this Section 11.15 shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.

 

Section 12.            Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.  Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate (or if before the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock or Book Entry Shares in respect thereof) in accordance with Section 25.  The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment or statement therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

 

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

 

13.1.       Certain Transactions.  In the event that, from and after the first occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly or indirectly, (A) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation, (B) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any other property, or (C) the Company shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11.14), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock for which 

 

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a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Common Stock, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable Common Stock of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined) not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided that the price per Right so payable and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6 to reflect any events covered thereby occurring in respect of the Common Stock of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all of the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock in accordance with Section 9) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13.1, such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13.1, and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property.  The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that the requirements of this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 shall promptly be performed in accordance with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party, at its own expense, shall:

 

(1)           prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the 

 

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Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;

 

(2)           use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the OTCBB or on a national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the OTCBB or such securities exchange;

 

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

 

(4)           obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the Common Stock of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights.

 

In case the Principal Party has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its articles or certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Stock or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), or (ii) providing for any special payment, taxes, charges or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provision of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

 

The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Trigger Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 13.1 if (i) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section 13.2 shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Related Persons or (iii) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.  The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive transactions of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 13.1.

 

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13.2.       Principal Party.  “Principal Party” shall mean:

 

(i)            in the case of any transaction described in clauses (A) or (B) of the first sentence of Section 13.1:  (i) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the Common Stock is converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (ii) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the Common Stock of which has 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 (C) of the first sentence in Section 13.1, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding; provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 13.2, if the shares of Common Stock of such Person are not at such time or have not been continuously over the preceding twelve (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 shares of Common Stock 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 shares of Common Stock of all of which are and have been so registered, the term “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.

 

13.3.       Approved Acquisitions. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, upon the consummation of any merger or other acquisition transaction of the type described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 13.1 involving the Company pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and any Person (or one or more of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) which agreement has been approved by the Board prior to any Person becoming an Acquiring Person, this Agreement and the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall be terminated in accordance with Section 7.1.

 

Section 14.              Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

 

14.1.       Cash in Lieu of Fractional Rights.  The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights 

 

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(except prior to the Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11.15).  In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right.  For the purposes of this Section 14.1, the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.  The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the OTCBB or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the OTCBB, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTCBB or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the current market value of the Rights on such date shall be the fair value of the Rights as determined in good faith by the Board, or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

 

14.2.       Reserved.

 

14.3.       Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares of Common Stock.  The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights.  In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock (as determined in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange. For all purposes under this Agreement, the Company shall aggregate the Rights held by each record holder of Right Certificates (and the number of shares of Common Stock represented by such Rights) in determining whether and to what extent such record holder would otherwise be entitled to receive fractional shares of Common Stock.

 

14.4.       Waiver of Right to Receive Fractional Rights or Shares.  The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Rights expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.

 

Section 15.          Rights of Action.  All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18, are vested in the respective 

 

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

 

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

 

(a)           prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be evidenced by a Right Certificate and will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Stock;

 

(b)           as of and after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with all required certifications completed; and

 

(c)           the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate or Book Entry Share) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate or Book Entry Share made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 17.            Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24), or to receive dividends or subscription 

 

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rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

 

Section 18.            Concerning the Rights Agent.  The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.  The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly.

 

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

 

Section 19.            Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.  Any corporation or limited liability company or other entity into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or limited liability company or other entity resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation or limited liability company succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation or limited liability company or other entity would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21.  In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name

 

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or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

20.2.                     Certificates as to Facts or Matters.  Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

 

20.3.                     Standard of Care.  The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

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

 

20.5.                     No Responsibility as to Certain Matters.  The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 27 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Common Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common Stock or other securities will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

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

 

20.7.                     Authorized Company Officers.  The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties under this Agreement, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for these instructions.  Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective.  The Rights Agent shall not be liable to the Company for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than three (3) Business Days after the date any such officer actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking of any such action (or the effective date in the case of omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

 

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

 

20.9.                     Reliance on Attorneys and Agents.  The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct, provided that reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

 

20.10.              Incomplete Certificate.  If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person), the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

 

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20.11.              Rights Holders List.  At any time and from time to time after the Distribution Date, upon the request of the Company, the Rights Agent shall promptly deliver to the Company a list, as of the most recent practicable date (or as of such earlier date as may be specified by the Company), of the holders of record of Rights.

 

Section 21.                                    Change of Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail.  Following the Distribution Date, the Company shall promptly notify the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail of any such resignation.  The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail.  If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the resigning, removed, or incapacitated Rights Agent shall remit to the Company, or to any successor Rights Agent designated by the Company, all books, records, funds, certificates or other documents or instruments of any kind then in its possession which were acquired by such resigning, removed or incapacitated Rights Agent in connection with its services as Rights Agent hereunder, and shall thereafter be discharged from all duties and obligations hereunder.  Following notice of such removal, resignation or incapacity, the Company shall appoint a successor to such Rights Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent.  Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the State of New York or the State of Nevada (or any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York or the State of Nevada) in good standing, having an office in the State of New York or the State of Nevada, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million.  After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose.  Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

 

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Section 22.                                    Issuance of New Right Certificates.  Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall, with respect to Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded, or upon exercise, conversion or exchange of securities heretofore or hereinafter issued by the Company, in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued and (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.

 

Section 23.                                    Redemption.

 

23.1.                     Right to Redeem.  The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to a Trigger Event, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”), and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Stock (based on the “current per share market price,” determined pursuant to Section 11.4, of the Common Stock at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board.  The redemption of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish.

 

23.2.                     Redemption Procedures.  Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at such later time as the Board may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held.  The Company shall promptly give public notice of such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption.  The Company shall promptly give, or cause the Rights Agent to give, notice of such redemption to the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Stock.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.  The failure to give notice required by this Section 23.2 or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the action taken by the Company.  Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in

 

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any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 27, and other than in connection with the purchase, acquisition or redemption of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.

 

Section 24.                              Notice of Certain Events.  In case the Company shall propose at any time after the earlier of the Stock Acquisition Date and the Distribution Date (a) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Common Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Common Stock (other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividends, or a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock), or (b) to offer to the holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Common Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (c) to effect any reclassification of its Common Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Common Stock), or (d) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person (other than pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement of the type excluded from the definition of “Beneficial Ownership” in Section 1.3), or (e) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (f) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (a) or (b) above at least ten (10) days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Common Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.

 

In case any event set forth in Section 11.1.2 or Section 13 shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11.1.2 and Section 13, and (ii) all references in this Section 24 to Common Stock shall be deemed thereafter to also refer to other securities, if appropriate.

 

Section 25.                                    Notices.  Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class

 

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

 

Scio Diamond Technology Corporation

411 University Ridge, Suite D

Greenville, SC 29601

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 and Section 24, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

 

Empire Stock Transfer Inc.

1859 Whitney Mesa Drive,

Henderson, NV, 89014

Attention: Patrick Mokros

 

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing Common Stock or of any Book Entry Shares) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company or the transfer agent or registrar for the Common Stock; provided that prior to the Distribution Date a filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the holders of securities of the Company, including the Rights, for purposes of this Agreement and no other notice need be given.

 

Section 26.                                    Supplements and Amendments.  For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights or Common Stock.  From and after the time that the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein or (ii) to make any other changes or provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, including but not limited to extending the Final Expiration Date; provided, however, that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person), and no such supplement or amendment may cause the Rights again to become redeemable or cause this Agreement again to become amendable as to an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person, other than in accordance with this sentence; provided further, that the right of the Board to extend the Distribution Date shall not require any amendment or supplement hereunder.  Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed

 

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supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment; provided that any supplement or amendment that does not amend Sections 18, 19, 20 or 21 hereof or this Section 26 or any other Section of this Agreement in a manner adverse to the Rights Agent shall become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the Rights Agent.  The Company shall promptly provide the Rights Agent with written notice of such supplement or amendment.

 

Section 27.                                    Exchange.

 

27.1.                     Exchange of Common Stock for Rights.  The Board may, at its option, at any time after the occurrence of a Trigger Event, exchange Common Stock for all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) by exchanging at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock (or a lesser ratio as determined by the Board, if the Company does not have sufficient authorized and unreserved shares of Common Stock) per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such amount per Right being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Consideration”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Acquiring Person shall have become the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding.  From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1.  The exchange of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish.  Without limiting the foregoing, prior to effecting an exchange pursuant to this Section 27, the Board may direct the Company to enter into a Trust Agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board shall then approve (the “Trust Agreement”).  If the Board so directs, the Company shall enter into the Trust Agreement and shall issue to the trust created by such agreement (the “Trust”) all of the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the exchange (or any portion thereof that has not theretofore been issued in connection with the exchange).  From and after the time at which such shares are issued to the Trust, all stockholders then entitled to receive shares pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive such shares (and any dividends or distributions made thereon after the date on which such shares are deposited in the Trust) only from the Trust and solely upon compliance with the relevant terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement.  Any Common Stock issued at the direction of the Board in connection herewith shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable Common Stock, and the Company shall be deemed to have received as consideration for such issuance a benefit having a value that is at least equal to the aggregate par value of the shares so issued.

 

27.2.                     Exchange Procedures.  Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board ordering the exchange for any Rights pursuant to Section 27.1 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive the Exchange Consideration.  The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange.  The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.  Any notice

 

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which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice of exchange shall state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than the Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) held by each holder of Rights.

 

27.3.                     Insufficient Shares.  The Company may at its option substitute, and, in the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights for Common Stock as contemplated in accordance with this Section 27, the Company shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each share of Common Stock that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, (i) cash, (ii) other equity securities of the Company or common stock equivalents, as such term is defined in Section 11.1.3), (iii) debt securities of the Company, (iv) other assets or (v) any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate value equal to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) as of the date of such exchange.  Pursuant to Section 27.1, the Board may also determine a lesser ratio of shares of Common Stock per Right if the Company does not have sufficient authorized and unreserved shares of Common Stock to effect the exchange at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right.

 

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

 

Section 29.                                    Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).

 

Section 30.                                    Determination and Actions by the Board or Committee Thereof.  The Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or amend this Agreement).  In administering this Agreement and exercising the rights and powers specifically granted to the Board and to the Company hereunder, and in interpreting this Agreement and making any determination hereunder, the Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, may consider any and all facts, circumstances or information it deems to be necessary, useful or appropriate.  All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations that are done or made by the Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, in good faith shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

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Section 31.                                    Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

 

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

 

Section 33.                                    Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.  A signature to this Agreement transmitted electronically shall have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature.

 

Section 34.                                    Descriptive Headings.  Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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

 

	
 
    	
SCIO   DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION,
    
	
 
    	
a   Nevada corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
EMPIRE   STOCK TRANSFER INC.
    
	
 
    	
a   Nevada corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    


 











 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Form of Right Certificate]

 

	
Certificate   No. R-
    	
Rights
    


 

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER APRIL 15, 2017 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE IS GIVEN OR IF THE COMPANY IS MERGED OR ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED IN SECTION 13.3 OF THE AGREEMENT.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION 11.1.2 OF THE AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT), OR ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS, WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.

 

Right Certificate

 

SCIO DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

 

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 April 15, 2014, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Agreement”), between Scio Diamond Technology Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Empire Stock Transfer Inc., a Nevada Corporation, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York time) on April 15, 2017, at the offices of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, designated for such purpose, one fully paid, nonassessable share of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $1.20 per share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and certification duly executed.  The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of April 25, 2014, based on the Common Stock as constituted at such date.  Capitalized terms used in this Right Certificate without definition shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.  As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

 

This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by 

 

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reference and made a part hereof and to which Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates.  Copies of the Agreement are on file at the principal offices of the Company and the Rights Agent.

 

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

 

Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Board may, at its option, (i) redeem the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right or (ii) exchange Common Stock for the Rights evidenced by this Certificate, in whole or in part.

 

No fractional Common Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.  The number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby shall be aggregated with the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced by any other Rights Certificates held by the holder hereof for purposes of determining whether and to what extent such holder would otherwise be entitled to receive fractional shares of Common Stock hereunder.

 

No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Agreement.

 

If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of the Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

 

This Right Certificate shall not be valid or binding for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

 

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WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.

 

	
Dated   as of                       ,   20    .
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Attest:
    	
Scio   Diamond Technology Corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By
    	
 
    	
 
    	
By
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    	
Title:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Countersigned:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Empire   Stock Transfer Inc.,
    	
 
    
	
as   Rights Agent
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Authorized   Signature
    	
 
    
						


 

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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

 

(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder

desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED

hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

 

(Please print name and address

of transferee)

 

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

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature   Medallion Guaranteed:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    


 

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which is a member of a recognized Medallion Signature Guarantee Program.

 

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The   undersigned hereby certifies that:
    


 

(1)                                 the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not Beneficially Owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person; and

 

(2)                                 after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person.

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature
    


 

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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

 

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

 

To: Scio Diamond Technology Corporation

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise                                      Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of such Rights (or such other securities or property of the Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such stock (or such other securities or property of the Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) be issued in the name of (or to, as the case may be):

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
(Please   print name and address)
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    


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

 

	
Please   insert social security
    	
 
    
	
or   other identifying number
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
(Please print name and address)
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Signature
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature   Medallion Guaranteed:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
								


 

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which is a member of a recognized Medallion Signature Guarantee Program.

 

A-6











 

The undersigned hereby certifies that:

 

(1)                                 the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not Beneficially Owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person; and

 

(2)                                 after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person..

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature
    
						


 

NOTICE

 

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

 

In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase is not completed, the Company will deem the Beneficial Owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or a Related Person of an Acquiring Person and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.

 

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EXHIBIT B

 

As described in the Rights Agreement, Rights which are

held by or have been held by an Acquiring Person or any Related Persons of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and certain transferees thereof shall become null and void and will no longer be transferable.

 

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE

COMMON STOCK

 

On April 15, 2014 the Board of Directors of Scio Diamond Technology Corporation (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one common stock purchase right (a “Right”) for each share of Common Stock, par value $0.001 (the “Common Stock”), of the Company outstanding at the close of business on April 25, 2014 (the “Record Date”).  As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock, the Company will issue one Right (subject to adjustment) with each new share of Common Stock so that all such shares will have attached Rights.  When exercisable, each Right will entitle the registered holder to purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock of the Company at a price of $1.20 per share of Common Stock, subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments (the “Purchase Price”).  The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated as of April 15, 2014, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Agreement”), between the Company and Empire Stock Transfer Inc., as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

 

Until the earlier to occur of (i) the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 17% or more of the Common Stock (including certain synthetic equity positions created by derivative securities, which are treated as beneficial ownership of the number of shares of Common Stock equivalent to the economic exposure created by the synthetic equity position, to the extent actual shares of Common Stock are directly or indirectly beneficially owned by a counterparty to the synthetic equity position) (an “Acquiring Person”) or (ii) the close of business on the tenth (10th) business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 17% or more of the Common Stock (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Stock certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Stock certificates or, with respect to any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, by notation in book entry, in either case together with a copy of this Summary of Rights.  The Agreement provides that any person who beneficially owned 17% or more of the Common Stock immediately prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of the Agreement, together with any affiliates and associates of that person (each an “Existing Holder”), shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for purposes of the Agreement unless the Existing Holder becomes the beneficial owner of one or more additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Stock in Common Stock or pursuant to a

 

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split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock).  However, if upon acquiring beneficial ownership of one or more additional shares of Common Stock, the Existing Holder does not beneficially own 17% or more of the Common Stock then outstanding, the Existing Holder shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for purposes of the Agreement.

 

The Agreement provides that until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), new Common Stock certificates issued after the close of business on the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of the Common Stock will contain a notation incorporating the Agreement by reference, and the Company will deliver a notice to that effect upon the transfer or new issuance of book entry shares.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, exchange, termination or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock or any book entry shares, with or without such notation, notice or a copy of this Summary of Rights, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate or the book entry shares.  As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

 

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.  The Rights will expire on April 15, 2017, subject to the Company’s right to extend such date (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company or terminated.

 

The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Stock or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Common Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common Stock of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or dividends payable in Common Stock (which dividends will be subject to the adjustment described in clause (i) above)) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

 

In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company were the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person and shares of the Common Stock were not changed or exchanged, each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of shares of Common Stock having a market value of two times the then current Purchase Price of the Right.  In the event that, after a Person has become an Acquiring Person, the Company were acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or

 

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more than 50% of its assets or earning power were sold, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction would have a market value of two times the then current Purchase Price of the Right.

 

At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the earlier of one of the events described in the last sentence of the previous paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which will have become void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock at an exchange rate of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment).

 

No adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price.  No fractional Common Stock will be issued, and in lieu thereof, a payment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise. The Company will aggregate the Rights held by each record holder (and the number of shares of Common Stock represented by such Rights) in determining whether and to what extent such record holder would otherwise be entitled to receive fractional shares of Common Stock.

 

The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”) by the Board of Directors at any time prior to the time that an Acquiring Person has become such.  The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.  Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

 

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

 

Any of the provisions of the Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, and after the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may amend or supplement the Agreement in any manner that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person).

 

A copy of the Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.  A copy of the Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.  This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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