Document:

tv4_1ex.htm

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION

 

and

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Rights Agent

 

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

 

Dated as of December 1, 2009

 

With Amendments Dated May 14, 2010

  

  

  

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
Description

 

	  	
Page

	
Section 1.

 

	
Certain Definitions

	
1

	
Section 2.

 

	
Appointment of Rights Agent

	
5

	
Section 3.

 

	
Issue of Rights and Right Certificates

	
5

	
Section 4.

 

	
Form of Right Certificates

	
8

	
Section 5.

 

	
Execution, Countersignature and Registration

	
8

	
Section 6.

 

 

	
Transfer, Split-up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates

	
9

	
Section 7.

 

	
Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights

	
9

	
Section 8.

 

	
Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates

	
11

	
Section 9.

 

	
Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock

	
11

	
Section 10.

 

	
Preferred Shares Record Date

	
13

	
Section 11.

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

	
13

 

	
Section 12.

	
Certificate of Adjustment

	
20

 

	
Section 13.

 

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

	
20

	
Section 14.

 

	
Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares

	
22

	
Section 15.

 

	
Rights of Action

	
23

	
Section 16.

 

	
Agreement of Right Holders

	
23

	
Section 17.

 

	
Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder

	
24

	
Section 18.

 

	
Concerning the Rights Agent

	
24

	
Section 19.

	
Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent

	
25

 

	
Section 20.

 

	
Duties of Rights Agent

	
25

 

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Section 21.   

 

	
Change of Rights Agent

	27 
	
Section 22.

 

	
Issuance of New Right Certificates and Additional Rights

	
28

	
Section 23.

 

	
Redemption

	
29

	
Section 24.

 

	
Exchange

	
29

	
Section 25.

 

	
Notice of Certain Events

	
31

	
Section 26.

 

	
Notices

	
31

	
Section 27.

 

	
Supplements and Amendments

	
32

	
Section 28.

 

	
Successors

	
33

	
Section 29.

 

	
Benefits of this Agreement

	
33

	
Section 30.

 

	
Severability

	
33

	
Section 31.

 

	
Governing Law

	
33

	
Section 32.

 

	
Counterparts

	
33

	
Section 33.

 

	
Descriptive Headings

	
34

	
Signatures

 

	  	
34

	
Exhibit A -

 

	
Form of Certificate of Designations of Tri-Valley Corporation

	  
	
Exhibit B -

 

	
Form of Right Certificate

	  
	
Exhibit C -

 

	
Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares

	  

iii

  

  

 

AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement, originally dated as of December 1, 2009 (the “Agreement”), between Tri-Valley Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Registrar and Transfer Company, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), as amended, effective as of May 14, 2010, between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor Rights Agent.

 

Recitals

 

A.           The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one Right (as such term is hereinafter defined) for each share of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) outstanding at the close of business (as such term is hereinafter defined) on November 30, 2009 (the “Record Date”), and has authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to shares of Common Stock that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of this Agreement.  Each Right shall initially represent the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), having the powers, rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

B.           This Agreement is a complete substitute for the Rights Agreement adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company in 1999, which expires on December 31, 2009 (the “1999 Agreement).  Upon adoption of this Agreement, the Board of Directors hereby repeals the 1999 Agreement.

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

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

“Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the Common Shares (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.  Also, an Acquiring Person shall not include any Person owning 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company as of the Record Date, and such

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Person shall not be considered an Acquiring Person until such Person acquires an additional 5% of the Common Shares of the Company more than such Person owned as of the Record Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares of the Company by the Company which, by reducing the number of such shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to fifteen percent (15%) or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares of the Company so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, then such person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement.

“Adjustment Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

 

“Affiliate” and “Associate,” when used with reference to any Person, shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act (as such term is hereinafter defined), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and shall be deemed to “beneficially own,” and shall be deemed to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, any securities:

(i)     which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act (as such term is hereafter defined) as in effect on the Effective Date;

(ii)    which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed 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 Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange (y) securities which such Person has a right to acquire upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior the time 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 its Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3, Section 11 or Section 22; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement,

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arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

(iii)   which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso in clause (ii)(B) of this definition) or disposing of any securities of the Company.  Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

“Agreement” shall mean the Agreement originally between Tri-Valley Corporation and Registrar and Transfer Company, as Rights Agent, dated as of December 1, 2009, as amended and executed between Tri-Valley Corporation and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

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

“Certificate of Designations” shall mean the Certificate of Designations of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company setting forth the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of such series of Preferred Stock of the Company, a copy of the form of which is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

“Close of Business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

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

“Common Share Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

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“Common Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

“Current Per Share Market Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.

 

"Company" shall mean Tri-Valley Corporation.

 

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

 

"Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Sction 3(b) hereof.

 

"Equivalent Preferred Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof.

 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.

 

"Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof.

 

"Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.

 

"Flip-In Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

 

"Flip-In Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

 

"Flip-Over Event" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) hereof.

 

"NYSE Amex" shall mean the NYSE Amex Exchange, or any successor organization.

 

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

“Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.  Any reference in this Agreement to Preferred Shares shall be deemed to include any authorized fraction of a Preferred Share, unless the context otherwise requires.

“Principal Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) hereof.

“Purchase Price” with respect to each Right shall mean $150.00, as such amount may from time to time be adjusted as provided herein, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America.  All references herein to the Purchase Price shall mean the Purchase Price as in effect at the time in question.

“Record Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

"Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof.

 

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“Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23 hereof.

“Right Certificate” shall mean a certificate evidencing a Right in substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B.

 

“Rights” shall mean the rights to purchase Preferred Shares (or other securities) as provided in this Agreement.

	
  

	
“Rights Agent” shall mean Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

	
  

	
“Rights Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(d) hereof.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as in effect on the date in question, unless otherwise specifically provided.

“Security” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.

“Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

“Spread” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

“Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

	
  

	
“Substitution Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

	
  

	
“Summary of Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(c) hereof.

	
  

	
“Trading Day” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.

Section 2.                      Appointment of Rights Agent.

The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares) 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.

Section 3.                 Issue of Rights and Right Certificates.

(a)      One Right shall be associated with each Common Share outstanding on the Record Date, each additional Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, and each

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additional Common Share with which Rights are issued after the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date as provided in Section 22 hereof; provided, however, that, if the number of outstanding Rights are combined into a smaller number of outstanding Rights pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the appropriate fractional Right determined pursuant to such Section shall thereafter be associated with each such Common Share.

(b)      Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date and (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or (iv) any Person owning 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company as of the Record Date, unless such Person acquires an additional 5% of the Common Shares of the Company more than such Person owned as of the Record Date) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or (iv) any Person owning 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company as of the Record Date, unless such Person acquires an additional 5% of the Common Shares of the Company more than such Person owned as of the Record Date) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating fifteen percent (15%) or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the Rights, including the right to receive Right Certificates, will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares.  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate evidencing one whole Right for each Common Share (or for the number of Common Shares with which one whole Right is then associated if the number of Rights per Common Share held by such record holder has been adjusted in accordance with the provision in Section 3(a) hereof) so held.  If the number of Rights associated with each Common Share has been adjusted in accordance with the proviso in Section 3(a) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Right Certificates, the Company may make any necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments so that Right Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Right in accordance with Section 14 hereof.  As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

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     (c)     On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit C (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.  With respect to any certificate for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.  Until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

 

     (d)  Certificates issued for Common Shares after the Record Date (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (d)), but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A RIGHTS AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2009, AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE “RIGHTS AGREEMENT”), BETWEEN TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION AND WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS RIGHTS AGENT, THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH  RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE.  TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR THEIR AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS ARE NULL AND VOID AND NONTRANSFERABLE.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.  In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired unless and until such Common Shares are subsequently issued by the Company so that the

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Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.

Notwithstanding this paragraph (c) the omission of a legend shall not effect 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 form of election to purchase and form of assignment to be printed on the reverse side thereof) shall be in substantially the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B 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 securities exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or of any automated quotations system of a national securities association on which the Rights may from time to time be registered or quoted, or to conform to usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein for the Purchase Price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment from time to time as herein provided.

Section 5.                      Execution, Countersignature and Registration.

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

(b)           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.

(a)           Subject to the provisions of Sections 7(e) and 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (except as otherwise provided herein, including, without limitation, Right Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates representing, in the aggregate, the same number of Rights as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then represented.  Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split-up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split-up, combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose; provided, however, that neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any Right Certificate surrendered for transfer until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certification of status contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.  Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 7(e) and 14 hereof, 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 of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

(b)           Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of an indemnity bond 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 a new Right Certificate of like tenor and deliver such new Right Certificate to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

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

(a)           Subject to Section 7(e) hereof and except as otherwise provided herein (including Section 24 hereof), each Right shall entitle the registered holder thereof, upon exercise thereof as provided herein, to purchase for the Purchase Price, at any time after the Distribution Date and at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on December 1, 2019 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”) and (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section

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24 hereof, one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof.

(b)           The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Final Expiration Date, (ii) the Redemption Date and (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

(c)           Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares (or other securities) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, in lawful money of the United States of America, in cash or by certified check, cashier’s check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon (i) either (A) promptly requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is a transfer agent for such shares) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Shares with a depositary agent under a depositary arrangement, promptly requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent), and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, promptly requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

(d)           Except as otherwise provided herein, in case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

(e)           Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any Rights that are at any time beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person shall be null and void and nontransferable, and any holder of any such Right (including any purported transferee or subsequent holder) shall not have any right to exercise or transfer any such Right.

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(f)           Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of any Right Certificate upon the occurrence of any purported exercise unless such  registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certification of status contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

(g)           The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 calendar days after the Distribution Date, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act, on appropriate form, with respect to the Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights and permit such Registration Statement

to become effective; provided, however, that no such suspension shall remain effective after, and the Rights shall without any further action by the Company or any other Person become exercisable immediately upon, the effectiveness of such Registration Statement.  Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended and shall issue a further public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.  Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification under the Blue Sky or securities laws of such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or the exercise of the Rights shall not be permitted under applicable law.

Section 8.                      Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.

All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, and any Right Certificate representing Rights that have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof surrendered or presented for any purpose shall, if surrendered or presented to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered or presented to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled 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 Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company.  Subject to applicable law and regulation, the Rights Agent shall maintain (i( in retrievable database electronic records of all cancelled or destroyed stock 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.

(a)           The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any authorized and issued

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Preferred Shares held in its treasury, free from preemptive rights or any right of first refusal, a number of Preferred Shares sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.

(b)           In the event that there shall not be sufficient Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise or exchange of Rights in accordance with Section 11 or 24 hereof, as the case may be, the Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Preferred Shares for issuance upon the exercise or exchange of Rights pursuant to Section 11 or 24 hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that if the Company is unable to cause the authorization of additional Preferred Shares, then the Company shall, or in lieu of seeking any such authorization, the Company may, to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is a party, (i) upon surrender of a Right, pay cash equal to the Purchase Price in lieu of issuing Preferred Shares and requiring payment therefor, (ii) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, issue equity securities having a value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11 or 24 hereof, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, or (iii) upon due exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price for each Preferred Share as to which such Right is exercised, distribute a combination of Preferred Shares, cash and/or other equity securities having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Preferred Shares which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11 or 24 hereof, which value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.  To the extent that any legal or contractual restrictions (pursuant to agreements or instruments in effect prior to the Distribution Date to which it is a party) prevent the Company from paying the full amount payable in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Company shall pay to holders of the Rights as to which such payments are being made all amounts which are not then restricted on a pro rata basis as such payments become permissible under such legal or contractual restrictions until such payments have been paid in full.

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

(d)           So long as the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise or exchange of Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or automated quotations system of a registered national securities association on which the Preferred Shares may from time to time be listed, traded or quoted, the Company covenants and agrees that it will use reasonable efforts to cause,

from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable or exchangeable, all Preferred Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange or approved for quotation in such quotation system, upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

(e)           The Company further covenants and agrees, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and

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charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities upon the exercise or exchange of the Rights.  The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or in respect of the issuance or delivery of certificates for Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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 exchange or to issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, upon the exercise or exchange of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.

Section 10.         Preferred Shares Record Date.

Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities is issued upon the exercise or exchange of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares or Common Shares 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 any Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or other securities, as the case may be, are open.  Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

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

The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

(a)(i)           In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time

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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 transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Shares were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the  consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.  If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

(ii)           Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person (a “Flip-In Event”), each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied times the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company (such number of Common Shares being referred to herein as the “Adjustment Shares”) as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price times the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50 percent of the then Current Per Share Market Price of the Company’s Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event.  In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

(iii)           In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation: (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 to be referred to hereinafter as the “Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares (such shares of preferred  stock being referred to herein as “Common Share Equivalents”)), (4) other assets

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or (5) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event (the “Flip-In Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread.  In its sole discretion, the Board of Directors of the Company may take all actions as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights.  In such event, the 30-day period set forth above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not to more than 120 days after the Flip-In Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution Period”).  To the extent the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares 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 deliver a notice to the Rights Agent and issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a notice to the Rights Agent and a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.  For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be the Current Per Share Market Price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Common Shares on the Flip-In Trigger Date, and the value of any common share equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date.

(b)           In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares (“Equivalent Preferred

Shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d) hereof) 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 times a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current

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market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); 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 consideration part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.  Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.  Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c)           In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date times a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right.  Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(d)(i)   For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “Current Per Share Market Price” of any security (a “Security”) for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the “Current Per Share Market Price” of a Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 10 consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the Current Per Share Market Price of the Security is determined during a period

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following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into shares of such Security (other than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite 30 Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the “Current Per Share Market Price” shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security.  The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE Amex or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE Amex, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on the NYSE Amex or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.  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.

(ii)           For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “Current Per Share Market Price” of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof.  If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the “Current Per Share Market Price” of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares, as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof (appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar  transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied times 1000.  If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, “Current Per Share Market Price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

(e)           Except as hereinafter provided, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent

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or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment and (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

(f)           If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c) hereof, inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

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

(h)           Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, 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 one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment times (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

(i)           The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one 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 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(i), the

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Company shall, 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 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the 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 shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

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

(k)           Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one one-thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

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

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

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(n)           Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event times a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it.  The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) 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 Adjustment.

Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) in accordance with Section 26 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment, nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

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

(a) In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (i) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (ii) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for capital stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (iii) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50 percent or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries (any such event described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) being referred to herein as a “Flip-Over Event”), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (A) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied times the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is

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then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, nonassessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price times the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event (or, if a Flip-In Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, multiplying the number of such one one-thousandths of a share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event times the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event, shall be referred to as the “Purchase Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50 percent of the then Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (B) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (C) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Flip-Over Event; (D) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) 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 the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (E) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Flip-Over Event.  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 so providing.  The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.  The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.

	
(b)  

	
“Principal Party” shall mean

(i)           in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted in such transaction, or if there is more than one issuer, the issuer of Common Shares with the greatest aggregate market value, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such transaction, or if there is more than one such Person, the Person having Common Shares with the greatest aggregate market value; and

(ii)           in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii) of the first sentence of Section 13(a) hereof, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest

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portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions; provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of any Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person; and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so registered, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value.

Section 14.          Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

(a)           The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Rights or distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.  In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company may pay 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 purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.  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 NYSE Amex or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE Amex, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading 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 on the NYSE Amex or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

(b)           The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Preferred Shares upon exercise of the Rights or distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares.  In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares, the Company may elect to (i) utilize a depositary arrangement as provided by the terms of the Preferred Shares or (ii) in the case of a fraction of a Preferred Share (other than one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or any integral multiple thereof), pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Preferred Share, if any are outstanding and publicly traded (or the Formula Number (as such term is defined in Section 2 of the Certificate of Designations) then in effect times the current market value of a whole Common Share if the Preferred Shares are not outstanding and

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publicly traded).  For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (or Common Share) (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.  If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any securities other than Preferred Shares, the provisions of this Section 14(b) shall apply, as nearly as reasonably may be, on like terms to such other securities.

(c)           The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise or exchange of a Right except as provided in this Section 14.

Section 15.         Rights of Action.

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

Section 16.         Agreement of Right Holders.

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

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

(b)           after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates will be transferable, subject to Section 7(e) hereof, only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;

(c)           the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all

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purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

(d)           notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligations; provided, however, the Company must use reasonable efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as reasonably practicable.

Section 17.         Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.

No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed, for any purpose, the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any 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, including, without limitation, any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any other matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or other distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18.         Concerning the Rights Agent.

(a)           The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.

(b)           The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and 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 Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind

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whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action.

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

(a)           Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust powers 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 would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof.  In case, at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the 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.

(b)           In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

Section 20.          Duties of Rights Agent.

The Rights Agent undertakes 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 (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

(a)           Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may consult with legal counsel (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.

(b)           Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter 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

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proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

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

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

(e)           The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming null and void and nontransferable pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

(g)           The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.

(h)           The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract

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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 in this Agreement shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

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

(j)           The Company agrees to indemnify and to hold the Rights Agent harmless against any loss, liability or expense (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) that the Rights Agent may incur resulting from its actions as Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that the Rights Agent shall not be indemnified or held harmless with respect to any such loss, liability, damage or expense incurred by the Rights Agent as a result of, or arising out of, its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Rights Agent shall notify the Company, by letter or by facsimile confirmed by letter, of the assertion of any action, proceeding, suit or claim against the Rights Agent, promptly after the Rights Agent shall have notice of any such assertion of an action, proceeding, suit or claim or have been served with the summons or other first legal process giving information as to the nature and basis of the action, proceeding, suit or claim.  The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action, proceeding, suit or claim, and, if the Company so elects, the Company shall assume the defense of any such action, proceeding, suit or claim.  In the event that the Company assumes such defense, the Company shall not thereafter be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by the Rights Agent, so long as the Company shall retain counsel satisfactory to the Rights Agent, in the exercise of its reasonable judgment, to defend such action, proceeding, suit or claim.  The Rights Agent agrees not to settle any litigation in connection with any action, proceeding, suit or claim with respect to which it may seek indemnification from the Company without the prior written consent of the Company.

(k)           No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(l)           The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without limitation, any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company of such fact, event or determination.

Section 21.          Change of Rights Agent.

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               The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) by first-class mail.  The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 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 Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 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 (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate or, prior to the Distribution Date, the certificate representing his Common Shares, for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares) 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 United States or one of the States thereof, in good standing, 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 $50 million; provided that the principal transfer agent for the Common Shares shall in any event be qualified to be the Rights Agent. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose.  Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares).  Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

Section 22.          Issuance of New Right Certificates and Additional Rights.

Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors of the Company to reflect any adjustment or change made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the Company (i) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or

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arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company, and (ii) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that 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 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.

(a)           The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the Shares Acquisition Date shall have occurred prior to the Record Date, the close of business on the tenth day following the Record Date) and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”).  The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole discretion may establish.

(b)           Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price.  Within 10 Business Days after the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares.  Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which payment of the Redemption Price will be made.  The notice, if mailed in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder of Rights receives such notice.  In any case, failure to give such notice by mail, or any defect in the notice, to any particular holder of Rights shall not affect the sufficiency of notice to other holders of Rights.  Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

Section 24.            Exchange.

(a)           The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, mandatorily exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that shall have become null and void and

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nontransferable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50 percent or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

(b)           Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied times the Exchange Ratio.  The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange.  The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void and nontransferable pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

(c)           In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares) for Common Shares exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share.

(d)           In the event that the number of Common Shares or Preferred Shares which are issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued are not sufficient to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company may, at its option, take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares or Preferred Shares.

(e)           The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of Common Shares upon exchange of Rights pursuant to this Section 24 or distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares.  In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the

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current market value of a whole Common Share for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.  For purposes of this paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof).

Section 25.         Notice of Certain Events.

(a)           In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in capital stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of capital stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) 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 percent or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

(b)           In case a Flip-In Event shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of Common Shares), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

Section 26.         Notices.

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

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                Tri-Valley Corporation

4550 California Avenue, Suite 600

Bakersfield, California 93309

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

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services

Attn:  Manager of Account Administration

161 North Concord Exchange

South St. Paul, Minnesota 55075-1139

Telephone:  800-689-8788

Facsimile:  651-552-3942

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 shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

Section 27.         Supplements and Amendments.

At any time prior to the Distribution Date and subject to the last sentence of this Section 27, the Company may by action of its Board of Directors, and the Rights Agent shall if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the date upon which the Distribution Date shall occur, the time during which the Rights may be redeemed pursuant to Section 23 or any provision of the Certificate of Designations) in any manner without the approval of any holder of the Rights.  From and after the Distribution Date and subject to applicable law, the Company may by action of its Board of Directors, 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 Right Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained in this Agreement which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement or (ii) to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights or Right Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person).  Any supplement or amendment adopted during any period after any Person has become an Acquiring Person but prior to the Distribution Date shall be null and void unless such supplement or amendment could have been adopted under the prior sentence from and after the Distribution Date.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to the Distribution Date amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in the definition of Acquiring Person in Section 1 hereof and in Section 3(b) hereof to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of 0.001 percent and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any

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Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10 percent.  Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment; provided, however, that the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplement or amendment which affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Agreement.  Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of the Common Shares of the Company.  In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be made which (i) reduces the Redemption Price (except as required hereunder by appropriate adjustment to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date of this Agreement) or (ii) provides for an earlier Final Expiration Date.

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

Section 30.         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 31.         Governing Law.

THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH RIGHT CERTIFICATE ISSUED HEREUNDER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS TO BE MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN SUCH STATE.

Section 32.         Counterparts.

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

Section 33.         Descriptive Headings.

Descriptive headings of the several sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year set forth below.

 

 

	 	 	 	 	TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Attest: 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By: 	 	 	 	By: 	 	 	 
	Name: 	 	 	 	Name: 	 	 	 
	Title: 	 	 	 	Title: 	 	 	 
	Date: 	 	 	 	Date: 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By: 	 	 	 	By: 	 	 	 
	Name: 	 	 	 	Name: 	 	 	 
	Title: 	 	 	 	Title: 	 	 	 
	Date: 	 	 	 	Date: 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 

 

                                        

34  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT A

 

 

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

 

 

OF SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED

 

 

STOCK OF

 

TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION

PURSUANT TO SECTION 151 OF THE

DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION, a corporation organized and existing under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that, pursuant to the authority conferred on the Board of Directors of the Corporation by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and in accordance with Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, adopted the following resolution effective as of December 1, 2009, establishing and creating a series of Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

RESOLVED, that, pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation, and subject to approval by the Corporation’s lenders, a series of Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation is hereby established and created, and that the designation and number of shares thereof and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, are as follows:

 

 

SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

 

Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”).  The number of shares initially constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 500,000; provided, however, that if more than a total of 500,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon the exercise of Rights (the “Right”) issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement dated December 1, 2009, as amended between the Corporation and Wells Fargo Bank,. N.A., as successor Rights Agent (the “Rights Agreement”), the Board of Directors of the Corporation, pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, shall direct by resolution or resolutions that a statement be properly executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in accordance with the provisions of Section 151, providing for the total number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock

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authorized to be issued to be increased (to the extent that the Certificate of Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares (rounded up to the nearest whole share) issuable upon exercise of such Rights.

Section 2.  Dividends and Distributions.

 

(a)           Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of shares of any other series of Preferred Stock or other class of stock of the Corporation ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of the assets of the Corporation legally available therefor,

(i) quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter in each year, or such other dates as the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall approve (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in the amount of $.01 per whole share (rounded to the nearest cent) less the amount of all cash dividends declared on the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the following clause (ii) since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock (the total of which shall not, in any event, be less than zero) and

(ii) dividends payable in cash on the payment date for each cash dividend declared on the Common Stock in an amount per whole share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the Formula Number (as hereinafter defined) then in effect multiplied times the cash dividends then to be paid on each share of Common Stock.  In addition, if the Corporation shall pay any dividend or make any distribution on the Common Stock payable in assets, securities or other forms of noncash consideration (other than dividends or distributions solely in shares of Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Corporation shall simultaneously pay or make on each outstanding whole share of Series A Preferred Stock a dividend or distribution in like kind equal to the Formula Number then in effect multiplied times such dividend or distribution on each share of the Common Stock.  As used herein, the “Formula Number” shall be 1000; provided, however, that, if at any time after December 1, 2009, the Corporation shall (x) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock or make any distribution on the Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (y) subdivide (by a stock split or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares of Common Stock or (z) combine (by a reverse stock split or otherwise) the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such event the Formula Number shall be adjusted to a number determined by multiplying the Formula Number in effect immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to such event (and rounding the result to the nearest whole number); and provided further, that, if at any time after

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December 1, 2009, the Corporation shall issue any shares of its stock in a merger, reclassification, or change of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, then in each such event the Board of Directors (or, if the Corporation is not the surviving corporation in any such transaction, the board of directors of the surviving corporation) shall make adjustments, determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion to be appropriate, to the Formula Number to reflect such merger, reclassification or change.

(b)           The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section immediately prior to or at the same time it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend or distribution solely in shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that, in the event no dividend or distribution (other than a dividend or distribution solely in shares of Common Stock) shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $.01 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

(c)           Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from and after the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of original issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock; provided, however, that dividends on such shares which are originally issued after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and on or prior to the next succeeding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from and after such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on shares of Series A Preferred Stock which are originally issued prior to the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date shall be calculated as if cumulative from and after the last day of the fiscal quarter next preceding the date of original issuance of such shares.  Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding.

(d)           So long as any shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, no dividends or other distributions shall be declared, paid or distributed, or set aside for payment or distribution, on the Common Stock unless, in each case, the dividend required by this Section 2 to be declared on the Series A Preferred Stock shall have been declared and the Corporation shall have paid such dividend or shall have set apart a sum sufficient for the payment thereof.

(e)           The holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions except as provided herein.

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

(a)           Each holder of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to a number of votes equal to the Formula Number then in effect, for each share of Series A Preferred Stock held of record on each matter on which holders of the Common Stock or stockholders generally are entitled to vote, multiplied times the maximum number of votes per share which any holder of the Common Stock or stockholders generally then have with respect to such matter (assuming any holding period or other requirement to vote a greater number of shares is satisfied).

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

(c)           If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the equivalent of six quarterly dividends (whether or not consecutive) payable on any share or shares of Series A Preferred Stock are in default, the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two.  In addition to voting together with the holders of Common Stock for the election of other directors of the Corporation, the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock, shall be entitled at said meeting of stockholders (and at any subsequent annual meeting of stockholders), unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for payment prior thereto, to vote for the election of two directors of the Corporation, the holders of any Series A Preferred Stock being entitled to cast a number of votes per share of Series A Preferred Stock equal to the Formula Number.  Until the default in payments of all dividends which permitted the election of said directors shall cease to exist, any director who shall have been so elected pursuant to the next preceding sentence may be removed at any time, either with or without cause, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of any such director at a special meeting of such holders called for that purpose, and any vacancy thereby created may be filled by the vote of such holders.  If and when such default shall cease to exist, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be divested of the foregoing special voting rights, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent like default in payments of dividends.  Upon the termination of the foregoing special voting rights, the terms of office of all persons who have been elected directors pursuant to said special voting rights shall forthwith terminate, and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be reduced by two.  The voting rights granted by this Section 3(c) shall be in addition to any other voting rights granted to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock in this Section 3.

(d)           Except as provided herein, in Section 11 or by applicable law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for authorizing or taking any corporate action.

Section 4.  Certain Restrictions.

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Section 5.  Reacquired Shares.  Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.  All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to series, and may thereafter be issued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other

A-5

  

  

  

 

Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock of the Corporation or as otherwise required by law.

Section 6.  Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, no distribution shall be made (i) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, plus an amount equal to the greater of (x) $1.00 per whole share and (y) an aggregate amount per share equal to the Formula Number then in effect multiplied times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Section 7.  Consolidation, Merger, etc.  In case the Corporation shall enter into any  consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash or any other property, or any combination thereof, then in any such case the then outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged for or changed into an amount per share equal to the Formula Number then in effect multiplied times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is exchanged or changed.  In the event both this Section 7 and Section 2 appear to apply to a transaction, this Section 7 shall control.

 

Section 8.  No Redemption; No Sinking Fund.

 

(a)           The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to redemption by the Corporation; provided, however, that the Corporation may purchase or otherwise acquire outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the open market or by offer to any holder or holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

(b)           The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to or entitled to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund.

Section 9.  Ranking.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and as to distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior to all other series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, if any, unless the Board of Directors shall specifically determine otherwise in fixing the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of any such other series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.

Section 10.  Fractional Shares.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon exercise of the Rights issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement in whole shares or in any fraction

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of a share that is one one-thousandth of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to receive dividends, exercise voting rights, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.  In lieu of fractional shares, the Corporation, prior to the first issuance of a share or a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, may elect (i) to make a cash payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one one-thousandth of a share or any integral multiple thereof or (ii) to issue depository receipts evidencing such authorized fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Corporation and a depository selected by the Corporation; provided that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depository receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as holders of the Series A Preferred Stock.

Section 11.  Amendment.  None of the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock as provided herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall be amended in any manner that would alter or change the powers, preferences, rights or privileges of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3 percent of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designations to be duly executed in its corporate name, with amendments effective as of May 14, 2010.

 

 

	 	TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	By: 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Name: 	 	 
	 	Title: 	 	 

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EXHIBIT B

 

	
  

	
[Form of Right Certificate]

	
  

	
Certificate No. R-

	
  

	
____________ Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 1, 2019, OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND BY ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS ARE NULL AND VOID AND NONTRANSFERABLE.

 

 

Right Certificate

TRI-VALLEY 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 December 1, 2009, as amended (the “Rights Agreement”), between Tri-Valley Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as successor Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”), unless the Rights evidenced hereby have been previously redeemed by the Company, to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on December 1, 2019 (the “Final Expiration Date”), at the principal office or agency of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, in the City of New York, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), at a purchase price per one one-thousandth of a share equal to $150.00 (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed.

The Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased upon exercise of each Right evidenced by this Right Certificate, as set forth above, are the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased as of ________, 20__.  As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of shares that may be purchased upon the exercise of each Right evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

This Right Certificate is subject to all the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which reference to the Rights Agreement is hereby made for a full

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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 Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office and agency of the Rights Agent and are also available from the Company upon request.

If the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are at any time beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), such Rights shall be null and void and nontransferable and the holder of any such Right (including any purported transferee or subsequent holder) shall not have any right to exercise or transfer any such Right.

This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal stock transfer or corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, 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 and kind of shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price (in cash or shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company deemed by the Board of Directors of the Company to be at least equivalent in value) of $.01 per Right (which amount may be subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day following the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such and (ii) the Final Expiration Date.

The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of a Preferred Share (other than one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or any integral multiple thereof) or distribute certificates which evidence fractions of a Preferred Share upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby.  In lieu of issuing fractional shares, the Company may elect to make a cash payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one one-thousandth of a share or any integral multiple thereof or to issue certificates or utilize a depositary arrangement as provided in the terms of the Rights Agreement and the Preferred Shares.

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 Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any other matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings

B-2

  

  

  

 

or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or other distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in accordance with the provisions of the Rights Agreement.

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

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

 

Dated:    _____________________________ 

 

 

	

[CORPORATE SEAL]

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	ATTEST: 	 	TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By: 	 	 	 	By: 	 	 	 
	Name: 	 	 	 	Name: 	 	 	 
	Title: 	 	 	 	Title: 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Countersigned:	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Wells Fargo Bank, National Association 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By:	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Authorized Officer 	 	 	 	 	 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                       

B-3

  

  

  

[On 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)

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

 

 

  

 

	Dated: 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	Signature 	 
	 	 	 	 	 

 

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer Association recognized signature program.

 

CERTIFICATION OF STATUS

 

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

 

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

(2)           after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it  / / did   / / did not    acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).

 

 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	Signature 	 
	Dated: 	 	 	 	 

 

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[On Reverse Side of Right Certificate—continued]

 

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

 

(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires

to exercise the Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)

To:           TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _______________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares (or other shares) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:

	
  

	
Please insert social security

	
  

	
or other identifying number

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

(Please print name and address)

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

	
  

	
Please insert social security

	
  

	
or other identifying number

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

(Please print name and address)

 

	Dated: 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	Signature 	 

 

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Securities Transfer Association recognized signature program.

B-5

  

  

  

 

 

[On Reverse Side of Right Certificate—continued]

 

CERTIFICATION OF STATUS

 

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

 

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

(2)           after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it  / /  did  / / did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).

 

 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	Signature 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	Dated: 	 	 	 	 

 

 

NOTICE

 

The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, 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 of Status set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.

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EXHIBIT C

 

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE

PREFERRED SHARES

In November 2009, subject to approval and consent of the Company’s lenders, the Board of Directors of Tri-Valley Corporation (the “Company”) authorized and declared a dividend of one Right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Common Shares”).  The dividend is payable on December 1, 2009 (the “Record Date”) to the holders of record of the Common Shares at the close of business on that date.  In addition, the Company has authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).  When exercisable each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”), at a price of $150.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment.  The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as successor Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 15 percent or more of the outstanding Common Shares (or in the case of shareholders already owning 15 percent, upon the acquisition of an additional 5 percent) or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or first public announcement of an intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of 15 percent or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding on or after the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate.  

C-1

  

  

  

 

As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date.  The Rights will expire on December 1, 2019 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

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

The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be subject to redemption by the Company.  Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $.01 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1000 multiplied times the dividend declared per Common Share.  In the event of liquidation, the holder of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1000 multiplied times the payment made per Common Share.  Each Preferred Share will have 1000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares.  Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1000 multiplied times the amount received per Common Share.  These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

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

In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50 percent or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a

C-2

  

  

  

 

person or group of affiliated or associated persons has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.  In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be null and void and nontransferable), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares of the Company having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

At any time after any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50 percent or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become null and void and nontransferable), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company’s preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least one percent in such Purchase Price.  The Company may, but shall not be required to, issue fractions of a Preferred Share (other than one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share or any integral multiple thereof, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

At any time prior to the close of business on the tenth day following a public announcement that an Acquiring Person has become such an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the “Redemption Price”).  The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.  The time at which the Rights are redeemed by the Company is herein referred to as the “Redemption Date.”  Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including without limitation an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of 0.001 percent and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10 percent, except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights.

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

C-3

  

  

The Preferred Shares shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and as to distributions of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to all other series of preferred stock of the Company, if any, unless the Board of Directors of the Company shall specifically determine otherwise in fixing the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of any such other series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.

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

C-4ex4_5tv.htm

Exhibit 4.5

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

in respect of

SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

Of

TRI-VALLEY CORPORATION

Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

(As Amended)

The undersigned, being President of Tri-Valley Corporation (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the Delaware General Corporation Law, hereby certifies that  the Corporation is establishing Series A  Preferred Stock as described in the Resolution below:

Resolved, that, pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Corporation hereby establishes a series of Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Corporation and fixes the number of shares of such series and the powers, designations, preferences and relative rights of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as follows:

The first series of Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Corporation shall be, and hereby is, designated Series A  Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 505,000.  The relative rights and preferences of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DIVIDENDS

1.01.           The Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, in preference to the holders of the Common Stock or any class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, cumulative dividends at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum, of the purchase price per share ($10.00) of the Series A Preferred Stock from and after the original issue date.  Such dividends are payable only as and when the Board of Directors declares and pays dividends in cash out of funds legally available therefor.  Dividends shall only be declared and be payable in cash on each share of Series A Preferred Stock from time to time as determined by the Board of Directors but shall accrue and be due and payable in full (i) upon redemption of Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with Article 3, or (ii) upon the dissolution of the Corporation as provided in Section 2.02.  The dividends are cumulative so that if for any dividend period the dividends on the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock are not paid and/or declared and set apart, the deficiency is fully paid or declared and set apart for payment, without interest, before any other distribution (by dividend or otherwise), is paid on, declared or set apart for the Series A Preferred Stock.  Any dividends paid by the Corporation to a holder shall first be applied in payment of accumulated dividends which are most in arrears on the shares owned by

Series A Preferred Stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 1 

  

  

  

such holder.  The Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to dividends except as aforesaid and except as set forth in this Section, nor shall they be entitled to any interest on any dividends which may be declared but not yet paid.

ARTICLE 2

PRIORITIES

2.01.           Dividends and Redemption.  No redemption or payment of dividends to Common Stock or any other class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock shall occur as to dividends or assets, except to the extent that sufficient stockholders’ equity exists to fully redeem all shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding including any declared and unpaid dividends on Series A Preferred Stock, prior to the redemption or dividend payment, as of the dates of declaration and payment of such dividend or redemption on Common Stock or other junior stock.

2.02.           Dissolution.

a.           Preferences.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall have preference over the Common Stock and any class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation and, in that event, subject to the provisions of applicable law, the Series A Holders shall be entitled to receive, out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, and in addition to any accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock, $10.00 per share of Series A Preferred Stock (the “Series A Liquidation Preference”).  Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment shall have been made in full on any other securities which are senior as to distribution of assets to the Series A Preferred Stock, and after payment shall have been made in full on the Series A Preferred Stock, as provided in this Section, but not prior thereto, the holders of all remaining capital stock including Common Stock or other class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to distribution of assets shall, subject to the respective terms and provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, if any, applying thereto, be entitled to receive any and all assets remaining to be paid or distributed, and the Series A Holders shall not be entitled to share therein.  The merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another entity and/or the sale, lease, pledge or mortgage of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation for purposes of this Section.

ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

3.01.           Subject to the restrictions imposed herein and by Delaware law, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem the shares  of the Series A Preferred Stock in whole or in part, at any time upon 60 days’ advance written notice, in exchange for the payment of the Series A Liquidation Preference.  Redemption shall be accomplished using the procedures set forth below:

a.           Notice Procedure.  The Corporation shall give notice to the holder of

Series A Preferred Stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 2 

  

  

  

record (the “Holder”) by certified mail, return receipt requested, at least 60 days in advance of the date set forth in such notice as the date on which such redemption is to be effected.  The shares shall be redeemed upon payment by the Corporation to the Holder of the Series A Liquidation Preference, together with the amount of any dividends declared and unpaid thereon, as of the redemption date.  The Corporation shall be required to redeem pro rata, based on the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Holder in relation to the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of the record date for redemption, at any time it elects to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock in part.  Any redemptions hereunder shall be subject to restrictions imposed by Delaware law regarding the circumstances under which such a redemption may be effected.

b.           Payment Procedures.  To facilitate the redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, as provided in this Article 3, the Board of Directors shall be authorized to cause the transfer books of the Corporation to be closed not more than 60 days prior to the designated redemption date.  Any notice mailed by the Corporation shall contain the information required by Delaware law and shall be mailed to the Holder at his, her or its address, certified mail, return receipt requested, as the same shall appear on the books of the Corporation.  If fewer than all the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the redemption shall be made pro rata as set forth in subsection a above.  From and after the date fixed in any notice from the Corporation as the date of redemption, and after all amounts necessary to effect such redemption have been set aside for such purpose, all rights of the Holder thereof as a shareholder of the Corporation with respect to the shares redeemed, except the right to receive the redemption price and any declared and unpaid dividends, shall cease and terminate.

c.           Delivery of Certificates.  The Holder shall be entitled to receive the redemption price plus any unpaid dividends upon actual delivery to the Corporation or to such other entity as may be designated by the notice referred to in subsection b of this Section of certificates for the number of shares to be redeemed, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of assignment and transfer duly endorsed in blank.  Series A Preferred Stock redeemed pursuant to the provisions of this Section may, in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, be held in the treasury of the Corporation or retired and canceled and given the status of authorized and unissued Series A Preferred Stock.

d.           No Sinking Fund.  The Corporation is authorized but not required to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, and no sinking fund will be created for the redemption or purchase of such shares.  The Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable at the option of the Holder.

ARTICLE 4

NO VOTING RIGHTS

4.01.           Voting Rights.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall be non-voting and holders thereof shall not be entitled to cast any vote on any matter presented to the shareholders of the Corporation, unless otherwise required by the laws of Delaware.

Series A Preferred Stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 3 

  

  

  

ARTICLE 5

MISCELLANEOUS

5.01.           Notices of Record Date.  In the event of any taking by the Corporation of record of the holders of any class of securities for the purpose of determining the holders thereof who are entitled to receive any dividend or other distribution, any right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of stock of any class or any other securities or property or to receive any other right, the Corporation shall mail to each Holder of Series A Preferred Stock at least ten (10) days prior to such record date, a notice specifying the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend or distribution or right, and the amount and character of such dividend or right.

5.02.           No Fractional Shares.  No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon any conversion or redemption of Series A Preferred Stock.  If any fraction of a share would be issuable on a conversion or redemption, the fractional interest shall be rounded up to the nearest whole share.

Series A Preferred Stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page 4

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