Document:

<PAGE>

                      Renewal of Distributorship Agreement

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and Atlantic Components Ltd., hereby agree to
renew the Distributorship Agreement, which was duly signed on March 1, 2002
hereunder set forth.

1. This Agreement is effective from 1st day of March 2003 and shall continue to
expire on the 29th day of February 2004 unless terminated earlier pursuant to
this Agreement.

2. The Appendix "C", as enclosure 1, shall supersede the previous Appendix "C"
duly signed on 1st day of March 2002.

3. The payee is as follows:

Attention: Ms Yau
Account number: 024-235-082161-201(USD)
Bank name: Hang Seng Bank Ltd.
Bank Address: P18, Telford Gardens, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

4. The other terms and conditions under this Agreement shall comply with the
Distributorship Agreement which was duly signed on 1st March 2002.

SAMSUNG                                        DISTRIBUTOR

  /s/ Chan Hyoung Park                     /s/ Alan Yang
----------------------------            ----------------------------
Mr. Chan Hyoung Park                           Mr. Alan Yng
Senior Manager                                 Managing Director
Date                                           Date

<PAGE>

                                   APPENDIX C
                                   ----------

                                  COMPENSATION

The amount of commission shall be calculated on the base of total invoice amount
value of each month which SAMSUNG issues, but BGD will not be applicable for
Commission.

a)   In case that the buyer on L/C is DISTRIBUTOR,

     Samsung RECOGNIZES THE products as defined below will be resold and in this
case the commission rates are as follows:

<PAGE>

     b) In the case that the buyer on L/C is not DISTRIBUTOR but the customer
solicited by DISTRIBUTOR, DISTRIBUTOR will be deserved commission at SAMSUNG's
own discretion and the rates are as follows. (In case of Samsung System LSI
product, the buyer on L/C should be END-CUSTOMER)

     c) For Samsung System LSI product only, in case that the buyer on L/C is
DISTRIBUTOR and "Third Party" was outsourced for development activity,
DISTRIBUTOR will be deserved commission at SAMSUNG's own discretion and the
rates are as follows:

                   [Commission table intentionally deleted]*

* Confidential treatment requested.<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.4

                          SCARLET HOLDING CORPORATION
                                      AND
                      WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
                                AS RIGHTS AGENT
                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                        DATED AS OF ______________, 2003

<PAGE>
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               Page

<S>                                                                                                            <C>
Section 1.        Certain Definitions.............................................................................1
Section 2.        Appointment of Rights Agent.....................................................................3
Section 3.        Issue of Rights and Right Certificates..........................................................4
Section 4.        Form of Right Certificates......................................................................5
Section 5.        Countersignature and Registration...............................................................5
Section 6.        Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
                  Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates....................................................6
Section 7.        Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights...................................6
Section 8.        Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates..............................................8
Section 9.        Availability of Preferred Shares................................................................8
Section 10.       Preferred Shares Record Date....................................................................9
Section 11.       Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights..............................9
Section 12.       Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.....................................17
Section 13.       Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power...........................18
Section 14.       Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares........................................................20
Section 15.       Rights of Action...............................................................................21
Section 16.       Agreement of Right Holders.....................................................................22
Section 17.       Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder..............................................22
Section 18.       Concerning the Rights Agent....................................................................23
Section 19.       Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent......................................23
Section 20.       Duties of Rights Agent.........................................................................24
Section 21.       Change of Rights Agent.........................................................................26
Section 22.       Issuance of New Right Certificates.............................................................27
Section 23.       Redemption.....................................................................................27
Section 24.       Exchange.......................................................................................28
Section 25.       Notice of Certain Events.......................................................................30
Section 26.       Notices........................................................................................30
Section 27.       Supplements and Amendments.....................................................................31
Section 28.       Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.......................................31
Section 29.       Successors.....................................................................................32
Section 30.       Benefits of this Agreement.....................................................................32
Section 31.       Severability...................................................................................32
Section 32.       Governing Law..................................................................................32
Section 33.       Counterparts...................................................................................32
Section 34.       Descriptive Headings...........................................................................32
</TABLE>

                                       i
<PAGE>
                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

         THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of ____________,
2003, is between SCARLET HOLDING CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking
association (the "Rights Agent").

         The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) outstanding at the close of business on _____________,
2003 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, and has further authorized and
directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall
become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest to occur 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 Common Shares 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.

         Accordingly, 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:

         (a)      "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 15% or more of the Common Shares
then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the term Acquiring Person
shall not include (A) the Company, (B) aaiPharma Inc., (C) any Subsidiary (as
such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, (D) any employee benefit plan
of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or (E) or any entity holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan,
and (ii) no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" either (x) as the result
of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company that, by reducing the number
of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially
owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding;
provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or
more of the Common Shares 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, then such Person shall be
deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" or (y) if the Board of Directors of the
Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring Person" became the Beneficial Owner of a number of Common Shares such
that the Person would otherwise qualify as an "Acquiring Person" inadvertently
(including, without limitation, because (A) such Person was unaware that it
beneficially owned a percentage of Common Shares that would otherwise cause such
Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of
its Beneficial Ownership of Common Shares but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and without any
intention of changing or influencing the control of the Company, then such
Person shall not been deemed to be or to have become an "Acquiring Person" for
any purposes of this Agreement, unless and until such Person shall have failed
to divest itself, as soon as practicable (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company) of Beneficial Ownership of a sufficient
number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer otherwise qualify as
an "Acquiring Person."

<PAGE>

         (b)      "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however,
that the limited partners of a limited partnership shall not be deemed to be
Associates of such limited partnership solely by virtue of their limited
partnership interest.

         (c)      A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:

                  (i)      that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates
         or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

                  (ii)     that 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
         these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
         that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
         beneficially own, 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; or (B) the right to vote or dispose of
         (including without limitation pursuant to any agreement, arrangement
         or understanding); provided, however, that a Person shall not be
         deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security
         by reason of such agreement, arrangement, or understanding 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)    that 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 to Section
         1(c)(ii)(B)) 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 that such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

                                       2
<PAGE>
         (d)      "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of North Carolina
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

         (e)      "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is
not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

         (f)      "Common Shares" shall mean the shares of common stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company; provided, however, that "Common Shares,"
when used in this Agreement in connection with a specific 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 that ultimately
control such first-mentioned Person.

         (g)      "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.

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

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

         (j)      "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.

         (k)      "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7(b).

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

         (m)      "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.

         (n)      "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 of record or beneficially, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.

         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. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and
shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such Co-Rights
Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the
respective duties of the Rights Agents and any Co-Rights Agents will be as the
Company may determine and the Rights Agent shall agree.

                                       3
<PAGE>
         SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES.

         (a)      Rights shall be issued in respect of all Common Shares issued
or disposed of (including, without limitation, upon disposition of Common Shares
out of treasury stock or issuance or reissuance of Common Shares out of
authorized but unissued shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier
of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date, or in certain circumstances
provided in Section 22, after the Distribution Date. On the Record Date, or as
soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of
Rights to Purchase Shares of Preferred Stock by first-class, postage-prepaid
mail to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the
Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
any Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company.

         (b)      Until the earlier of (i) the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii)
the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of
the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person) after the date of the first public announcement (determined in
accordance with Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act) by any Person (other than
the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) relating to a tender or exchange
offer, the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming an
Acquiring Person (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 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 (and
the right to receive Right Certificates therefor) 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, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a
"Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.

         (c)      With respect to certificates for Common Shares, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered
in the names of the holders thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or the
earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date), the surrender
for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record
Date shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Shares represented thereby.

         (d)      Certificates for Common Shares that become outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the
last sentence of this paragraph (c)) prior to the earliest of the Distribution
Date, the Redemption Date or 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 between Scarlet
         Holding Corporation and Wachovia Bank, National Association, dated as
         of __________, 2003, as amended from time to time (the "Rights
         Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by
         reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive
         offices of Scarlet Holding 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. Scarlet Holding Corporation will mail to the holder of
         this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
         receipt of a written request therefor. As described in the Rights
         Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an

                                       4
<PAGE>
         Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in
         the Rights Agreement) and certain related persons, whether currently
         held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, shall
         become null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution 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 canceled and retired so that the Company shall
not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares that
are no longer outstanding.

         Notwithstanding this paragraph (d), the omission of a legend shall not
affect the enforceability of any part of this Agreement or the rights of any
holder of Rights.

         SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. The Right Certificates (and the
form of election to purchase Preferred Shares, the form of assignment and the
form of certification to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be
substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of
identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which
the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage or to
reflect adjustments to the Rights Agreement made pursuant to this Agreement.
Subject to the provisions of Section 22, the Right Certificates shall entitle
the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"),
but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each
Right and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

         SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.

         (a)      The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its
President, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its Chief Financial Officer, or any
of its Vice Presidents, 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 manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as
though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of
the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such
Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right
Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such
person was not such an officer.

                                       5
<PAGE>
         (b)      Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep
or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for
registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such
books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right
Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right
Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.

         SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND EXCHANGE OF RIGHT
CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHT CERTIFICATES.

         (a)      Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii), Section 14
and Section 24, 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 or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates
may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a
like number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate
or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any
registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right
Certificate 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 office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the
Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the
transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate until the registered holder
shall have completed and signed the certificate 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 Section
11(a)(ii), Section 14 and Section 24 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 case of loss, theft or destruction, of
indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's
request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and
cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will issue,
execute and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent
for countersignature and 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)      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 office of the Rights Agent designated
for such purpose, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one
one-

                                       6
<PAGE>
thousandth of a Preferred Share (or such other number of shares or other
securities) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest
of (i) the Close of Business on ______________, 2013 (the "Final Expiration
Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section
23 (the "Redemption Date"), or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24.

         (b)      The purchase price (the "Purchase Price") for each one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall
initially be $___________ subject to adjustment from time to time as provided
in Sections 11, 13 and 27 and payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

         (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 shares 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 by certified check, cashier's check,
bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent
shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent for the
Preferred 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, in its sole discretion, shall have
elected to deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights
hereunder into a depositary, requisition from the depositary agent depositary
receipts representing such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as
are 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 hereby directs the depositary agent to comply
with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the
amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance
with Section 14, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary
receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such
cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In
the event that the Company is obligated to issue securities of the Company other
than Preferred Shares (including Common Shares) of the Company pursuant to
Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that
such other securities are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and
when appropriate.

         (d)      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 to the registered holder of such Right Certificate
or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14.

         (e)      Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any
action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported
exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall
have (i) completed and signed the certification following 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

                                       7
<PAGE>
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company
shall reasonably request.

         SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHT CERTIFICATES. All
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form,
or, if delivered or surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall
deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and
in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

         SECTION 9. AVAILABILITY OF PREFERRED SHARES.

         (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 Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares
that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights.

         (b)      The Company covenants and agrees that so long as the
Preferred Shares (and, after the time a person becomes an Acquiring Person,
Common Shares or any other securities) issuable upon the exercise of the Rights
may be listed on any national securities exchange or quotation system, the
Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the
Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed
on such exchange or quotation system upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise.

         (c)      The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such
action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (or Common
Shares and other securities, as the case may be) delivered upon exercise 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 shares or other
securities.

         (d)      The Company further covenants and agrees that it will file
any necessary federal or state tax returns when due and will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges that may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not,
however, be required to pay any transfer tax that may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the
issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred
Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to
deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any 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 reasonable satisfaction that
no such tax is due.

                                       8
<PAGE>
         (e)      As soon as practicable after the Shares Acquisition Date, the
Company shall use its best efforts to:

                  (i)      prepare and file a registration statement under the
         Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the
         Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on
         an appropriate form, will use its best efforts to cause such
         registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
         after such filing and will use its best efforts to cause such
         registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all
         times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Final Expiration
         Date; and

                  (ii)     qualify or register the Rights and the securities
         purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the blue sky laws of
         such jurisdictions as may be necessary or appropriate.

         SECTION 10. PREFERRED SHARES RECORD DATE. Each person in whose name
any certificate for Preferred Shares or other securities is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder
of record of the Preferred Shares or other securities represented thereby on,
and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered with the forms of election and
certification duly executed and payment of the 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 Preferred Shares or other
securities transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be
deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares
or other securities transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the
exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate, as
such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred 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 and kind of 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 and pay 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 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

                                       9
<PAGE>
to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in effect (and any
applicable transfer taxes), the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital
stock that, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and
at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open,
such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification;
provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event
occurs that would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and Section
11(a)(ii), 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).

                  (ii)     Subject to Section 24, in the event any Person shall
become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall have a right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by 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 as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) on the date such Person became an Acquiring Person;
provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give rise to the
foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provisions of Section 13, then only
the provisions of Section 13 shall apply and no adjustment shall be made
pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii). 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.

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the
time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights beneficially owned by
(i) such Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring
Person, (ii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person became such, or
(iii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or
Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring
Person's becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom
the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors
of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding
which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section
11(a)(ii), shall become null and void without any further action and no holder
of such Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights,
whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall
use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section
11(a)(ii) are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right
Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates,
Associates or transferees hereunder. No Right Certificate shall be issued at
any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights
would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or

                                      10
<PAGE>
any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent
for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the
preceding sentence shall be canceled.

                  (iii)    If on the date of the occurrence of an event under
Section 11(a)(ii) (the "Adjustment Date"), the Company does not have sufficient
issued but not outstanding or reserved, or authorized, unissued and unreserved
Common Shares available to permit the exercise in full of all Rights that are
exercisable on the Adjustment Date for the number of Common Shares per Right
provided for in Section 11(a)(ii), then the Exercise Price (as defined below)
and the number of Common Shares to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of
a Right shall be further adjusted as provided in this subparagraph (iii).

                           (1)      Definitions:

                           (A)      The "Aggregate Market Value" is the product
                  of (i) the number of Available Shares times (ii) the current
                  per share market price of the Common Shares on the Adjustment
                  Date, determined as provided in Section 11(d).

                           (B)      The "Available Shares" are all unreserved
                  Common Shares that are authorized and unissued or issued but
                  not outstanding immediately prior to the Adjustment Date.

                           (C)      The "Exercise Price" is the amount of the
                  payment that must be made by the holder of a Right in
                  connection with the exercise of one Right immediately before
                  the Adjustment Date.

                           (D)      The "Deficiency" is the amount by which (i)
                  two times the Exercise Price exceeds (ii) the quotient
                  obtained by dividing the Aggregate Market Value by the number
                  of Rights remaining outstanding immediately before the
                  Adjustment Date (the "Remaining Rights") (which number shall
                  not include the Rights that are beneficially owned by any
                  Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate thereof) or
                  were beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any
                  Associate or Affiliate thereof) after the Acquiring Person
                  became an Acquiring Person that shall have become void
                  pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)).

                           (2)      If the Deficiency is less than or equal to
                  the Exercise Price, then

                           (A)      the number of Common Shares to be delivered
                  by the Company upon exercise of a Right shall be adjusted to
                  equal the number of Available Shares divided by the number of
                  Remaining Rights; and

                           (B)      the amount of cash required to be delivered
                  by the holder of a Right upon the exercise thereof shall be
                  adjusted (the "New Exercise Price") to equal the Exercise
                  Price minus the Deficiency; provided, however, that in no
                  event will the New Exercise Price be less than the aggregate
                  par value of the Common Shares required to be delivered upon
                  the exercise of one Right pursuant to subparagraph (2)(A)
                  above.

                                      11
<PAGE>
                           (3)      If the Deficiency is greater than the
                  Exercise Price, then

                           (A)      the number of Common Shares to be delivered
                  by the Company upon exercise of a Right shall be adjusted to
                  equal the quotient obtained by dividing the Exercise Price by
                  the per share market price of the Common Shares on the
                  Adjustment Date;

                           (B)      the New Exercise Price shall be equal to
                  the aggregate par value of the Common Shares required to be
                  delivered upon the exercise of one Right pursuant to
                  subparagraph (3)(A) above; and

                           (C)      in lieu of issuing Common Shares (in whole
                  or in part upon the exercise of the Rights) the Company may
                  issue, upon the exercise of Rights at the New Exercise Price,
                  other equity securities of the Company (including, without
                  limitation, shares, or units or fractions of shares, of
                  preferred stock, which may include Preferred Shares) that the
                  Board of Directors of the Company has determined to have
                  substantially the same value, voting rights and other rights
                  as Common Shares (such equity securities are herein called
                  "common share equivalents"). To the extent that such common
                  share equivalents (or fractions thereof) are substituted for
                  Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights following the
                  occurrence of an event under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, they
                  shall be substituted on a pro rata basis with respect to all
                  Rights (other than Rights that are beneficially owned by any
                  Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate thereof) or
                  were beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any
                  Associate or Affiliate thereof) after the Acquiring Person
                  became an acquiring Person that shall have become void
                  pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof. Such common share
                  equivalents shall not be included in Available Shares, and
                  all of the Available Shares shall be reserved, as of the
                  Adjustment Date, for issuance, on a pro rata basis, upon
                  exercise of any Right except to the extent that the number of
                  Common Shares required to be delivered under subparagraph
                  (3)(A) upon the exercise of such Right exceeds the quotient
                  of the number of Available Shares divided by the number of
                  Remaining Rights.

                           (4)      If, at the time any adjustment is required
                  pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii), the Common Shares shall
                  have no par value, then for the purposes of this Section
                  11(a)(iii), the par value of the Common Shares shall be
                  deemed to be $.01 per share.

                           (5)      If there shall not be sufficient issued but
                  outstanding or reserved or authorized but unissued and
                  unreserved Common Shares (or common share equivalents the
                  issuance of which is permitted under Section 11(a)(3)(C) to
                  permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
                  this subparagraph (iii), the Company shall use its best
                  efforts to cause the authorization of sufficient additional
                  Common Shares or common share equivalents to permit such
                  exercise and, if the Board of Directors of the Company shall
                  determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
                  additional Common Shares or common share equivalents could be
                  authorized to permit such exercise, the Company may suspend
                  the

                                      12
<PAGE>
                  exercisability of the Rights for a period not to exceed 90
                  days (and not beyond the Final Expiration Date) in order to
                  seek any authorization of additional Common Shares or common
                  share equivalents. In the event of any such suspension, the
                  Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
                  exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended,
                  as well as a public announcement at such time as the
                  suspension is no longer in effect.

         (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
designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations and restrictions 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)) on such
record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred
Shares that 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 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 a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent. 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 that would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

         (c)      In case the Company shall fix a record date for 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)), the Purchase Price to be in
effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the
Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, less the
fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company, whose

                                      13
<PAGE>
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 that would then be in
effect if such record date had not been fixed.

         (d)      For the purpose of any computation hereunder:

                  (i)      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; provided,
         however, that in the event that the current per share market price of
         the Security is determined during a period following the announcement
         by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on
         such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities
         convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or
         reclassification of such Security or securities convertible into such
         shares, or (C) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of
         such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the
         ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
         for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in
         each such case, the current per share market price shall be
         appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share
         equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be
         the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place
         on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular
         way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
         transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or
         admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security
         is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
         as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
         with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities
         exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or as
         reported on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the Security is not
         listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange or
         reported on the Nasdaq National Market, the last quoted price or, if
         not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
         over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of
         Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("Nasdaq") or
         such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is
         not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
         and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
         market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the
         Company. 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.

                                      14
<PAGE>
                  (ii)     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). 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)
         (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
         similar transaction occurring after the date hereof) multiplied by one
         thousand. 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)      Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, except as
provided in the third sentence of this Section 11(e), no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest 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 or
(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), 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 Section 11(c), inclusive,
and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

         (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), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a
result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and Section 11(c), each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
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 Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior
to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.

                                      15
<PAGE>
         (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 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, 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 that 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 that 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 on the basis of the Purchase Price in
effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall
deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing
such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of
the event requiring such adjustment.

                                      16
<PAGE>
         (m)      The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution
Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27, take (or
permit any Subsidiary to take) any action the purpose of which is to, or if at
the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that the effect of
such action is to, materially diminish or eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.

         (n)      Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or 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.

         (o)      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 by 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(o) shall be made successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.

         (p)      The exercise of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) shall only
result in the loss of rights under Section 11(a)(ii) to the extent so exercised
and shall not otherwise affect the rights represented by the Rights under this
Agreement, including the rights represented by Section 13 hereof.

         SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER OF
SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13
hereof, the Company shall (i) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such
adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment,
(ii) 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 (iii) if
such adjustment is made after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary
thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25. The
Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on
any adjustment therein contained and shall not be obligated or responsible for
calculating any adjustment, nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of any such
adjustment, unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

                                      17
<PAGE>
         SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF ASSETS OR
EARNING POWER.

         (a)      In the event that, following the Shares Acquisition Date,
directly or indirectly (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with
and into, any other Person, (y) 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 (other than, in the case of either
transaction described in (x) or (y), a merger or consolidation that would result
in all of the voting power represented by the securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into securities of the surviving
entity) all of the voting power represented by the securities of the Company or
such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation
and the holders of such securities not having changed as a result of such merger
or consolidation), or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer),
in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50%
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any other Person, (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company in one or more transactions each of which individually and the aggregate
does not violate Section 13(e)) then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right, subject to Section 11(a)(ii),
shall have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to
the then current Purchase Price multiplied by 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
freely tradeable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is
hereinafter defined), free and clear of liens, rights of call or first refusal,
encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained
by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
(without taking into account any adjustment previously made pursuant to Section
11(a)(ii)) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d)) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger,
sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and
shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the
obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term
"Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being
specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 shall apply to such
Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including,
but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9) in connection with such consummation
as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be
applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.

         (b)      "Principal Party" shall mean:

                  (i)      in the case of any transaction described in clause
         (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person
         that is the issuer of any securities into which Common Shares are
         converted in such merger or consolidation or, if there is more than
         one such issuer, the issuer the Common Shares of which have the
         greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (B) if no
         securities are so

                                      18
<PAGE>

         issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the merger, if such
         Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one such Person,
         the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate
         market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the
         other party to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that
         does survive the merger (including the Company if it survives) or
         (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and

                  (ii)     in the case of any transaction described in clause
         (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the
         party receiving the greatest 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
12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such
Person is a direct or indirect subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person the
Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall
refer to such other Person; (2) if such Person is a subsidiary, directly or
indirectly, or Affiliate 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; and (3) if such Person is owned, directly or
indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not
owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in (1)
and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having an interest
in such joint venture as if such party were a "subsidiary" of both or all of
such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain shall bear
the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as their direct
or indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such interests.

         (c)      The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient
number of its authorized Common Shares that have not been issued or reserved
for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with
this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the Company and each Principal Party
and each other Person who may become a Principal Party as a result of such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer shall have executed and delivered to
the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon
as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of
assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party at
its own expense will:

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

                  (ii)     use its best efforts to qualify or register the
         Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights
         under the blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
         appropriate;

                  (iii)    deliver to holders of the Rights historical
         financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
         Affiliates that comply in all material respects with the requirements
         for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act; and

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

                                      19
<PAGE>

         (d)      In case the Principal Party has a provision in any of its
authorized securities or in its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or other
instrument governing its affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i)
causing such Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant
to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the
consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Shares or
common share equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current
market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) or
securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or common shares
equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price,
or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provision in
connection with the issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal Party
pursuant to the provisions of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company
hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such
transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing
that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled,
waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that
the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a
consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

         (e)      After the Distribution Date, the Company covenants and agrees
that it shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into, or (iii) sell
or transfer to, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power
aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the
Company in a transaction which does not violate Section 11(m)), if (x)
at the time of or after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
charter or bylaw provisions or any rights, warrants or other instruments or
securities outstanding, agreements in effect or any other action taken which
would diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by
the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such
consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes,
or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes of Section 13(a) shall
have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or
any of its Affiliates and Associates. The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and
such other Person shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental agreement evidencing compliance with this Section 13(e).

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

         SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.

         (a)      The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights or to distribute Right Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In
lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders
of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(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 New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading or as reported on the Nasdaq National Market or, if the
Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange or reported on the Nasdaq National Market, the last quoted price or,
if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in
the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

         (b)      The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, or integral multiples of such other
fraction of a Preferred Share

                                      20
<PAGE>

for which a Right is then exercisable) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates that evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share, or of such other fraction of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then
exercisable). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, or of such other fraction of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then exercisable may, at the election of the Company,
be evidenced by depositary receipts; provided, however, that holders of such
depositary receipts shall have all of the designations and the powers,
preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions to
which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented
by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not
integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, or of such other
fraction of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, the Company
shall 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 one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant
to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i)) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of such exercise (or, if not publicly traded, in accordance
with Section 11(d)(ii)).

         (c)      Following the occurrence of one of the transactions or events
specified in Section 11 hereof giving rise to the right to receive Common
Shares, capital stock equivalents (other than Preferred Shares) or other
securities upon the exercise of a Right, the Company shall not be required to
issue fractions of Common Shares or units of such Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares, capital stock equivalents
or other securities. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities, the Company shall 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 one Common Share or unit of such Common Shares, capital stock
equivalents or other securities. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the
current market value shall be the current per share market price (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i)) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
of such exercise and, if such capital stock equivalent is not traded, each such
capital stock equivalent shall have the value of one one-thousandth of a
Preferred Share.

         (d)      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 of a Right (except as provided above).

         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
Sections 18 and 20, 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

                                      21
<PAGE>

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 under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement. Holders of Rights shall be entitled to
recover the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred
by them in any action to enforce the provisions of 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 are
transferable 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 Certificates or the associated Common Shares
certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and

         (d)      notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Rights to
the contrary, the Company, the Rights Agent and the Board of Directors of the
Company shall not have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person
as a result of the inability of the Company or the Rights Agent to perform any
of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order
promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority prohibiting or otherwise
restraining performance of such obligation; provided that nothing in this
Section 16(d) shall be deemed to eliminate or limit the liability of any member
of the Board of Directors for (i) any breach of the director's duty of loyalty
to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law or (iii) any
transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

         SECTION 17. RIGHT CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. No
holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or
any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the
exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein
or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25), or to receive dividends or

                                      22
<PAGE>
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. The Company
also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, its directors, officers, employees
and agents for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability,
or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct
on the part of the Rights Agent, its directors, officers, employees and agents
for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent, its directors, officers,
employees and agents in connection with the acceptance and administration of
this Agreement or the performance of the Rights Agent's duties hereunder,
including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in
the premises.

         (b)      The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any
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.

         (c)      The indemnity provided in this Section 18 shall survive the
expiration of the Rights, the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent and
the termination of this Agreement.

         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 shareholder services or corporate trust business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the
Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper
or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided, that
such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 21. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Right
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

                                      23
<PAGE>
         (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 only
the express duties and obligations imposed on it by this Agreement, and no
implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the
Rights Agreement. The Rights Agreement undertakes such express duties and
obligations upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the
Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof,
shall be bound:

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

         (b)      Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact
or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering
any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect
thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively
proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of
the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial
Officer, 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, bad faith or willful
misconduct.

         (d)      The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any
of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereon) 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
thereon); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii)) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount
thereof) provided for in Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of
the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except

                                      24
<PAGE>

with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after
receipt of a certificate pursuant to Section 12 describing such change or
adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

         (g)      The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President,
the Chief Financial Officer, 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. Any
application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may,
at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to
be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or
obligations under this Agreement and the date on or after which such action
shall be taken or omitted. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action
taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such application
on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than five
business days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such
application unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an
earlier date) unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action, the Rights
Agent has received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

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

         (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 the Rights Agent was not grossly
negligent in the selection and continued employment thereof.

         (j)      No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent
to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights
if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that

                                      25
<PAGE>
repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.

         (k)      If, with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the
Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of
assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has not been
executed, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with the Company.

         (l)      Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,
in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or
consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited
to lost profits).

         SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer
agent for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified
mail, and, if such notice is mailed after the Distribution Date, to the holders
of the Right Certificates 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 for the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered
or certified mail, and, if such notice is mailed after the Distribution Date,
to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights
Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting,
the 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 (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether
appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any other state of
the United States that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by
federal or state authority and that has at the time of its appointment as
Rights Agent, a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After its
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 for the Common Shares
or Preferred Shares, and, if such notice is filed after the Distribution Date,
mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of
the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the
successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

                                      26
<PAGE>
         SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHT CERTIFICATES. Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or
change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection
with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and
prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date, the
Company (a) shall with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to
the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement in
existence prior to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise, conversion or
exchange of securities, notes or debentures issued by the Company and in
existence prior to the Distribution Date, and (b) 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 (i) the Company shall not
be obligated to issue any such Right Certificates if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a
significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the
Person to whom such Right Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no 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 Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of
Directors pursuant to Section 23(b) and shall not be redeemed in any other
manner.

         (b)      The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time a Person becomes an Acquiring
Person; or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of
the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right,
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and the Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based on the "current per
share market price," as such term is defined in Section 11(d), of the Common
Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights by
the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and
subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may
establish.

         (c)      Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b), 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. The Company shall promptly give public
notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or
any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption.
Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(b) the Company shall mail a
notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights 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

                                      27
<PAGE>
Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in
Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

         (d)      The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its
obligations with respect to any redemption of the Rights by (i) issuing a press
release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights and (ii) mailing
payment of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights at
their last addresses as they appear on 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, and upon such action, all outstanding Right Certificates
shall be null and void without any further action by the Company.

         SECTION 24. EXCHANGE.

         (a)      The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at
any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of
the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights
that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof)
for Common Shares with each Right to be exchanged for such number of Common
Shares as shall equal the result obtained by dividing (x) the Exercise Price
(as defined in Section 11(a)(iii)) by (y) the current per share market price of
the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the date the Rights
first become exercisable for Common Shares pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) (such
number of shares being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). The
Exchange Ratio shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split,
stock dividend or similar transaction affecting the Commons Shares that occurs
after the date the Rights first become exercisable for Common Shares pursuant
to Section 11(a)(ii). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors
shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person
(other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares
for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates
and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of
the Common Shares then outstanding.

         (b)      Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) hereof
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 by the Exchange Ratio. The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the
validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such
exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they
appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not

                                      28
<PAGE>
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 void pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii)) held by each holder of Rights.

         (c)      If there shall not be sufficient unreserved Common Shares
issued but not outstanding or authorized and unissued to permit the exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as
such term is defined in Section 11(b), or common share equivalents, as such
term is defined in Section 11(a)(iii)(3)(C)), for Common Shares exchangeable for
Rights, at the initial rate of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (or
equivalent preferred share) or one common share equivalent for each Common
Share, as appropriately adjusted to reflect stock splits, stock dividends or
similar transactions affecting the Common Shares that occur after the date of
this Agreement.

         (d)      If there shall not be sufficient unreserved Common Shares,
Preferred Shares, equivalent preferred shares or common share equivalents,
authorized and unissued or issued but not outstanding to permit the exchange of
Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares
or Preferred Shares, equivalent preferred shares or common share equivalents
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.

         (e)      The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Common Shares or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common
Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional
Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes
of this Section 24(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) for the Trading Day immediately after the
date of the first public announcement by the Company that an exchange is to be
effected pursuant to this Section 24.

                                      29
<PAGE>

         SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.

         (a)      In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of 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 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% 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 and/or any of its wholly owned
Subsidiaries), (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, in accordance with Section 26, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purpose 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 the 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 the Preferred Shares, whichever shall
be the earlier.

         (b)      In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) shall occur,
then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of
a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26, a notice of the occurrence
of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the consequences of the
event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii).

         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:

                                      30
<PAGE>
                  Scarlet Holding Corporation
                  2320 Scientific Park Drive
                  Wilmington, North Carolina  28405
                  Attention:  President

         Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand
authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the
holder of any 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:

                  Wachovia Bank, National Association
                  1525 West W.T. Harris Boulevard, 3C3
                  Charlotte, North Carolina  28288-1153 (first class mail)
                  Charlotte, North Carolina  28262-1153 (overnight courier)
                  Attention:  Equity Services Group

         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. Prior to such time as the
Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement without
the approval of any holders of Rights. After the Rights are no longer
redeemable, the Company may from time to time supplement or amend any provision
of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in
order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein,
or to change any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such supplement or
amendment shall be made that would adversely affect the interests of the holders
of Rights, cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in
accordance with this sentence or cause the Rights to again become redeemable.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment that changes the rights, duties or liabilities of the
Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be effective without the consent of the
Rights Agent. Any such supplement or amendment shall be evidenced by a writing
signed by the Company and the Rights Agent. Upon 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.

         SECTION 28. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.
For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common
Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of
determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares or any
other securities of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer

                                      31
<PAGE>
this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to
the Board, or the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the
administration of this Agreement, including without limitation, the right and
power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board in good faith,
shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders
of the Rights, and (y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of
the Rights, except for any liability for (1) any breach of the director's duty
of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (2) acts or omissions not in good
faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or
(3) any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal
benefit.

         SECTION 29. 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 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this Agreement
shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company,
the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Rights.

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

         SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of 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 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed
to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one
and the same instrument.

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

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, parties whereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and their seals attested, all as of the day and year first above
written.

                                      32
<PAGE>
ATTEST:                                  SCARLET HOLDING CORPORATION

-----------------------------------      --------------------------------------
Albert N. Cavagnaro                      Philip S. Tabbiner
Secretary                                President and Chief Executive Officer

ATTEST:                                  WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

By:                                      By:
   --------------------------------         -----------------------------------
Title:                                   Title:

                                      33
<PAGE>
                                   EXHIBIT A

                           FORM OF RIGHT CERTIFICATE

CERTIFICATE NO. R-
     ______ RIGHTS

         NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER _____________, 2013 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
         EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER
         RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

                               RIGHT CERTIFICATE

                          SCARLET HOLDING 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 ______________, 2003, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Rights Agreement"), between SCARLET HOLDING
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after
the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and
prior to 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on ____________, 2013 at the office
of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its
successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable
share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share
(the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of [________] per
one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election
to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which
may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price
set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of [___________], based on
the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.

         From and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person,
Associate or Affiliate who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate
who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void without any further
action and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights
from and after the time any Person becomes an Acquiring Person.

                                      A-1
<PAGE>
         As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number
of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

         This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, as amended from time to time, which terms,
provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made
a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full
description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal
executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights
Agent.

         This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred 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 Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in
part for shares of the Company's common stock or Preferred Shares, par value
$.01 per share.

         No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

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

                                      A-2
<PAGE>
         WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company
and its corporate seal. Dated as of __________.

ATTEST:                                  SCARLET HOLDING CORPORATION

------------------------------------     --------------------------------------
                Secretary
---------------

COUNTERSIGNED:

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Rights Agent

By:
   ---------------------------------
   Authorized Signature

                                      A-3
<PAGE>
                   Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

            (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
                  desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED ______________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto _____________________________________________

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)

_____________________________________________________________________ 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

             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

<PAGE>
Signature Guaranteed:

         Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The undersigned hereby certifies that (1) the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not being sold, assigned or transferred by or on behalf
of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement); and (2)
after due inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from
any Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder, or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement).

                                         --------------------------------------
                                         Signature

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                      2
<PAGE>
                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

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

TO WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

         The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ________________
___________________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to
purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and
requests that certificates for such Preferred 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

             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

<PAGE>

Signature Guaranteed:

         Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate are not being beneficially owned by nor are they being exercised on
behalf of (1) an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder or an Affiliate or
Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement); and (2) after due
inquiry and to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned
did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person
who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Interested Stockholder, or an Affiliate
or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                         --------------------------------------
                                         Signature

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     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 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 defined in the Rights Agreement) and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.

                                       2

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