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Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, DC 20549 FORM 8-K Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - July 24, 1996 Minnesota Power & Light Company A Minnesota Corporation Commission File No. 1-3548 IRS Employer Identification No. 41-0418150 30 West Superior Street Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Telephone - (218) 722-2641 Item 5. Other Events. On July 24, 1996, the Board of Directors of Minnesota Power & Light Company (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of common stock, without par value (the "Common Stock"), of the Company to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 24, 1996 (the "Record Date") and authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that becomes outstanding between the Record Date and July 23, 2006 or such earlier time as the Rights are redeemed. Except as described below, each Right, when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred Stock"), at a price of $90 per one one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Plan") between the Company and the Secretary of the Company, currently Philip R. Halverson, as Rights Agent, included as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form 8-K. The description of the Rights set forth below does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Plan. Initially, the Rights will attach to all Common Stock certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with a copy of the Summary of Rights Plan and not by separate certificates until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make) a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"). Until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the Rights), the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights Plan, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. Each whole share of Preferred Stock will have a minimum preferential quarterly dividend rate equal to the greater of $51 per share or, subject to anti-dilution adjustment, 100 times the dividend declared on the Common Stock. In the event of liquidation, no distribution will be made to the holders of Common Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of the Preferred Stock have received a liquidation preference of $100 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends. Holders of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of the Company's shareholders. Each whole share of Preferred Stock is entitled to one vote. Such shares do not have cumulative voting rights. The Preferred Stock, together with the issued and outstanding shares of the other preferred stocks of the Company, will be expressly entitled, as one class, to elect a majority of directors (the Common Stock electing the minority) whenever dividends on any of the preferred stocks shall be in default in the amount of four quarterly payments and thereafter until all such dividends in default shall have been paid. In the event of any merger, consolidation, or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or converted into other securities and/or property, each whole share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, subject to anti-dilution adjustment, 100 times the amount into which or for which each share of Common Stock is so exchanged or converted. The shares of Preferred Stock are not redeemable by the Company. - 1 - The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the earliest of (i) July 23, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the redemption of the Rights by the Company as described below, and (iii) the exchange of all Rights for Common Stock as described below. In the event that any person (other than the Company, its affiliates or any person receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company) becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The Rights Plan contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company directly to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by the Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person would become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock, provided that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock. In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Plan) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will immediately become null and void. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other circumstances, in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock, or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or the Common Stock. At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in the Purchase Price. The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise. At any time after the date of the Rights Plan until the time that a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. - 2 - Issuance of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights will be subject to any necessary regulatory approvals. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. The provisions of the Rights Plan may be amended by the Company, except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights. As of July 24, 1996, there were 31,935,547 shares of Common Stock outstanding. Each share of Common Stock outstanding on and after July 24, 1996 will receive one Right. One million shares of Preferred Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise of the Rights. The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial number of Rights being acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights beneficially owned by such a person or group may become void. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors because, if the Rights would become exercisable as a result of such merger or business combination, the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits Financial Statements None Exhibits 4 - Rights Agreement dated as of July 24, 1996 between Minnesota Power & Light Company and the Corporate Secretary of Minnesota Power & Light Company, as Rights Agent - 3 - Signatures Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. Minnesota Power & Light Company ------------------------------------- (Registrant) August 2, 1996 Mark A. Schober ------------------------------------- Mark A. Schober Corporate Controller - 4 -
Exhibit 4 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RIGHTS AGREEMENT between MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY and THE CORPORATE SECRETARY OF MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY Rights Agent Dated as of July 24, 1996 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Section 1. Certain Definitions....................................... 1 Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent............................... 6 Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates............................... 7 Section 4. Form of Right Certificates................................ 10 Section 5. Countersignature and Registration......................... 11 Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.............................................. 12 Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights............................................ 14 Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates........ 18 Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock........................... 18 Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date............................... 19 Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.......................................... 20 Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.................................................... 33 Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power............................................. 33 Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares................... 37 Section 15. Rights of Action.......................................... 39 Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders................................ 40 Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder......... 41 Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent............................... 41 Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. 42 i Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.................................... 43 Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.................................... 47 Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates........................ 49 Section 23. Redemption................................................ 49 Section 24. Exchange.................................................. 51 Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.................................. 53 Section 26. Notices................................................... 55 Section 27. Supplements and Amendments................................ 55 Section 28. Successors................................................ 56 Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement................................ 56 Section 30. Severability.............................................. 56 Section 31. Governing Law............................................. 57 Section 32. Counterparts.............................................. 57 Section 33. Descriptive Headings...................................... 57 Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors...... 57 Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Resolution Fixing Terms of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate Exhibit C - Summary of Rights Plan ii RIGHTS AGREEMENT Rights Agreement (hereinafter "this Agreement"), dated as of July 24, 1996, between MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY, a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), and the Corporate Secretary of the Company (the "Rights Agent"). W I T N E S S E T H: WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the close of business on July 24, 1996, (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined). NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows: Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated: "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company, or any person or entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of (a) an acquisition of Common Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding or (b) the acquisition by such Person of newly-issued Common Stock directly from the Company (it being understood that a purchase from an underwriter or other intermediary is not directly from the Company); provided, however, that if a person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company or the receipt of newly-issued Common Stock directly from the Company and shall, after such share purchases or direct issuance by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Stock of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person"; provided further, however, that any transferee from such Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding shall nevertheless be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable (and in any event within ten business days after notification by the Company) a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, then 2 such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement. "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement. A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities: (a) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; (b) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, 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, whether written or oral (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; (B) the sole or shared right to vote or dispose (including any such right pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or 3 to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (C) "beneficial ownership" (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 (or any successor rule) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act); or (c) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (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 provision to clause (B) of subparagraph (b) of this definition) or disposing of any securities of the Company. Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder. 4 "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in Minnesota are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Duluth, Minnesota, time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Duluth, time, on the next succeeding Business Day. "Common Stock" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, without par value, of the Company. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management of such other Person. "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof. "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof. "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof. "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity. "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value, of the Company, designated "Junior Serial Preferred Stock A" and having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Resolution Fixing Terms of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A. "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof. 5 "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof. "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof. "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) promulgated under the Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such. "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person. "Triggering Event" shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof. Any determination or interpretation required in connection with any of the definitions contained in this Section 1 shall be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in their good faith judgment, which determination shall be final and binding on the Rights Agent. 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 Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. 6 Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the fifteenth 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 commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company or any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Stock aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). 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 Stock as of the 7 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 B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights Plan, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights Plan"), by first class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Stock as of the close of business on the Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of any Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with the Summary of Rights Plan, and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the Distribution Date (or the Expiration Date), the transfer of any certificate for Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights Plan, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. (c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock which are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights. Certificates representing both Common Stock and Rights in accordance with this Section 3 which are 8 executed and delivered (whether the Common Stock represented thereby are originally issued, delivered from the Company's treasury or are presented for transfer) by the Company (including, without limitation, certificates representing reacquired Common Stock referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them a legend substantially equivalent to the following: This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Minnesota Power & Light Company (the "Company") and the Secretary of the Company, dated as of July 24, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, shall become null and void. Until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Stock shall be evidenced by the certificates representing the associated Common Stock alone, and the transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Stock which are no longer outstanding. 9 Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. (a) The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Stock and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein. (b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the 10 Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the extent feasible and otherwise reasonably identifiable as such) the following legend: The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Right Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such Agreement. The provisions of Section 7(e) shall apply whether or not any Right Certificate actually contains the foregoing legend. Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be 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 11 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 Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer. Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its 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 Sections 4(b), 7(e), 14 and 24 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any 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 shares of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock, other securities or property, as the case may be) 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 12 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 accompanied by such documents as the Rights Agent may deem appropriate and the Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 4 and 7 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 make 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. 13 Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, 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 with respect to each surrendered Right for the total number of shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities or property, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on July 23, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date"), (the earliest of (i) or (ii) being herein referred to as the "Expiration Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof. (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $90, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below. (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side of the Right Certificate duly executed, accompanied by such documents as the Rights Agent may deem appropriate, payment of the Purchase Price for the shares (or other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, 14 cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent of the Preferred Stock) certificates for the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights with a depositary agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such 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 other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. (d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to 15 the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof. (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming an Acquiring Person 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, whether written or oral, regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors otherwise concludes in good faith is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights shall thereupon have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise, from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights for the inability to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. 16 (f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise shall have been completed and signed by the registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. (g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) or any Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) held in its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights. (h) Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate, if the Distribution Date or the Stock Acquisition Date shall occur prior to the Record Date, the provisions of this Agreement, including (without limitation) Sections 3 and 11(a)(ii), shall be applicable to the Rights upon their issuance to the same extent such provisions would have been applicable if the Record Date were the date of this Agreement. 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 17 surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, cause such cancelled Right Certificates to be destroyed, and in such case cause a certificate of destruction to be delivered to the Company. Section 9. Availability of Preferred Stock. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities), subject to payment of the Purchase Price, be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable pursuant to Section 7 or pursuant to the provisions contemplated by Section 11(a)(ii) hereof (a) unless and until any regulatory approvals required for the issuance and/or sale of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon such exercise have been obtained, (b) in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or (c) if the exercise thereof, or the issuance and/or sale of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock to be 18 purchased upon such exercise, shall not be permitted under the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or any applicable law or administrative or judicial regulation or order. The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) 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. Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares or securities represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the 19 date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares or securities on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein. Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11. (a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 20 11(a) and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which 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 of this Agreement, in the event any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, except as provided below and in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of 21 a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's Common Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. (iii) In lieu of issuing Common Stock of the Company in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, elect to (and, in the event that the Board of Directors has not exercised the exchange right contained in Section 24 hereof and there are not sufficient issued but not outstanding and authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall) take all such action as may be necessary to authorize, issue or pay, upon the exercise of the Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of the Purchase Price), property, other securities or any combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Stock of the Company which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii), which aggregate value shall be determined by a majority of the Board of Directors. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of the Common Stock shall be determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof and the value of any equity securities which a majority of the Board of Directors determines to be a "common stock equivalent" (including the Preferred Stock, in such ratio as the Board of Directors shall determine) shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock. 22 Any such election by the Board of Directors must be made and publicly announced within 60 days following the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred. Following the occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii), a majority of the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following the date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred to the extent that such directors have not determined whether to exercise the Company's right of election under this Section 11(a)(iii). 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. (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per share of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (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 shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or 23 the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); 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 and shall be binding on the Rights Agent. Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be 24 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 Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than under Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for the purpose of any computation under Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share market price" of a Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such security for thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current 25 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 (other than the Rights), or (B) 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 (ex-dividend) of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last 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 Dealer, Inc. Automated Quotation 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 26 Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of such Security on such date (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the shares of Preferred Stock are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Stock of the Company 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 hundred. If neither the shares of Common Stock of the Company nor the shares of Preferred Stock 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, 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 which by reason 27 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 share of Preferred Stock 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) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Stock, 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 Stock contained in this Section 11, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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 Sections 28 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a 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. (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-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest 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), 29 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 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement. (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock 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-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder. (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Stock 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 30 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 Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock 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. (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders. (n) 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 Stock payable in Common Stock or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of Common Stock, then in any such case (i) the number 31 of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and (ii) each share of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each share of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected. (o) So long as the shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise. (p) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under the blue sky laws of the various states. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to 32 exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement or in order to comply with such blue sky laws. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended. Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and may assume that no adjustment has been made unless and until it shall have received such certificate. Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. (a) If after the Stock 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 and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning 33 power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), free and clear of all liens, rights of call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable (or, if such Right is not then exercisable for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock, the number of such fractional shares for which it was exercisable immediately prior to an event described under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) 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, or otherwise, 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 and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in 34 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 shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. (b) "Principal Party" shall mean: (i) In the case of any transaction described in (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation (including the Company if applicable); and (ii) in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the first sentence in 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 described in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii): (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has 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 of another Person the Common Stock of which is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or more than one Person, the Common Stock of two or more of which are and have been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) in case 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 35 in (1) and (2) 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 sufficient number of shares of Common Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights and prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will: (i) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date; (ii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the Exchange Act; and (iii) take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate under the blue sky laws of the various states. 36 The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that one of the transactions described in this Section 13(a) shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a transaction described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a). Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there may 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, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system 37 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 a share of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock). Fractions of a share of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may 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 one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of the closing price of a 38 share of Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise. (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of a share of Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may 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 share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise. (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his 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 Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in 39 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. 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 Common Stock; (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with appropriate forms and certificates fully executed; (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Stock Certificate 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 40 (d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation. Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. 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 number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof. Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder, if other than the Secretary of the Company, and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its 41 reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements (including any taxes other than income taxes) incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of his, her or its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold him, her or it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising, directly or indirectly, therefrom. The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by him, her or it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Stock or Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof. Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the 42 execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the party of any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered; any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned, and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement. 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 the Agreement. Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound: (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel satisfactory to it (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and 43 complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability or responsibility to the Company or to any holder of any Right Certificate in respect of any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion. (b) Whenever in the performance of his, her or 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 or omitting 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, any Vice Chairman, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary (unless the Secretary is the Rights Agent) 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 only for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against, any and all losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with, the Rights Agent's gross negligence or willful misconduct. (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only. 44 (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 the Rights Agent's countersignature thereof); nor shall the Rights Agent be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall the Rights Agent be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12 describing a change or adjustment); nor shall the Rights Agent by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock 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 the Rights Agent's duties hereunder from any one of the 45 Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary (unless the Secretary is the Rights Agent) or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by the Rights Agent 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 under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date such application is given, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken 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 its Subsidiaries or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or its Subsidiaries or otherwise act as fully and freely as though the Rights Agent were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or its Subsidiaries or for any other legal entity. 46 (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in the Rights Agent or perform any duty hereunder either individually or by or through the Rights Agent's attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof. (j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, the certificate attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange without first consulting with the Company. (k) The Rights Agent shall not be under any duty or responsibility to insure compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws in connection with the issuance, transfer or exchange of Right Certificates. (l) The Rights Agent shall be under no obligation to institute any action, suit or legal proceeding or to take any other action likely to involve expense unless the Company or one or more holders of Right Certificates shall furnish the Rights Agent with security and indemnity to Rights Agent's satisfaction for any costs and expenses which may be incurred. (m) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for failure to perform any duties except as specifically set forth herein and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into 47 this Agreement against the Rights Agent whose duties and obligations are ministerial and shall be determined solely by the express provisions hereof. Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from his, her or its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and 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 of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the 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, if the Rights Agent is an individual, the Company has obtained actual knowledge of such resignation or incapacity, 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, may either be the Corporate Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, or other appropriate officer of the Company, or shall be a corporation or bank organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any other state of the United States, which 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 which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million. After 48 appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and 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. 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. Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such 49 redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. If redemption of the Rights is to be effective as of a future date, the Rights shall continue to be exercisable, subject to Section 7 hereof, until the effective date of the redemption, provided that nothing contained herein shall preclude the Board of Directors from subsequently causing the Rights to be redeemed at a date earlier than the previously scheduled effective date of the redemption. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Stock (based on the current per share market price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at the effective time of such redemption established by the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23), and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. 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 or, if later, the effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to the last sentence of paragraph (a), 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 50 the Common Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. The Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights, (ii) depositing with a bank or trust company having a capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000, funds necessary for such redemption, in trust, to be applied to the redemption of the Rights so called for redemption and (iii) arranging for the mailing of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights; then, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights Certificates shall be null and void without further action by the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23, in Section 24 hereof, or in connection with the purchase of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date. Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after a Triggering Event, 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 7(e) hereof) for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Affiliate, or 51 any entity holding Common Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights. (c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its option, may substitute Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred shares, as such term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred share) for each share of 52 Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a share of Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of each share of Common Stock shall have the same voting rights as one share of Common Stock. (d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock or Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any 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 shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. (e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24. Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall propose at any time after the Distribution Date (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly 53 cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Stock), (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, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in Common Stock or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Stock and/or Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock 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 Stock and/or Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier. 54 (b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof. Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows: Minnesota Power & Light Company 30 West Superior Street Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Attention: Corporate Secretary Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows: Minnesota Power & Light Company 30 West Superior Street Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Attention: Corporate Secretary 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 55 shown on the registry books of the Company. Notices or demands sent by mail shall be deemed given or made three business days after the date they are sent. Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to time supplement or amend 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 make any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder. Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock). Section 30. 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 56 unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Minnesota and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State. Section 32. Counterparts. 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 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. Section 34. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or the Company or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power 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, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (ii) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done 57 or made by the Board in good faith, shall (i) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all other parties, and (ii) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Right Certificates. 58 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written. Attest: MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY By: Lorie Skudstad By: Edwin L. Russell ----------------------- ----------------------------------- Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer [RIGHTS AGENT] Corporate Secretary Witness: MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY By: Kristie Lindstrom By: Philip R. Halverson ----------------------- ----------------------------------- Philip R. Halverson 59 Exhibit A FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF RESOLUTION FIXING TERMS OF JUNIOR SERIAL PREFERRED STOCK A of MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY We, Edwin L. Russell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Philip R. Halverson, Corporate Secretary of Minnesota Power & Light Company, a corporation organized and existing under the Minnesota Business Corporation Act (the "Company"), in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 302A thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY: That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, the Board of Directors on July 24, 1996 adopted the following resolution creating a series of 1,000,000 shares of Serial Preferred Stock A designated as Junior Serial Preferred Stock A: RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation, a series of Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value, of the Company, consisting of 1,000,000 shares is hereby created, and the voting rights, preferences and relative rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, are as follows: Section 1. Designation and Amount. There shall be a series of Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value, of the Company which shall be designated as "Junior Serial Preferred Stock A," (hereinafter called "Junior Serial Preferred Stock A"), and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the Minnesota Business Corporation Act stating that such increase or reduction has been so authorized; provided, however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A to a number less than that of the shares then outstanding plus the number of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Company. Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) The holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash to holders of record on the first business day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $51 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock (hereinafter defined) or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, without par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A. In the event the Company shall at any time following July 24, 1996 (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A as provided in paragraph (A) above at the time it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock). (C) No dividend or distribution (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock) shall be paid or payable to the holders of shares of Common Stock unless, at the same time as such payment is made with respect to the Common Stock or prior thereto, all accrued but unpaid dividends to the date of such dividend or distribution shall have been paid to the holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A. (D) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. 2 Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall have the voting rights provided for in the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company. Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not: (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A; (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, except dividends paid ratably on the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, provided that the Company may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A; or (iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes. (B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner. 3 Section 5. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A unless, prior thereto, the holders of whole shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall have received $100.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the "Junior Serial A Liquidation Preference"). (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Junior Serial A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. Section 6. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or converted into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or converted in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In the event the Company shall at any time (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or conversion of shares of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. Section 7. Redemption. The shares of a Junior Serial Preferred Stock A shall not be redeemable by the Company. The preceding sentence shall not limit the ability of the Company to purchase or otherwise deal in such shares of stock to the extent permitted by law. Section 8. Fractional Shares. Junior Serial Preferred Stock A may be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A. 4 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Minnesota Power & Light Company has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and this Certificate to be signed by Edwin L. Russell, its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and the same to be attested by Philip R. Halverson, its Corporate Secretary, this 24th day of July, 1996. MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY By: ---------------------------------------------- Edwin L. Russell Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (SEAL) Attest: By: ----------------------- Philip R. Halverson Corporate Secretary 8 Exhibit B [Form of Right Certificate] Certificate No. R- __________ Rights NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 23, 2006 OR EARLIER IF THE RIGHTS EXPIRE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES OR ARE REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]1 Right Certificate Minnesota Power & Light Company 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 July 24, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Minnesota Power & Light Company, a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), and the Corporate Secretary of the Company (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m. (Duluth time) on July 23, 2006, or notice of redemption or exchange at the office of the Rights Agent (or its successors as Rights Agent) designated for such purpose, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company at a purchase price of $90 per one one-hundredth of a share (the "Purchase Price") upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the appropriate Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth - ----------------------------- 1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence. above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July 24, 1996, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. Capitalized terms not defined in this Right Certificate that are defined in the Rights Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Rights Agreement. Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event, 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) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of any such Triggering Event. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities, 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, 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, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under certain circumstances specified in such Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent. This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person. 2 No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may at the election of the Company be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (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. WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of ________________ ___, 1996 ATTEST: (SEAL) MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY By: - -------------------------------------- -------------------------- Name: Name: Title: Title: Countersigned: - -------------------------------------- By: --------------------------------- Authorized Signature 3 FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Right Certificate.) To: MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of: Please insert social security or other identifying number: ------------------------------------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Please print name and address) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance 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: _______________, 19___ ----------------------------------------- Signature Signature Guaranteed: CERTIFICATE The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that: (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate [ ] are [ ] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person. Dated: _______________, 19___ ----------------------------------------- Signature NOTICE The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. NOTICE The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. 2 [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. Date: _______________, 19___ ------------------------------------- Signature Signature Guaranteed: CERTIFICATE The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that: (1) this Right Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement) (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person. Dated: ______________ , 19__ --------------------------------------- Signature Exhibit C UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE SUMMARY OF RIGHTS PLAN On July 24, 1996, the Board of Directors of Minnesota Power & Light Company (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding share of common stock, without par value (the "Common Stock"), of the Company to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 24, 1996 (the "Record Date") and authorized the issuance of one Right with respect to each share of Common Stock that becomes outstanding between the Record Date and July 23, 2006 or such earlier time as the Rights are redeemed. Except as described below, each Right, when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Junior Serial Preferred Stock A, without par value (the "Preferred Stock"), at a price of $90.00 per one one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Plan (the "Rights Plan") between the Company and the Secretary of the Company, currently Philip R. Halverson, as Rights Agent. Initially, the Rights will attach to all Common Stock certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with this copy of the Summary of Rights Plan and not by separate certificates until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make) a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group would be the beneficial owner of 15% or more of such outstanding shares of Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"). Until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the Rights), the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock, with or without a copy of this Summary of Rights Plan, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire at the earliest of (i) July 23, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the redemption of the Rights by the Company as described below, and (iii) the exchange of all Rights for Common Stock as described below. In the event that any person (other than the Company, its affiliates or any person receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company) becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. The Rights Plan contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company directly to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by the Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person would become the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Common Stock, provided that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock. In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Plan) were, beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person will immediately become null and void. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other circumstances, in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock, or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or the Common Stock. At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, 2 which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in the Purchase Price. The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise. At any time after the date of the Rights Plan until the time that a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. Issuance of Preferred Stock or Common Stock upon exercise of the Rights will be subject to any necessary regulatory approvals. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. The provisions of the Rights Plan may be amended by the Company, except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights. As of July 24, 1996, there were 31,935,547 shares of Minnesota Power Common Stock outstanding. Each share of Common Stock outstanding on and after July 24, 1996 will receive one Right. One million shares of Preferred Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise of the Rights. The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial number of Rights being acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights beneficially owned by such a person or group may become void. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors because, if the Rights would become exercisable as a result of such merger or business combination, the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. A copy of the Rights Plan is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Plan. 3