-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, UjgZevn+uG4dpmORTZ9VmhxuPZrganA+qxqGgbtYiiORKLeQ0FHtm3MkXayDIt4A ykdhl5b0Arq9hK+zwuv7Dw== 0000354964-96-000024.txt : 19960712 0000354964-96-000024.hdr.sgml : 19960712 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000354964-96-000024 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 19960709 ITEM INFORMATION: Other events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial statements and exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 19960711 SROS: CSX SROS: NYSE FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000354964 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: PERSONAL CREDIT INSTITUTIONS [6141] IRS NUMBER: 363121988 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-08198 FILM NUMBER: 96593588 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2700 SANDERS RD CITY: PROSPECT HEIGHTS STATE: IL ZIP: 60070 BUSINESS PHONE: 8475645000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2700 SANDERS ROAD CITY: PROSPECT HEIGHTS STATE: IL ZIP: 60070 8-K 1 1 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 9, 1996 ------------ HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. ----------------------------- (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) DELAWARE -------- (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) 1-8198 36-3121988 ---------------------- ------------------- Commission File Number (IRS Employer Identification No.) 2700 SANDERS ROAD PROSPECT HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS 60070 - -------------------------- ---------- (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (708) 564-5000 ----------------------------- Registrant's Telephone Number 2 Item 5. Other Events. On July 9, 1996, the Board of Directors of Household International, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on July 29, 1996 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $300.00 per one thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired ben- eficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evi- denced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share cer- tificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto. The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Dis- tribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on July 31, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). 3 The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date. Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one thousandth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise. At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights, in whole but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. 4 The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed as an Exhibit hereto. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits (a) Financial statements of businesses acquired. Not applicable. (b) Pro forma financial information. Not applicable. (c)Exhibits. No. Exhibit ----- ------- 99.1. Rights Agreement, dated as of July 9, 1996, between Household International, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank. 99.2. Press Release, dated July 9, 1996. 5 SIGNATURE --------- Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 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. HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. ----------------------------- By: /s/ Paul R. Shay -------------------------- Name: Paul R. Shay Title: Secretary Dated: July 9, 1996 ------------ 6 EXHIBIT LIST ------------ Page No. 99.1 Rights Agreement, dated as of July 9, 1996, between Household International, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank. 99.2 Press Release, dated July 9, 1996. EX-99 2 1 Exhibit 99.1 - ------------------------------------------------------------ HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. and HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of July 9, 1996 ____________________________________________________________ 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Section 1. Certain Definitions 1 Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent 8 Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates 8 Section 4. Form of Right Certificates 12 Section 5. Countersignature and Registration 13 Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates 14 Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights 15 Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates 18 Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares 18 Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date 20 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 35 Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power 35 Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares 38 Section 15. Rights of Action 40 Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders 41 Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder 42 Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent 43 Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent 44 Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent 45 Section 21. Change of Rights Agent 49 Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates 51 Section 23. Redemption 52 Section 24. Exchange 53 Section 25. Notice of Certain Events 56 Section 26. Notices 58 Section 27. Supplements and Amendments 59 Section 28. Successors 60 Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement 60 Section 30. Severability 60 Section 31. Governing Law 61 3 Section 32. Counterparts 61 Section 33. Descriptive Headings 62 Signatures 62 Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Designations Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate Exhibit C - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares 4 Agreement, dated as of July 9, 1996, between Household International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois banking corporation (the "Rights Agent"). The Board of Directors of the Company has autho- rized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share of the Company out- standing on July 29, 1996 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one thousandth of a Pre- ferred Share, 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 Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the ear- liest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date. Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows: Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indi- cated: (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any em- ployee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the forego- ing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the re- sult of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares Beneficially Owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share pur- chases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company de- termines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvert- ently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement. (b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement. (c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement. (d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to "Beneficially Own" any secu- rities: (i) which such Person or any of such Person's Af- filiates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Af- filiates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, 5 arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offer- ing 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 Benefi- cial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, securities ten- dered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Af- filiates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or under- standing; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or under- standing to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in re- sponse 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 un- der the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or in- directly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than cus- tomary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company. Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Ben- eficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstand- ing," when used with reference to a Person's Beneficial Own- ership 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 out- standing which such Person would be deemed to Beneficially Own hereunder. (e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in Illinois are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. (f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago, Illinois time, on such date; pro- vided, however, that, if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago, Illinois time, on the next succeeding Business Day. (g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person. (h) "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof. (i) "current per share market price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof. (j) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof. (k) "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof. 6 (l) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Ex- change Act of 1934, as amended. (m) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof. (n) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof. (o) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System. (p) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, cor- poration or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity. (q) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A. (r) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof. (s) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof. (t) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof. (u) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof. (v) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof. (w) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof. (x) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof. (y) "Security" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof. (z) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such. (aa) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person. (ab) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof. (ac) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)(i) hereof. Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Com- pany hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Un- til the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acqui- sition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an 7 Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Com- pany, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Sub- sidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares 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 Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursu- ant 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 Shares ag- gregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the ear- lier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribu- tion Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certifi- cates) and not by separate Right Certificates, and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares out- standing 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 a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribu- tion Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certifi- cate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. (c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expira- tion Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend: This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agree- ment between Household International, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, dated as of July 9, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby in- corporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Household International, Inc. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evi- denced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Household International, Inc. will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of 8 a written request therefor by first-class post. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agree- ment, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquir- ing Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may be- come null and void. With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights as- sociated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstand- ing. Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as 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 regula- tion made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to us- age. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to pur- chase such number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein, but the number of such one thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein. Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, its Chief Finan- cial Officer or its Treasurer, either manually or by fac- simile 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 Com- pany before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Right Certificates, never- theless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such Person was not such an officer. Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates is- sued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and ad- dresses 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 Certifi- cates. Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Sec- tion 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on 9 the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Busi- ness on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expi- ration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be trans- ferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one thousandths of a Pre- ferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any reg- istered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certifi- cates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person en- titled 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. 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 re- quest, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon sur- render to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Cer- tificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Cer- tificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in part, at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on July 31, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof. (b) The Purchase Price (the "Purchase Price") for each one thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $300.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 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 represent- ing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, 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 Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent de- positary receipts representing such number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case 10 certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent of the Pre- ferred Shares with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such re- quest; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of frac- tional 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 Cer- tificate. (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 the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certifi- cate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provi- sions of Section 14 hereof. Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or ex- change shall, if 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 de- liver 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 other- wise 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, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and, in such case, shall de- liver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company. Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be re- served and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its trea- sury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to en- sure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares. 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 Shares 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 Pre- ferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due. Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred 11 Shares 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 date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have be- come the record holder of such shares on, and such certifi- cate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares 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 Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distribu- tions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Com- pany, except as provided herein. Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the num- ber of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11. (a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) sub- divide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the out- standing Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a re- classification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corpora- tion), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivi- sion, 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 Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exer- cise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, how- ever, 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. (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Pur- chase Price multiplied by the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occur- rence of such event. In the event that any Person shall be- come an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be out- standing, the Company shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Ac- quiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall 12 be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights Ben- eficially Owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Per- son whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sen- tence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled. (iii) In the event that there shall not be suf- ficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or autho- rized but unissued 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 additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof. (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all hold- ers of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convert- ible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Pre- ferred Shares on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by mul- tiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the ag- gregate initial conversion price of the convertible securi- ties so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent pre- ferred 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 con- sideration 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 and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstand- ing 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. 13 (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Pre- ferred Shares (including any such distribution made in con- nection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or sub- scription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and holders of the Rights) of the portion of the assets or evi- dences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such sub- scription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, how- ever, 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 Pur- chase 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 here- under, 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 clos- ing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date; provided, how- ever, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security 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 re- classification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Secu- rity. 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 re- spect to securities listed on the principal national securi- ties 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 NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organiza- tion, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as fur- nished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the princi- pal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. 14 (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not pub- licly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the cur- rent per share market price of the Common Shares as deter- mined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transac- tion occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a state- ment filed with the Rights Agent. (e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, how- ever, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the near- est cent or to the nearest one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Sec- tion 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) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price here- under shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein. (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 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evi- dence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share (calcu- lated to the nearest one millionth of a Preferred Share) ob- tained by (A) multiplying (x) the number of one thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this ad- justment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) divid- ing 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 thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable upon the ex- ercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the 15 number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calcu- lated 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 im- mediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Com- pany shall make a public announcement of its election to ad- just the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the ad- justment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be dis- tributed 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 Cer- tificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjust- ment, 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 an- nouncement. (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one thousandths of a Pre- ferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may con- tinue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder. (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares issu- able upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price. (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made ef- fective as of a record date for a specified event, the Com- pany may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such ex- ercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares 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 ad- justments 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 subdivi- sion of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, issu- ance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Pre- ferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Pre- ferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants re- ferred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the 16 Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be tax- able to such stockholders. (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 Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclas- sification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Com- mon Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper ex- ercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding im- mediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding im- mediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected. Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as pro- vided 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 adjust- ment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has become an Ac- quiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Com- pany and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsid- iaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as other- wise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to re- ceive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one thou- sandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exer- cisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pur- suant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such 17 issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provi- sions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares thereaf- ter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the con- summation of such transaction, would eliminate or substan- tially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. 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 shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with re- spect to securities listed on the principal national securi- ties exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trad- ing 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 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 se- lected 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 deter- mined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than frac- tions which are integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share 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 Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in 18 cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursu- ant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exer- cise. (c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (ex- cept as provided above). Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of ac- tion 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 Cer- tificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the regis- tered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribu- tion Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifi- cally 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 obliga- tions under, and injunctive relief against actual or threat- ened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement. Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that: (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares; (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Cer- tificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper in- strument of transfer; and (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any nota- tions of ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes what- soever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be con- strued to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stock- holders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to re- ceive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until 19 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 Com- pany agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensa- tion for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable ex- penses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Com- pany also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense in- curred 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 admin- istration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or cer- tificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowl- edged, 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 corpora- tion succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust pow- ers of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a suc- cessor 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 Certifi- cates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement. Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound: 20 (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal coun- sel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opin- ion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opin- ion. (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties un- der this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action here- under, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such cer- tificate 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 certifi- cate. (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only. (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any re- sponsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersigna- ture thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be re- sponsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) pro- vided 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 actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certifi- cate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassess- able. (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, ex- ecute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, ex- ecuted, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be re- quired 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 di- rected to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such of- ficer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those in- structions. 21 (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, direc- tor, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof. Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be dis- charged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30-days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certifi- cates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30-days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates 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 Com- pany shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether ap- pointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corpo- ration organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of Illinois (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of Illinois, in good standing, having an office in the State of Illinois, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is sub- ject to supervision or examination by federal or state au- thority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsi- bilities 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 neces- sary 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 trans- fer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, 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 22 kind or class of shares or other securities or property pur- chasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Direc- tors 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 transac- tion occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Com- pany, in its sole discretion, may establish. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. 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 of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, 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 regis- try books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Af- filiates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date. Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Per- son becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not in- clude Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar trans- action occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Not- withstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Benefi- cial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstand- ing. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied 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 23 they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights. (c) In the event that there shall not be suf- ficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or autho- rized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as con- templated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof. (d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the regis- tered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current mar- ket value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as deter- mined 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 (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Pre- ferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclas- sification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclas- sification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Pre- ferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsid- iaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares pay- able in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 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, liq- uidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Pre- ferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of 24 any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participa- tion therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Pre- ferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier. (b) In case the event 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 Cer- tificate, 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 autho- rized 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 fol- lows: Harris Trust and Savings Bank Shareholder Services P.O. Box 755 Chicago, Illinois 60690 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 fol- lows: Household International, Inc. 2700 Sanders Road Prospect Heights, Illinois 60070 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 shown on the registry books of the Company. Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Com- pany 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 incon- sistent 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 ad- versely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. With- out limiting the foregoing, the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be Beneficially Owned by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Sub- sidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) and (ii) 10%. Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and pro- visions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Com- pany or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder. 25 Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person, other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distri- bution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Cer- tificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares). Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provi- sions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be af- fected, 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 Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in ac- cordance 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 coun- terparts 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 in- serted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. 26 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: HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. By /s/ Patrick D. Schwartz By /s/ Paul R. Shay Name: Partick D. Schwartz Name: Paul R. Shay Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Corporate Secretary Attest: HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK By /s/ K. W. Penn By R. C. Carlson Name: K. W. Penn Name: R. C. Carlson Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Vice President 27 Exhibit A --------- FORM of CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS of SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK of HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. (Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation Law) --------------------------------- Household International, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on July 9, 1996: RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, without par value (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows: FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the consent of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the matters set forth in sub-sections (i) and (iii) of paragraph (5) of Article IV of the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation ("Paragraph 5") shall not be required; but the other provisions of Paragraph (5) shall be applicable to the Series A Preferred Stock. The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall have no right to elect directors pursuant to paragraph (6) of Article IV of the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, such right hereby being expressly withheld: Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock: Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 150,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock. Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking priorand superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the fifteenth day January, April, July and October 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 Series A 28 Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the greater of (a) $1 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares outstanding immediately prior to such event. (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights: (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number 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. 29 (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation. (C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action. (D) The consent of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the matters set forth in sub-sections (i) and (iii) of paragraph (5) of Article IV of the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation ("Paragraph 5") shall not be required; but the other provisions of Paragraph (5) shall be applicable to the Series A Preferred Stock. The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall have no right to elect directors pursuant to paragraph (6) of Article IV of the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, such right hereby being expressly withheld. Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not: (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; (ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes. (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner. Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the 30 conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law. Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence 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. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock 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 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable. Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock. Section 10. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class. 31 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer and attested by its Secretary this 9th day of July, 1996. - ------------------------------------ Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer Attest: - --------------------------- Secretary 32 Exhibit B --------- Form of Right Certificate Certificate No. R- Rights NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER JULY 31, 2006 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. Right Certificate HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. This certifies that ----------, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 9, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Household International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Harris Trust and Savings Bank (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., Chicago, Illinois time, on July 31, 2006 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $300.00 per one thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of July 29, 1996, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events. This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the offices of the Rights Agent. This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal 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 Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $.01 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for Preferred Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. 33 No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement. This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent. WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _________, _____. ATTEST: HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. By - -------------------- --------------------------- Name: Name: Title: Title: Countersigned: HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK By --------------------------- Name: Title: 34 Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate FORM OF ASSIGNMENT ------------------ (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.) FOR VALUE RECEIVED ____________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ___________________________________ - -------------------------------------------------------------- (Please print name and address of transferee) this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution. Dated: , ---------- ------ ------------------- Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the Na- tional Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a com- mercial bank or trust company having an office or correspon- dent in the United States. - ------------------------------------------------------------ The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). ------------------- Signature - ------------------------------------------------------------ 35 Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE ---------------------------- (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Right Certificate.) To: HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC. The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ___________________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of: Please insert social security or other identifying number - --------------------------------------------------------------- (Please print name and address) - --------------------------------------------------------------- If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: Please insert social security or other identifying number - --------------------------------------------------------------- (Please print name and address) - --------------------------------------------------------------- Dated: , ----------- ------ -------------------- Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States. 36 Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued - ------------------------------------------------------------- The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). -------------------- Signature - ------------------------------------------------------------- NOTICE ------ The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored. 37 Exhibit C --------- SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED SHARES On July 9, 1996, the Board of Directors of Household International, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on July 29, 1996 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, without par value (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $300.00 per one thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto. The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on July 31, 2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares r other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date. 38 Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will not be redeemable. Each Preferred Share will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one thousandth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise. At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights, in whole but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, including an amendment to lower certain thresholds described above to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 10%, except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. 39 A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. EX-99 3 1 Exhibit 99.2 ------------ For Release: Immediately Contact: Craig A. Streem Vice President - Investor Relations (847) 564-6053 Celeste M. Murphy Director - Investor Relations (847) 564-7568 Household International Increases Dividend on Common Stock By 15%; Marks 44th Consecutive Year of Increased Payout Company Adopts Shareholder Rights Plan Prospect Heights, IL, July 9, 1996 -- Household International, Inc. (NYSE: HI) said today its board of directors has increased the annual dividend on Household common stock by 15 percent to $1.56 from $1.36 per share. The new quarterly cash dividend of $0.39 per share will be paid October 15, 1996, to shareholders of record on September 30, 1996. The October dividend will mark the 44th consecutive year in which the company has increased its cash dividends paid to Household's common shareholders. The board also declared for the same dates the following regular quarterly cash dividends: $2.375 per share, equal to $0.2375 per depositary share, on the 9 1/2 percent cumulative preferred stock, Series 1991-A (a depositary share represents ownership of one-tenth of a full share of the Series 1991-A); $20.625 per share, equal to $0.515625 per depositary share, on the 8 1/4 percent cumulative preferred stock, Series 1992-A (a depositary share represents ownership of one-fortieth of a full share of the Series 1992-A); and $18.375 per share, equal to $0.459375 per depositary share, on the 7.35 percent cumulative preferred stock, Series 1993-A (a depositary share represents ownership of one-fortieth of a full share of the Series 1993-A). The board of directors also adopted today a shareholder rights plan by declaring a dividend distribution of one Preferred Share Purchase Right on each outstanding share of the company's common stock. The Rights will be exercisable if a person or group acquires 15 percent or more of Household's common stock. The dividend distribution will be made on July 29, 1996 to stockholders of record on that date. The board believes implementing a rights plan is the best available means of protecting shareholders' rights and is a common exercise of good corporate governance. The board is not presently aware of any unusual accumulation of Household's shares. A detailed description of the Rights will be sent to shareholders. Household International, through its subsidiaries, is a major provider of consumer financial services in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Its primary businesses include HFC, the nation's oldest consumer finance company, and Household Bank, one of the largest issuers of private label and general purpose credit cards in the United States. # # # -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----