BRIGGS &STRATTON CORPORATION and NATIONAL CITY BANK Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of August7, 1996 (as amendedthrough August 9, 2006)

Exhibit 10.6

BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION

and

NATIONAL CITY BANK

Rights Agent

Rights Agreement

Dated as of August 7, 1996

(as amended through August 9, 2006)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

i

Exhibit A — Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit B — Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares

ii

RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Agreement, dated as of August 7, 1996, as amended through August 9, 2006, between Briggs & Stratton Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”), and National City Bank (the “Rights Agent”).

The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a “Right”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on August 19, 1996 (the “Record Date”) payable on such date, each Right representing the right to purchase one-half of one Common 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 earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

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

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

(a)    “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any trustee, administrator or fiduciary of such a plan.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Person who or which, at the close of business on August 7, 1996, shall have been the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding shall be deemed an “Acquiring Person”; provided, however, that, if a Person is, at the close of business on the date hereof, the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding and shall thereafter become the Beneficial Owner of additional Common Shares of the Company at any time that the Person is or thereby becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding (other than Common Shares acquired solely as a result of corporate action of the Company not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person”; and (ii) no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as a result 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 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person would, but for the provisions of this clause (ii), become an Acquiring Person by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the

Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Company at any time that the Person is or thereby becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding (other than Common Shares acquired solely as a result of corporate action of the Company not caused, directly or indirectly, by such Person), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person”.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person”, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, 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” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

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

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

(ii)    which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or

(iii)   which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates

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has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of, or with respect to, acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.

Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

(d)    “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which the New York Stock Exchange or banking institutions in Wisconsin are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

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

(f)     “Common Shares” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 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.

(g)    “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

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

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

(j)     “Qualified Offer” shall mean an offer that has, to the extent required for the type of offer specified, each of the following characteristics:

(i)     a fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering at least 70 percent cash and Common Shares of the offeror (with the amount of such Common Shares to be adjusted to reflect any decrease in the value of such shares prior to the consummation of the offer), in each such case for any and all of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company;

(ii)    an offer that has commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act;

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(iii)   an offer whose per-share offer price (A) is greater than the highest reported market price for the Common Shares of the Company during the 24-month period immediately preceding the date on which the offer is commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act and (B) represents a reasonable premium above the average of the closing prices (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) for the five trading days immediately preceding the date on which the offer is commenced, with, in the case of an offer that includes shares of Common Shares of the offeror, such per-share offer price being determined using the lower of (1) the lowest reported market price for Common Shares of the offeror during the five trading days immediately preceding and the five trading days immediately following the commencement of such offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act and (2) the average of the last sale prices (regular way) of such shares reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to such shares for the five trading days immediately preceding the date of any determination;

(iv)   an offer that (A) is accompanied by a written opinion, in customary form, of a nationally recognized investment banking firm that is addressed to the Company and the holders of Common Shares of the Company other than such Person and states that the price to be paid to such holders pursuant to the offer is fair from a financial point of view to such holders and includes any written presentation of such firm showing the analysis and range of values underlying such conclusions, which written opinion and any such presentation are updated and provided to the Company within two Business Days prior to the date such offer is consummated, and (B) within 20 Business Days after the commencement date of the offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act (or within 10 Business Days after any increase in the offer consideration), does not result in a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board of Directors of the Company rendering an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares is either unfair or inadequate;

(v)    if the offer includes Common Shares of the offeror, an offer pursuant to which (A) the offeror shall permit a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board of Directors of the Company and legal counsel designated by the Company to have access to such offeror’s books, records, management, accountants and other appropriate outside advisers for the purposes of permitting such investment banking firm and such legal counsel to conduct a due diligence review of the offeror in order to permit such investment banking firm (relying as appropriate on the advice of such legal counsel) to be able to render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company with respect to whether the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company is fair or adequate, and (B) within 10 Business Days after such investment banking firm shall have notified the Company and the offeror that it had completed the due diligence review to its satisfaction (or following completion of such due diligence review within 10 Business Days after any increase in the consideration being offered), such investment banking firm does

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not render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company is either unfair or inadequate and such investment banking firm does not after the expiration of such 10 Business Day period render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company has become either unfair or inadequate based on a subsequent disclosure or discovery of a development or developments that have had or are reasonably likely to have a material adverse affect on the value of the Common Shares of the offeror;

(vi)   an offer that is subject only to the minimum tender condition described below in item (ix) of this definition and other usual and customary terms and conditions, which conditions shall not include any financing, funding or similar condition or any requirements with respect to the offeror or its agents being permitted any due diligence with respect to the books, records, management, accountants and other outside advisers of the Company;

(vii)  an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that the offer will remain open for at least 60 Business Days and, if a Special Meeting is duly requested in accordance with Section 23(c), for at least 10 Business Days after the date of the Special Meeting or, if no Special Meeting is held within 90 Business Days following receipt of the Special Meeting Notice in accordance with Section 23(c), for at least 10 Business Days following such 90 Business Day period; provided, however, that such offer need not remain open, as a result of this Section 1(j), beyond (A) the time until which any other offer satisfying the criteria for a Qualified Offer is then required to be kept open under this Section 1(j), or (B) the scheduled expiration date, as such date may be extended by public announcement on or prior to the then scheduled expiration date, of any other tender or exchange offer for Common Shares of the Company with respect to which the Board of Directors has agreed to redeem the Rights immediately prior to acceptance for payment of Common Shares thereunder (unless such other offer is terminated prior to its expiration without any Common Shares having been purchased thereunder);

(viii) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror that, in addition to the minimum time periods specified in item (vii) of this definition, the offer, it if is otherwise to expire prior thereto, will be extended for at least 20 Business Days after any increase in the price offered, and after any bona fide alternative offer is commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act;

(ix)    an offer that is conditioned on a minimum of at least 90% of the outstanding Common Shares (other than Common Shares held by the offeror or its Affiliates and Associates) being tendered and not withdrawn as of the offer’s expiration date, which condition shall not be waivable;

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(x)     an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to consummate as promptly as practicable upon successful completion of the offer a second step transaction whereby all Common Shares not tendered into the offer will be acquired at the same amount and form of consideration per share actually paid pursuant to the offer, subject to shareholders’ statutory appraisal rights, if any;

(xi)    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that no amendments will be made to the offer to reduce the offer consideration (other than a reduction to reflect any dividend declared by the Company, other than a regular quarterly dividend, after the commencement of such offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act or any material change in the capital structure of the Company initiated by the Company after the commencement of such offer, whether by way of reclassification, recapitalization, reorganization, repurchase or otherwise), change the form of consideration offered, reduce the number of shares being sought, or otherwise change the terms of the offer in a way that is adverse to a tendering shareholder;

(xii)   if the offer includes Common Shares of the offeror, (A) the offeror is a publicly owned United States corporation, and its Common Shares are freely tradable and are listed or admitted to trading on either the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (B) no shareholder approval of the offeror is required to issue such Common Shares, or, if required, such approval has already been obtained, (C) no Person (including such Person’s Affiliates and Associates) beneficially owns more than 20% of the voting stock of the offeror at the time of commencement of the offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act or at any time during the term of the offer, and (D) no other class of voting stock of the offeror is outstanding, and the offeror meets the registrant eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 for registering securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including, without limitation, the filing of all required Exchange Act reports in a timely manner during the 12 calendar months prior to the date of commencement of the offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act;

(xiii)  an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that the offeror will pay (or share with any other offeror) at least one-half of the Company’s costs of a Special Meeting requested in accordance with Section 23(c) with respect to such offer; and

(xiv) an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that, if the offer is not consummated, neither the offeror nor any of its Affiliates or Associates will make any offer for or purchase any equity securities of the Company for a period of one year after the commencement within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act of the original offer if such original offer does not result in the tender of at least 85% of the outstanding Common Shares not owned by such

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offeror (including its Affiliates and Associates), unless another tender offer by another party for all outstanding Common Shares of the Company is commenced that (A) constitutes a Qualified Offer (in which event, any new offer by such offeror or of any of its Affiliates or Associates must be at a price no less than that provided for in such original offer) or (B) is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (in which event, any new offer by such offeror or of any of its Affiliates or Associates must be at a price no less than that provided for in such approved offer).

For the purposes of the definition of Qualified Offer, “fully financed” shall mean that the offeror has sufficient funds for the offer which shall be evidenced by (A) definitive financing agreements executed between the offeror and responsible financial institutions having the necessary financial capacity to provide funds for such offer subject only to customary terms and conditions (which shall in no event include conditions requiring access by such financial institutions to non-public information to be provided by the Company, conditions based on the accuracy of any information concerning the Company, or conditions requiring the Company to make any representations, warranties or covenants in connection with such financing), (B) cash or cash equivalents then available to the offeror, set apart and maintained solely for the purpose of funding the offer with an irrevocable written commitment being provided by the offeror to the Company to maintain such availability until the offer is consummated or withdrawn, or (C) a combination of the foregoing; which evidence (including certified copies of any such definitive financing agreements (including exhibits and related documents) and copies of all written materials prepared by the offeror for such financial institutions in connection with entering into such financing agreements) has been provided to the Company prior to, or upon, commencement of the offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act; provided that “sufficient funds for the offer” shall be an amount sufficient to pay for all Common Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis the cash portion of the consideration pursuant to the offer and the second-step transaction required by clause (x) above and all related expenses. If an offer becomes a Qualified Offer in accordance with this definition but subsequently ceases to be a Qualified Offer as a result of the failure at a later date to continue to satisfy any of the requirements of this definition, such offer shall cease to be a Qualified Offer and the provisions of Section 23(c) shall no longer be applicable to such offer, provided the actual redemption of the Rights pursuant to Section 23(c) shall not have already occurred.

(k)    “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

(l)     “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.

(m)   “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.

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Section 2.      Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares of the Company) 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)    Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Company’s Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or any trustee, administrator or fiduciary of such a 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, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any trustee, administrator or fiduciary of such a plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares of the Company aggregating 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(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 Certificates) 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 A hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

(b)    On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit B 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 outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

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

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Briggs & Stratton Corporation and National City Bank, dated as of August 7, 1996, and as such agreement may be amended (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Briggs & Stratton Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Briggs & Stratton Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As described in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) shall become null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.

Section 4.      Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Common Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Common Shares as shall be set forth therein at the price per Common Share set forth therein (the “Purchase Price”), but the amount and type of securities purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

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Section 5.      Countersignature and Registration.

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

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

Section 6.      Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.

(a)    Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration 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 transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Common Shares as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment 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.

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(b)    Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

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

(a)    The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each Common Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of business on October 18, 2009 (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 for each Common Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $160, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof (including an adjustment of such price to $80 as a result of the two-for-one stock split of the Common Shares effected as a 100% stock dividend effective October 29, 2004) and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

(c)    Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase 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, as set forth below, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) requisition from any transfer agent of the Common Shares certificates for the number of Common Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) shall be made in cash or by certified check, cashier’s check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company, except that, if so provided by the Board of Directors of the Company, the payment of the Purchase Price following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as hereinafter defined) and until

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the first occurrence of an event described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) of Section 13 may be made wholly or in part by delivery of a certificate or certificates (with appropriate stock powers executed in blank attached thereto) evidencing a number of Common Shares of the Company equal to the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per Common Share on the Trading Day (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately preceding the date of such exercise. If the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate.

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

(e)    Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action with respect to a registered holder of a Right Certificate upon the occurrence of any purported transfer, assignment or exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate following the form of assignment or election to purchase set forth on the reverse of the Right Certificate surrendered for such transfer, assignment or exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

(f)     Prior to the time and date that an Acquiring Person becomes such, nothing in this Agreement will prevent the Company from issuing previously authorized and unissued Common Shares for any purpose or purposes approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, subject to any applicable law and any rules or regulations of any stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed.

Section 8.      Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in 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 Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

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Section 9.      Reservation and Availability of Common Shares.

(a)    The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares or any authorized and issued Common Shares held in its treasury, the number of Common Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7.

(b)    So long as the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all Common Shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

(c)    The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Common Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Common Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares (except as otherwise provided by any corporation law applicable to the Company).

(d)    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 Common 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 for the Common 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 for Common 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.    Common Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for Common Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Common 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 Common Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Common 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 Common Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other

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distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

Section 11.    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Common 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 Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Common Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Common Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).

(ii)    Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to two times the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common Shares of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying two times the then current Purchase Price by the number of Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Company’s Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event (such number of shares, the “Adjustment Shares”). In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not, except as permitted by Section 24 or Section 27, take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

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From and after such time as a Person becomes an Acquiring Person (a “Section 11(a)(ii) Event”), any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring 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 be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially 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 Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence 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. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this paragraph are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.

(iii)   In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares of the Company issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued (and not reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights) to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”) over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the “Spread”), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed to have the same value as Common Shares (such shares of preferred stock, hereinafter referred to as “common stock equivalents”)), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional Common Shares might be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be

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extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution Period”). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to the last paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Shares shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) of the Common Shares on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value of any “common stock equivalent” shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date.

(b)    In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares at a price per Common Share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Common Shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Common Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Common Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

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

(d)    For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Common Shares or any other security (a Common Share or other security, a “Security” for the purpose of this Section 11(d)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each Trading 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 Securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System (“Nasdaq”) or such other system then in use, or, if on

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any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Security is not publicly held or so listed or traded, then “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

(e)    No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

(f)     If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Common 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 Common Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Common Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

(g)    All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Common Shares 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 evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Common Shares (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth of a share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of shares covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

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(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 Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

(j)     Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares 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 the then par value, if any, of the Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable (except as otherwise provided by any corporation law applicable to the Company) Common Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

(l)     In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Common Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Common 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;

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provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

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

(n)    The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Shares Acquisition Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with the second sentence of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with the second sentence of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof), (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with the second sentence of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or (iv) consummate a share exchange with any other Person, if at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or share exchange (A) there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (B) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale or share exchange the stockholders of the Person who constitute, or would constitute, the issuer of Common Shares for purposes of Section 13 hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates or (C) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.

Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common 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.

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Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a person has become an Acquiring 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 Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger, or any Person or Persons shall consummate a share exchange with the Company, and, in connection with such merger or share exchange, 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 Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to two times the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Common Shares for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, 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 two times the then current Purchase Price by the number of Common Shares 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, share exchange, 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 pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such 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 provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, share exchange, 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 consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers, consolidations, share exchanges or sales or other transfers.

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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 respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

(b)    The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of fractional Common Shares, the Company may, at its sole option, pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

(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 (except as provided above).

Section 15.    Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement.

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

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

(b)    after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; 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 notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 17.    Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent.

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

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

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signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(c)    The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own 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 responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after 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 Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Common Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

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

(h)    The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in, or act as the transfer agent for, any of the Rights, Common Shares or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in

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any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

(i)     The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided 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 discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail and, if separate Right Certificates have been issued as of the date of such notice as contemplated by Section 3 hereof, to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and, if separate Right Certificates have been issued as of the date of such notice as contemplated by Section 3 hereof, to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or under the laws of any state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business in the State of New York or the State of Wisconsin, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million, or (b) an Affiliate of a corporation described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares, and, if separate Right Certificates have been issued as of such effective date as contemplated by Section 3 hereof, 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

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not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

Section 22.    Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

Section 23.    Redemption.

(a)    The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 23 or by shareholder action pursuant to subparagraph (c) of this Section 23 and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.

(b)    The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish.

(c)    If the Company, not earlier than 60 Business Days nor later than 80 Business Days following the commencement of a Qualified Offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act, which has not been terminated prior thereto and which continues to be a Qualified Offer, receives a written notice complying with the terms of this Section 23(c) (the “Special Meeting Notice”) that is properly executed by the holders of record (or their duly authorized proxy) of at least ten percent (10%) of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding (other than Common Shares held by the offeror or its Affiliates and Associates) directing the Board of Directors of the Company to submit to a vote of shareholders at a special meeting of the shareholders of the Company (a “Special Meeting”) a resolution authorizing the redemption of all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price (the “Redemption Resolution”), then the Board of Directors of the Company shall take such actions as are necessary or desirable to cause the Redemption Resolution to be so submitted to a vote of shareholders by including a proposal relating to adoption of the Redemption Resolution in the proxy materials of the Company for the Special Meeting; provided, however, that in any 12-month period the Company shall not be required to submit more than one Redemption Resolution to a vote of shareholders with respect to Qualified Offers from any given potential Acquiring Person (including any Affiliates or Associates). For purposes of a Special Meeting Notice, the record date for determining eligible holders of record shall be the 60th Business Day following the commencement of a Qualified Offer within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act. Any Special Meeting Notice must be delivered to the Secretary of the Company at the

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principal executive offices of the Company and must set forth as to the shareholders of record executing the request (i) the name and address of such shareholders, as they appear on the Company’s books and records, (ii) the class and number of Common Shares of the Company that are owned of record by each of such shareholders, and (iii) in the case of Common Shares owned beneficially by another Person, an executed certification by the holder of record that such holder has executed such Special Meeting Notice only after obtaining instructions to do so from such beneficial owner. The Board of Directors shall set a date for determining the shareholders of record entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and applicable law. Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the Board of Directors of the Company may take a position in favor of or opposed to the adoption of the Redemption Resolution, or no position with respect to the Redemption Resolution, as it determines to be appropriate in the exercise of its duties. At the offeror’s request, the Company shall include in any proxy soliciting material prepared by it in connection with the Special Meeting proxy soliciting material submitted by the offeror; provided, however, that the offeror, by written agreement with the Company contained in or delivered with such request, shall have indemnified the Company against any and all liabilities resulting from any statements found to be defamatory, misstatements, misleading statements or omissions contained in or omitted from the offeror’s proxy soliciting materials and have agreed to pay the Company’s incremental costs incurred as a result of including such material in the Company’s proxy soliciting material. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if the Board of Directors determines that it is in the best interests of shareholders to seek an alternative transaction so as to obtain greater value for shareholders than that provided by any Qualified Offer, the Company shall be entitled to include information relating to such alternative transaction in the proxy soliciting material prepared by it in connection with the Special Meeting. If no Person has become an Acquiring Person prior to the redemption date referred to in this Section 23(c), and the Qualified Offer continues to be a Qualified Offer and either (A) the Special Meeting is not held on or prior to the 90th Business Day following receipt of the Special Meeting Notice, or (B) at the Special Meeting, the holders of at least a majority of the Common Shares outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record date for the Special Meeting, not giving effect to any affirmative votes cast by the offeror or any of its Affiliates or Associates, shall vote in favor of the Redemption Resolution (and the results of the vote are certified as official by the appointed inspectors of election for the Special Meeting), then all of the Rights shall be deemed redeemed by such failure to hold the Special Meeting or as a result of such shareholder action, as the case may be, at the Redemption Price, or the Board of Directors shall take such other action as would prevent the existence of the Rights from interfering with the consummation of the Qualified Offer, effective immediately prior to the consummation of the Qualified Offer, if, and only if, the Qualified Offer is consummated within 60 days after either (x) the close of business on the 90th Business Day following receipt of the Special Meeting Notice if a Special Meeting is not held on or prior to such date or (y) the date on which the results of the vote on the Redemption Resolution at the Special Meeting are certified as official by the appointed inspectors of election for the Special Meeting, as the case may be. Nothing in this subparagraph (c) shall be construed as limiting or prohibiting the Company or any offeror from proposing or engaging in any

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acquisition, disposition or other transfer of any securities of the Company, any merger or consolidation involving the Company, any sale or other transfer of assets of the Company, any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, or any other business combination or other transaction, or any other action by the Company or such offeror; provided, however, that the holders of Rights shall have the rights set forth in this Rights Agreement with respect to any such acquisition, disposition, transfer, merger, consolidation, sale, liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, business combination, transaction or action.

(d)    Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 23 or the effectiveness of such redemption pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section 23 (or, if the resolution of the Board of Directors electing to redeem the Rights pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 23 states that the redemption will not be effective until the occurrence of a specified future time or event, upon the occurrence of such future time or event), 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 the effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors 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 registry 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 Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

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Section 24.    Exchange.

(a)    The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares of the Company at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors 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, any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or any trustee, administrator or fiduciary of such a plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

(b)    Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to 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 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 sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.

(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 may, at its sole option, pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market 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 determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

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Section 25.    Notice of Certain Events.

(a)    In case the Company shall propose, after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Common Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Common Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Common Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Common Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Common Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Common Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, to effect any share exchange with or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, 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, share exchange, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common 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 Common Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

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

Section 26.    Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

Briggs & Stratton Corporation
12301 West Wirth Street
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53222
Attention: Corporate Secretary

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

National City Bank, Department 3116
Corporate Trust Administration
629 Euclid Avenue, Suite 635
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Notice 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.

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Section 27.    Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights.

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

Section 29.    Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.

(a)    For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof.

(b)    The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject any member of the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights or to any other person.

(c)    Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors shall not be entitled to reject any Qualified Offer or any other tender offer or exchange offer or other acquisition proposal, or to recommend that holders of Common Shares reject any Qualified Offer or any other tender offer or exchange offer or other acquisition proposal, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, defense or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or alternative offers or other proposals) with respect to any Qualified Offer or any other tender offer or exchange offer or other acquisition proposal that the Board of Directors believes is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of its fiduciary duties.

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Section 30.    Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution 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 Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).

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

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

Section 33.    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

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

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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.

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Exhibit A

Form of Right Certificate

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER OCTOBER 18, 2009 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS AS PROVIDED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

Right Certificate

BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION

This certifies that _______________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of August 7, 1996, as amended through August 9, 2006, and as such agreement may be amended (the “Rights Agreement”), between Briggs & Stratton Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”), and National City 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., Milwaukee, Wisconsin time, on October 18, 2009 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one-half of one fully paid nonassessable (except as otherwise provided by any corporation law applicable to the Company) share of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $80 per full Common Share (as adjusted as a result of the two-for-one stock split of the Common Shares effected as a 100% stock dividend effective October 29, 2004) (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 Common Shares 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 August 7, 1996, based on the Common Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Common Shares 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 above-mentioned 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 Common 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 Common Shares.

The Company is not required to issue any fractional Common Shares upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby. In lieu thereof, the Company may, at its sole option, make a cash payment, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Common 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 _________, 20__.

Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

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FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

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

FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

(Please print name and address of transferee)

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

Date: ____________, 20___

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.

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).

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 BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION:

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Common Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

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

Dated: ____________, 20___

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.

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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).

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.

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Exhibit B

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON SHARES

On August 6, 1996, the Board of Directors of Briggs & Stratton Corporation (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend is payable on August 19, 1996 (the “Record Date”) to the shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one-half of one Common Share of the Company at a price (the “Purchase Price”) of $80 per full share (after giving effect to the two-for-one stock split of the Common Shares effected as a 100% stock dividend effective October 29, 2004), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and National City Bank, as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”) dated as of August 7, 1996, as amended through August 9, 2006 and as may thereafter be amended. Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee benefit plan of the Company or a subsidiary) (an “Acquiring Person”) have acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Company’s 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 (other than the Company, a subsidiary of the Company or an employee benefit plan of the Company or a subsidiary) of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being called 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any other person or group of affiliated or associated persons who, at the close of business on August 7, 1996, was the beneficial owner of at least 5,785,400 Common Shares (which number of shares constituted 20% of the number of Common Shares outstanding on such date, without giving effect to the two-for-one stock split of the Common Shares effective October 29, 2004) will not be deemed an “Acquiring Person” unless such person or group of affiliated or associated persons acquires beneficial ownership of additional Common Shares at any time that such person or group of affiliated or associated persons is or thereby becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), (i) the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares; (ii) 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; and (iii) 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.

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The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on October 18, 2009 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company (including by shareholder action in connection with a “Qualified Offer” as defined in the Agreement), in each case, as described below.

The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common 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 Common Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Common Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Common Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

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, 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 Purchase Price, 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 then current Purchase Price. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, 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 at the then current Purchase Price that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the Purchase Price.

At any time after any Person 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 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. The Company is not required to issue any fractional Common Shares and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Common 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 20% 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. In addition, if the Company receives a Qualified Offer (as defined in the Agreement), then the Rights may be redeemed by way of shareholder action taken at a special meeting of

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shareholders called by the Board upon the written notice of the holders of at least 10% of Common Shares then outstanding (other than Common Shares held by the offeror or its Affiliates and Associates) for the purpose of voting on a resolution accepting the Qualified Offer and authorizing the redemption of the Rights pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement. The written notice must be received by the Company not earlier than 60 nor later than 80 business days following the commencement of a Qualified Offer that has not been terminated prior thereto and that continues to be a Qualified Offer. The special meeting must be held on or prior to the 90th business day following Company’s receipt of such notice. Such an action by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a majority of all Common Shares entitled to vote on such issue (excluding Common Shares held by the offeror and its Affiliates or Associates). If either (A) the special meeting is not held on or prior to the 90th business day following receipt of the special meeting notice, or (B) at the special meeting, the requisite holders of Common Shares vote in favor of the redemption resolution, then all of the Rights will be deemed redeemed by such failure to hold the special meeting or as a result of such shareholder action, as the case may be, at the Redemption Price, or the Board of Directors shall take such other action as would prevent the existence of the Rights from interfering with the consummation of the Qualified Offer, effective immediately prior to the consummation of the Qualified Offer if, and only if, the Qualified Offer is consummated within 60 days after either (x) the close of business on the 90th business day following receipt of the special meeting notice if a special meeting is not held on or prior to such date or (y) the date on which the results of the vote on the redemption resolution at the special meeting are certified as official, as the case may be. 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.

“Qualified Offer” means an offer that has each of the following characteristics:

·                    a fully financed all-cash tender offer or an exchange offer offering at least 70 percent cash and Common Shares of the offeror, in each such case for any and all of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company;

·                    an offer that has commenced within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) under the Exchange Act;

·                    an offer whose per-share offer price (A) is greater than the highest reported market price for the Common Shares of the Company during the 24-month period immediately preceding the date on which the offer is commenced and (B) represents a reasonable premium above the average of the closing prices for the five trading days immediately preceding the date on which the offer is commenced;

·                    an offer that (A) is accompanied by a written opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm that is addressed to the Company and the holders of Common Shares of the Company other than such Person and states that the price to be paid to such holders pursuant to the offer is fair from a financial point of view to such holders and includes any written presentation of such firm showing the analysis and range of values underlying such conclusions, which written opinion and any such presentation are updated and provided to the Company prior to the date such offer is consummated, and (B) within 20 business days after the commencement date of the offer (or within 10 business days after any increase in the offer consideration), does not result in a nationally

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recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board of Directors of the Company rendering an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares is either unfair or inadequate;

·                    if the offer includes Common Shares of the offeror, an offer pursuant to which (A) the offeror shall permit a nationally recognized investment banking firm retained by the Board of Directors of the Company and legal counsel designated by the Company to have access to such offeror’s books, records, management, accountants and other appropriate outside advisers for the purposes of permitting such investment banking firm and such legal counsel to conduct a due diligence review of the offeror in order to permit such investment banking firm to be able to render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company with respect to whether the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company is fair or adequate, and (B) within 10 business days after such investment banking firm shall have notified the Company and the offeror that it had completed the due diligence review to its satisfaction (or following completion of such due diligence review within 10 business days after any increase in the consideration being offered), such investment banking firm does not render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company is either unfair or inadequate and such investment banking firm does not after the expiration of such 10 business day period render an opinion to the Board of Directors of the Company that the consideration being offered to the holders of the Common Shares of the Company has become either unfair or inadequate based on a subsequent disclosure or discovery of a development or developments that have had or are reasonably likely to have a material adverse affect on the value of the Common Shares of the offeror;

·                    an offer that is subject only to the minimum tender condition described below and other usual and customary terms and conditions, which conditions shall not include any financing, funding or similar condition or any requirements with respect to the offeror or its agents being permitted any due diligence with respect to the books, records, management, accountants and other outside advisers of the Company;

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that the offer will remain open for at least 60 business days and, if a special meeting is duly requested under the redemption provisions, for, at least 10 business days after the date of the special meeting or, if no special meeting is held within 90 business days following receipt of the special meeting notice, for at least 10 business days following such 90 business day period;

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror that the offer, it if is otherwise to expire prior thereto, will be extended for at least 20 business days after any increase in the price offered, and after any bona fide alternative offer is commenced;

·                    an offer that is conditioned on a minimum of at least 90% of the outstanding Common Shares (other than Common Shares held by the offeror) being tendered and not withdrawn as of the offer’s expiration date, which condition shall not be waivable;

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment by the offeror to consummate as promptly as practicable upon successful completion of the offer a second step transaction whereby all Common Shares not tendered into the

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offer will be acquired at the same amount and form of consideration per share actually paid pursuant to the offer, subject to shareholders’ statutory appraisal rights, if any;

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that no amendments will be made to the offer to reduce the offer consideration, change the form of consideration offered, reduce the number of shares being sought, or otherwise change the terms of the offer in a way that is adverse to a tendering shareholder;

·                    if the offer includes Common Shares of the offeror, (A) the offeror is a publicly owned United States corporation, and its Common Shares are freely tradable and are listed or admitted to trading on either the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (B) no shareholder approval of the offeror is required to issue such Common Shares, or, if required, such approval has already been obtained, (C) no Person beneficially owns more than 20% of the voting stock of the offeror at the time of commencement of the offer or at any time during the term of the offer, and (D) no other class of voting stock of the offeror is outstanding, and the offeror meets the registrant eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 for registering securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including, without limitation, the filing of all required Exchange Act reports in a timely manner during the 12 calendar months prior to the date of commencement of the offer;

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that the offeror will pay (or share with any other offeror) at least one-half of the Company’s costs of a special meeting requested with respect to such offer; and

·                    an offer pursuant to which the Company has received an irrevocable written commitment of the offeror that if the offer is not consummated, the offeror will not make any offer for or purchase any equity securities of the Company for a period of one year after the commencement of the original offer if such original offer does not result in the tender of at least 85% of the outstanding Common Shares, not owned by the offeror.

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 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 shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

A copy of the Rights Agreement, as amended through August 9, 2006, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on August 15, 2006. 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.

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