Rights Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2012, by and between A.M. Castle & Co. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Rights Agent

---

---

 

 

 

Page

Section 1.

Certain Definitions

1

Section 2.

Appointment of Rights Agent

7

Section 3.

Issue of Right Certificates

7

Section 4.

Form of Right Certificates

8

Section 5.

Countersignature and Registration

9

Section 6.

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

10

Section 7.

Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights

11

Section 8.

Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates

13

Section 9.

Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock

13

Section 10.

Preferred Stock Record Date

14

Section 11.

The Flip-In

14

Section 12.

The Flip-Over

16

Section 13.

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

19

Section 14.

Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares

22

Section 15.

Rights of Action

23

Section 16.

Agreement of Right Holders

23

Section 17.

Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder

24

Section 18.

Concerning the Rights Agent

24

Section 19.

Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent

25

Section 20.

Duties of Rights Agent

25

Section 21.

Change of Rights Agent

27

Section 22.

Issuance of New Right Certificates

28

Section 23.

Redemption and Termination

28

Section 24.

Effectiveness of this Agreement

29

Section 25.

Notice of Certain Events

29

Section 26.

Notices

30

Section 27.

Supplements and Amendments

30

Section 28.

Successors

31

Section 29.

Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, Etc

31

Section 30.

Benefits of this Agreement

32

Section 31.

Severability

32

Section 32.

Governing Law

32

Section 33.

Counterparts

32

Section 34.

Descriptive Headings

32

 

 

 

Rights Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2012 (the “Agreement”), between A. M. CASTLE & CO., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, a limited liability trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (the “Rights Agent”).

 

WHEREAS, effective August 31, 2012 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the Board of Directors (as defined below) of the Company (i) authorized and declared a dividend of one right (“Right”) for each share of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) outstanding at the Close of Business on September 11, 2012 (the “Record Date”), and (ii) authorized the issuance of one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant hereto) for each share of Company Common Stock issued between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date and, in certain circumstances, for each share of Company Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date but before the Expiration Date; and

 

 WHEREAS, each Right initially represents the right to purchase, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, one one-hundredth of a share of Series B Junior Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights attached hereto as Exhibit A; and

 

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

 

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

 

(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding and shall include all Affiliates and Associates of such Person; but such term shall not include (i) the Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any trust fiduciary of other entity organized, appointed or established that holds Common Stock or other Voting Stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan, (v) a Simpson Holder, but only for so long as such Simpson Holder, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Simpson Holder, does not become the Beneficial Owner of more than 28% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding, or (vi) an Exempt Holder, but only for so long as such Exempt Holder, together with its Affiliates and Associates, does not become the Beneficial Owner of additional shares of Voting Stock representing more than 0.5% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing:

 

(i) No Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of shares of Voting Stock by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate percentage of the total Voting Power represented by all shares of Voting Stock of the Company Beneficially Owned by such Person to 10% or more of the total Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of  Voting Stock then outstanding (or in the case of a Simpson Holder or Exempt Holder, the applicable percentage set forth in the preceding clause (a)); provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the total Voting Power of the Company then outstanding (or in the case of a Simpson Holder or Exempt Holder, the applicable percentage set forth in the preceding clause (a)) by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Voting Stock of the Company (other than shares issued by the Company as a dividend or distribution made pro rata to all holders of Common Stock), then such Person shall be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person;”

 

 

(ii) If the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an “Acquiring Person” has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Voting Stock so that such Person would no longer be an “Acquiring Person,” then such Person shall not be deemed to be an “Acquiring Person” for any purposes of this Agreement; and

 

(iii) No Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” if any such Person who has become and is such a Beneficial Owner solely because (A) of a change in the aggregate number of shares of Voting Stock since the last date on which such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of any shares of the Voting Stock, or (B) it acquired such Beneficial Ownership in the good faith belief that such acquisition would not (1) cause such Beneficial Ownership to be equal to or exceed 10% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock of the Company then outstanding (or in the case of a Simpson Holder or Exempt Holder, the applicable percentage set forth in the preceding clause (a)) and such  Person relied in good faith in computing the percentage of its Beneficial Ownership on publicly filed reports or documents of the Company that are inaccurate or out-of-date, or (2) otherwise cause a Distribution Date or the adjustment provided for in a Flip-In Event or Flip-Over Event to occur.  Notwithstanding this clause (iii), if any Person that is not an Acquiring Person due to this clause (iii) does not reduce its percentage of Beneficial Ownership of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock of the Company then outstanding to less than 10% (or in the case of a Simpson Holder or Exempt Holder, the applicable percentage set forth in the preceding clause (a)) by the Close of Business on the fifth Business Day after notice from the Company (the date on which such notice is first mailed or sent being the first day) such that such Person’s Beneficial Ownership of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock of the Company then outstanding is equal to or exceeds 10% (or in the case of a Simpson Holder or Exempt Holder, the applicable percentage set forth in the preceding clause (a)), such Person shall, at the end of such five Business Day period, become an Acquiring Person (and such clause (B) shall no longer apply to such Person).

 

(iv) For purposes of this definition, the determination whether any Person acted in “good faith” shall be conclusively determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, acting by a vote of those directors of the Company whose approval would be required to redeem the Rights under this Agreement.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) either (X) the Board of Directors determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently (including (A) such Person was unaware that it Beneficially Owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such Person to be an Acquiring Person or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of its Beneficial Ownership, but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Rights Agreement) and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, or (Y) within two Business Days of being requested by the Company to advise the Company regarding same, such Person certifies in writing that such Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the Rights, and (ii) such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be deemed to be or to have become 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 Exchange Act Regulations, as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that no director or officer of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate or Associate of any other director or officer of the Company solely as a result of his or her being a director or officer of the Company; provided, further, that the counter party to any derivative security included in the calculation of the Beneficial Ownership of an Acquiring Person shall be deemed an Affiliate of such Acquiring Person solely with respect to the Common Shares synthetically owned pursuant to such derivative security.

 

(c) “Applicable Time” shall mean the time of the first public announcement of this Agreement.

 

(d) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “Beneficially Own” and to have “Beneficial Ownership” of any securities:

 

(i) That such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act Regulations as in effect on the date of this Agreement); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own or to have Beneficial Ownership of, any security, if the agreement, arrangement, or understanding to vote such security that would otherwise render such Person the Beneficial Owner of 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 provisions of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations, and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report);

 

(ii) That such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding, whether or not in writing (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 or to have Beneficial Ownership of securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made in accordance with the Exchange Act Regulations 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 (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (c));

 

 

(iii) That are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person) with which such Person (or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement, or understanding, whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (c)), or disposing of any such securities; or

 

(iv) That are the subject of a derivative transaction entered into by such Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of such Person), which gives such Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person) the economic equivalent of ownership of an amount of such securities due to the fact that the value of the derivative is explicitly determined by reference to the price or value of such securities, without regard to whether (a) such derivative conveys any voting rights in such securities to such Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person), (b) the derivative is required to be, or capable of being, settled through delivery of such securities, or (c) such Person (or such Affiliate or Associate of such Person) may have entered into other transactions that hedge the economic effect of such derivative.

Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person’s Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding that such Person would be deemed to Beneficially Own hereunder.  In determining the number of Common Shares deemed Beneficially Owned by virtue of subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph (c), the subject Person shall be deemed to Beneficially Own (without duplication) the number of Common Shares that are synthetically owned pursuant to such derivative securities.

 

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

 

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

 

 

(g) “Closing Price” of any security on any given day shall be the last sale price, regular way, of such security or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on the principal trading market on which such security is then traded.

 

(h) “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company; and “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company which shall be organized in corporate form shall mean the capital stock or other equity security with the greatest per share voting power of such Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of or is controlled by another Person, the Person which ultimately controls such first-mentioned Person.  “Common Stock” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company which shall not be organized in corporate form shall mean units of beneficial interest which shall represent the right to participate in profits, losses, deductions and credits of such Person and which shall be entitled to exercise the greatest voting power per unit of such Person

 

(i) “Common Equity Interest” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the class or series of capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power (in relation to any other classes or series of capital stock (or equity interest)) of such other Person.

 

(j) “Current Market Price” of any security on any given day shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per share or other trading unit of such security for 10 consecutive Trading Days (as hereinafter defined) immediately preceding (but not including) such date; provided, however, that with respect to shares of capital stock, in the event that the current market price per share of the capital stock is determined during a period following the announcement of (i) a dividend or distribution on the capital stock payable in shares of such capital stock or securities convertible into shares of such capital stock (other than the Rights), or (ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of the capital stock, and prior to the expiration of the requisite 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above, 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 Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading; and provided further that, if the security is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, Current Market Price per share or other trading unit shall mean the fair value per share or other trading unit as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.

 

(k) “Distribution Date” shall mean the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Stock Acquisition Date (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) the tenth Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of a majority of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person and of which later date the Company will give the Rights Agent prompt written notice) after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent to commence, a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding shares of Common Stock organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), if upon consummation thereof, such Person would be the Beneficial Owner of shares of Voting Power representing 10% or more of the total Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights) other than pursuant to a Qualified Offer.

 

 

(l) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect on the date of this Agreement, and all references to any rule or regulation of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act shall be, except as otherwise specifically provided herein, to such rule or regulation as was in effect on the date of this Agreement.

 

(m) “Exchange Act Regulations” shall mean the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

 

(n) “Exempt Holder” shall mean any Person, other than a Simpson Holder, who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is, as of the Applicable Time, the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Exempt Holder who, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, after the Applicable Time becomes the Beneficial Owner of less than 10% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding shall cease to be an Exempt Holder and shall be subject to all the provisions of this Agreement in the same manner as any Person who is not and was not an Exempt Holder.

 

(o) “Flip-In Event” shall mean the event described in Section 11(a) hereof.

 

(p) “Flip-Over Event” shall mean any of the events described in Section 12(a) hereof.

 

(q) “Person” shall mean any individual, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, firm, corporation, association, trust, unincorporated organization, or other entity, as well as any syndicate or group deemed to be a Person under Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

(r) “Preferred Stock” shall mean shares of Series B Junior Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company.

 

(s) “Simpson Holder” shall mean each of Patrick J. Herbert, III and W. B. & Co. and their respective Affiliates and Associates.

 

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

 

(u) “Subsidiary” shall mean, with reference to any Person, any other Person of which (1) a majority of the Voting Power of the Voting Securities or equity interests is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by such first-mentioned Person or otherwise controlled by such first-mentioned Person, or (2) an amount of Voting Securities or equity interests sufficient to elect at least a majority of the directors or equivalent governing body of such other Person is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by such first-mentioned Person, or otherwise controlled by such first-mentioned Person.

 

 

(v) “Trading Day,” with respect to any security 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.

 

(w) “Triggering Event” shall mean a Flip-In Event or a Flip-Over Event.

 

(x) “Voting Power” when used with reference to the Voting Securities of any Person shall mean the number of votes (whether cast in person, by proxy, or by written consent) entitled (1) to be cast generally in the election of directors or members of the governing body of such Person (if such person is a corporation or is managed by or under the direction of a governing body performing functions and having obligations similar to those of a corporate board of directors), or (2) to participate in the management and control of such Person (if such Person is not a corporation and is not managed by or under the direction of a governing body performing functions and having obligations similar to those of a corporate board of directors).

 

(y) “Voting Securities” when used in reference to any Person, shall mean the outstanding capital stock, equity interest, or other voting securities of such Person, in each case entitling the holder thereof (1) to cast votes, in person or by proxy, or to act by written consent, in the election of directors or members of the governing body of such Person (if such person is a corporation or is managed by or under the direction of a governing body performing functions and having obligations similar to those of a corporate board of directors), or (2) to participate in the management and control of such Person (if such Person is not a corporation and is not managed by or under the direction of a governing body performing functions and having obligations similar to those of a corporate board of directors).

 

(z) “Voting Stock” shall mean the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, and any other class or series of securities or Voting Securities of the Company entitled to vote generally, together with the Common Stock, (1) to be cast generally in the election of directors or members of the governing body of the Company or (2) to participate in the management and control of the Company.

 

(aa) “Whole Board” shall mean the total number of directors which the Company would have if there were no vacancies.

 

Any determination required by the definitions contained in this Section 1 shall be made by the Board of Directors of the Company in its good faith judgment, which determination shall be final and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.  The Rights Agent is entitled to assume that the Board of Directors of the Company acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.

 

Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.  The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such Co-Rights Agent.

 

 

Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates.  (a)  Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock (which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company).  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the “Right Certificates”), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Sections 11, 12 or 13 hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company may make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14 hereof), so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights.  As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.  The Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company shall confirm the same in writing on or prior to the Business Day next following.  Until such notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not occurred.

 

(b) As soon as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage prepaid mail to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.  Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Stock 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 Stock represented thereby.

 

(c) Certificates for the Common Stock issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date (as hereinafter defined), shall be deemed also to be certificates for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:

 

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between A. M. Castle & Co. (the “Company”) and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC dated as of August 31, 2012 (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances as provided in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to or beneficially owned by Acquiring Persons (as defined in the Rights Agreement) or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and any subsequent holder of such Rights may become null and void.

 

 

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

 

(d) After the Distribution Date but prior to the Expiration Date, Rights shall, without further action, be issued in connection with the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of stock options granted prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to other benefits under any employee plan or arrangement established prior to the Distribution Date; provided, however, that if, pursuant to the terms of any option or other benefit plan, the number of shares issuable thereunder is adjusted after the Distribution Date, the number of Rights issuable upon issuance of the shares shall be equal only to the number of shares which would have been issuable prior to the adjustment. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock that are no longer outstanding.

 

Section 4. Form of Right Certificates.  (a)  The Right Certificates may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, including Sections 7, 11, 12, 13, 22 and 24, the Right Certificates, whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date.  Each Right Certificate on its face shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase such number of shares of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase Price (as defined in Section 7(b)), but the number of such shares and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

 

(b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant hereto that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by: (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) that becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) that becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and that receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any continuing written or oral agreement, arrangement, or understanding regarding either the transferred Rights, shares of Common Stock, or the Company; or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined in good faith to be part of a plan, agreement, arrangement, or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e) hereof shall, upon the written direction of the Board of Directors, contain (to the extent feasible), the following legend:

 

 

“The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were Beneficially Owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such capitalized terms are defined in the Rights Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2012 (the “Rights Agreement”), by and between A. M. Castle & Co. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC as Rights Agent).  Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement.”

 

The provisions of Section 11 and Section 23 of this Agreement shall be operative, whether or not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Right Certificate.

 

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.  (a)  The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President, either manually or by facsimile signature and shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which 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 counter-signed by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so 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 Rights 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 Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

 

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

 

Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.  (a)  Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e) and 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates (other than Rights Certificates representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof, that have been redeemed pursuant to Section 23 hereof, or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of shares of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate or  Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase.  Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and executed the certificate set forth in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request; whereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 4, 7 and 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights 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 Rights Certificates.

 

 

(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and 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 Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

 

Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.  (a)  Subject to Sections 7(e) and 9(c) hereof, prior to (i) the Close of Business on August 30, 2013 (the “Final Expiration Date”), or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof or (iii) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 11(c) hereof (the earlier of (i), (ii), and (iii) being the “Expiration Date”), the registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date (except as provided herein) 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 corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each share of Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are exercised.

 

(b) The “Purchase Price” for each one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $54.00, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 12 and 13 hereof and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Paragraph (c) below.  Each one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall be referred to herein as a “Unit” of Preferred Stock.

 

(c)   (i) Subject to Section 14 hereof, following the Distribution Date, the Company may (at the direction of the Board of Directors) deposit with a corporation in good standing organized under the laws of the United States or any State of the United States, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority (the “Depositary Agent”) certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights and may cause such Depositary Agent to enter into an agreement pursuant to which the Depositary Agent shall issue receipts representing interests in the shares of Preferred Stock so deposited.

 

 

(ii) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price for the Units of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash, or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased thereby as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable tax or charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof, or evidence satisfactory to the Company of payment of such tax or charge, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock certificates representing such number of shares of Preferred Stock (or fractions of shares that are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) as are to be purchased and the Company will direct its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, and/or (B) requisition from the Depositary Agent depositary receipts representing such number of Units of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased and the Company will direct the Depositary Agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or such depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate.  In the event that the Company is obligated to issue Common Stock or 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 Common Stock, other securities, cash, and/or other property is available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with this Agreement.  The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11 hereof) may be made in cash or by certified or bank check or money order payable to the order of the Company.

 

(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 and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Sections 6 and 14 hereof.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, any Rights Beneficially Owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and who receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) has any continuing written or oral agreement, arrangement, or understanding regarding the transferred Rights, Voting Stock, or the Company, or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors has determined in good faith to be part of a plan, agreement, arrangement, or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall be null and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights thereafter shall have no rights or preferences whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement, the Rights Certificates, or otherwise (including, without limitation, rights and preferences pursuant to Sections 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 23 hereof).  The Company shall use reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b), but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of Rights or any other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make any determination under this Section 7(e) or such Section 4(b) with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates, or transferees.

 

 

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

 

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.  All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificates 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.

 

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock.  (a)  The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock or any authorized and issued shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

 

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

 

 

(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earlier of the Distribution Date or as soon as is required by law, a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after the filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the Expiration Date.  The Company will also take all action necessary to ensure compliance with the securities laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed one hundred twenty (120) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statements.  Upon any 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.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in that jurisdiction shall have been obtained and, if applicable, until a registration statement has been declared effective.

 

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

 

(e) 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 and of any certificates for shares of Preferred Stock 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 the shares of Preferred Stock in respect of a name other than, that of the registered holder of the Right Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for shares of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.

 

Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date.  Each person in whose name any certificate for shares of Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock 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 all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open.

 

 

Section 11. The Flip-In.  The Purchase Price, the number and kind of securities 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) Subject to the provisions of the following subparagraphs (b) and (c) and Section 23, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right (which shall not include Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the date of the occurrence of such event (such number of shares being herein referred to as the “Adjustment Shares”).

 

(b) In the event that there shall not be sufficient issued but not outstanding and authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (a), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exercise of the rights; provided, however, if the Company is unable to cause the authorization of a sufficient number of additional shares of Common Stock, then, in the event the Rights become so exercisable, the Company, with respect to each Right and to the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law and any agreements or instruments in effect on the date hereof to which it is a party shall, upon the exercise of such Rights, (i) pay an amount in cash equal to the excess of (A) the product of (1) the number of Adjustment Shares, multiplied by (2) the Current Market Price of the Common Stock (such product being herein referred to as the “Current Value”), over (B) the Purchase Price, in lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock and requiring payment therefor, or (ii) issue debt or equity securities, or a combination thereof, having a value equal to the Current Value, where the value of such securities shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, and require the payment of the Purchase Price, or (iii) deliver any combination of cash, property, Common Stock and/or other securities having the requisite value, and require payment of all or any requisite portion of the Purchase Price. To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) of the proviso of this subparagraph (b), a majority of the Whole Board may suspend the exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 45 days following the date on which the Flip-In Event shall have occurred, in order to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to the above proviso and to determine the value thereof.  In the event of any 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 the time the suspension is no longer in effect.

 

 

(c) 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 been null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one 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, or any entity holding Common Stock or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 75% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all Voting Stock then outstanding. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to this subparagraph (c) and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights. In any exchange pursuant to this subparagraph (c), the Company, at its option, may substitute shares of Preferred Stock (or shares of equivalent preferred stock, as such term is defined in Section 13(b) hereof) for Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock (or equivalent preferred stock) for each share of Common Stock, as appropriately adjusted to reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms thereof, so that the fraction of a share of Preferred Stock delivered in lieu of each share of Common Stock shall have the same voting rights as one share of Common Stock. In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this subparagraph (c), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares. In lieu of such fractional shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this subparagraph (c), the current market value of a whole share shall be the Closing Price of the Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this subparagraph (c).

 

Section 12. The Flip-Over.  The Purchase Price, the number and kind of securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 12.

 

 

(a) In the event that, following the Distribution Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person (other than a direct or indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company), (y) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons, then, and in each such case, (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of shares of freely tradeable common stock of the Principal Party, free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable (or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the occurrence of the Flip-In Event if a Flip-In Event has previously occurred) and dividing that product by (2) 50% of the Current Market Price per share of the common stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of the Flip-Over Event; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of the Flip-Over Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 13 hereof shall apply to such Principal Party; (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its common stock) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of common stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and the provisions of Section 11 hereof shall be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Flip-Over Event.

 

(b) “Principal Party” shall mean:

 

(i) In the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 12(a), (A) the Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Company Common Stock are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer of Common Stock that has the highest aggregate Current Market Price, and (B) if no securities are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the Common Stock of which has the highest aggregate Current Market Price; and

 

(ii) In the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 12(a), the Person that is the party receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions or if the Person receiving the largest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever Person the Common Stock of which has the highest aggregate Current Market Price;

 

 

provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing paragraphs (b)(i) or (b)(ii), (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act (“Registered Common Stock”), or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to such other Person; (2) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person but is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person that has Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to the ultimate parent entity of such first-mentioned Person; (3) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and one or more of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever of such other Persons is the issuer of the Registered Common Stock having the highest aggregate Current Market Price; and (4) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and none of such other Persons have Registered Common Stock outstanding, “Principal Party” shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the greatest stockholders’ equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a corporation, shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the entity having the greatest net assets.

 

(c) The Company shall not consummate any Flip-Over Event or any other consolidation, merger, sale or transfer referred to in Section 12(a), unless the Principal Party shall have a sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 12, and unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party and each other Person who may become a Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 12 and further providing that the Principal Party will, as soon as practicable after the Flip-Over Event:

 

(i) (A) prepare and file at its own expense an appropriate registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Common Stock that may be acquired upon exercise of the Rights, (B) cause such registration statement to become and remain effective (and to include a prospectus complying with the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and (C) take such action as may be required to ensure that any acquisition of such Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights complies with any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws; and

 

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

 

 

(d) In case the Principal Party that is to be a party to a transaction referred to in this Section 12 has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or other instrument governing its corporate affairs, which provision would have the effect of (i) causing such Principal Party to issue, in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 12, shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than the then Current Market Price per share or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 12) or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax or similar provisions in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of such Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of this Section 12, then, in such event, the Company shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been cancelled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction.

 

(e) The provisions of this Section 12 shall similarly apply to successive Flip-Over Events, mergers, consolidations, sales or other transfers.  In the event that a Flip-Over Event shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Rights which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 12(a).

 

Section 13. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 13.

 

(a) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 13(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 Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.  If an event occurs which could require an adjustment under both Section 11(a) hereof and this Section 13(a), the adjustment provided for in this Section 13(a) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to any adjustment required pursuant to Section 13(a).

 

 

(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred Stock (“equivalent preferred stock”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock) less than the Current Market Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock 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 one one-hundredths of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of one one-hundredths of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of one one-hundredths of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock 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 one one-hundredths of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional one one-hundredths of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.  Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.  Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend at a rate not in excess of $0.01 per share of Preferred Stock), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 13(b)), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market Price per one one-hundredth of a share of the Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current market price per one one-hundredth of a share of the Preferred Stock.  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 be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

 

(d) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 13(d) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 13 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-hundredth of a share of Common Stock or other share of one-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be.  Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 13(d), any adjustment required by this Section 13 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

 

(e) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the shares contained in Section 13(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Section 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14 hereof with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

 

(f) 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 shares of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

 

(g) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 13(h), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 13(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

 

(h) 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 shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-millionth) 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 13(h), 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 may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

 

 

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

 

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

 

(k) In any case in which this Section 13 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 issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date the shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

 

(l) Anything in this Section 13 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 13, as and to the extent that in its sole discretion the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends, or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 13, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall, if practicable, not be taxable to such stockholders.

 

 

(m) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not (i) consolidate with, (ii) merge with or into, or (iii) sell or transfer to, in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, any other Person if at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale 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.

 

(n) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Sections 11, 23, 25 or 27 hereof, take any action the purpose or effect of which is to diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, unless such action is approved by the Whole Board.

 

(o) Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11, 12 and 13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock a copy of such Certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.

 

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 Price of a whole Right as of the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.

 

(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock).  Subject to Section 7(c) hereof, fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a Depositary Agent selected by it.  In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Current Market Price of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock as of the date of such exercise.

 

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

 

 

Section 15. Rights of Action.  All rights of action in respect of this Agreement other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock) without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in 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 shall be entitled to specific performance of the and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

(b) After the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;

 

(c) Subject to Sections 6 and 7, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

 

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

 

Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, 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 shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a 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, or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

 

 

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.  The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements 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 gross 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.  The indemnification provided for hereunder shall survive the expiration of the Rights and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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 Common Stock or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing to take action in connection therewith unless and until it has received such notice in writing.

 

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.  Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged, converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the 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 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 or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

 

In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in 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 (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person) 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 the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant 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 only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of facts or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Right Certificates), 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 have any liability for or 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 adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 11 or 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

 

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

 

(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant 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 to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(k) The Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any fact event or determination under this Agreement, unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Company of such fact, event or determination.

 

 

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.  (a)  Resignation.  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 Stock and Preferred Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail.

 

(b) Removal by Company.  The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail.

 

(c) Replacement.  If the Rights Agent resigns or is removed or otherwise becomes incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor Rights Agent.  If the Company fails to appoint a successor Rights Agent within 30 days after giving the Rights Agent notice of its removal, or within 30 days after receiving written notice of the resignation or incapacity of the Rights Agent from the Rights Agent or a holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with its notice, submit its 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.

 

(d) Qualifications.  Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by a court, shall: (i) be a trust company or banking corporation organized in any of the United States and doing business in good standing under the laws of the United States or of the State of Illinois or of the State of New York ; (ii) be authorized to do business as a trust company or banking institution in the State of Illinois or the State of New York; (iii) be subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority; and (iv) have, at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent, a combined capital and surplus of at least $10,000,000.

 

(e) Succession Procedures.  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 the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.  Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

 

Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.  Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or the Rights Certificates to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement in the Purchase Price or the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property that may be acquired under the Rights Certificates. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.

 

 

Section 23. Redemption and Termination.  (a)  The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time on or prior to the earlier of (i) the tenth day following the Distribution Date, subject to extension by the Board of Directors for a period of time up to, but not exceeding, ten additional days, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”), and the Company may, at its option, by action of a majority of the Whole Board, pay the Redemption Price either in shares of Company Common Stock (of the shares of Company Common Stock at the time of redemption) or cash.  Subject to the foregoing, the redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Whole Board in its sole discretion may establish.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no Right may be exercised until such time as the Rights have become non-redeemable in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b) Promptly upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company extending the redemption period pursuant to Section 23(a)(i), evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent, the Company shall issue a press release indicating the date to which the Board of Directors has extended its right to redeem the Rights.

 

(c) Promptly upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent 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 for each Right so held.  Within 10 days after the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to all such holders at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice.  Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.  In any case, failure to give such notice to any particular holder of Rights shall not affect the sufficiency of the notice to other holders of Rights.

 

 

Section 24. Effectiveness of this Agreement.  It is intended that this Agreement shall become effective upon the execution hereof.

 

Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.  (a)  In case the Company shall propose (1) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend at a rate not in excess of $0.01 per share), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any Flip-Over Event, or (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, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, Flip-Over Event, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock whichever shall be the earlier.

 

(b) Upon the occurrence of a Flip-In Event or a Flip-Over Event, the Company or Principal Party, as the case may be, shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event and the consequences thereof to holders of Rights under Sections 11(a) or 12(a) hereof, as the case may be.

 

(c) The failure to give notice required by this Section 25 or any defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such action.

 

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:

 

A. M. Castle & Co.

1420 Kensington Road

Suite 220

Oak Brook, Illinois  60523

Attention:  Secretary

 

 

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

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, New York 11219

Telephone:   ###-###-####

 

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.  The Company shall deliver a copy of any notice or demand it delivers to the holder of any Right Certificate to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall deliver a copy of any notice or demand it delivers to the holder of any Right Certificate to the Company.

 

Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.  Subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27, the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights that the Board of Directors of the Company in its sole and absolute discretion 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 that would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof).  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company, by action of the Board of Directors, may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person amend this Agreement (A) to make the provisions of this Agreement inapplicable to a particular transaction by which a Person would otherwise become an Acquiring Person or to otherwise alter the terms and conditions of this Agreement as they may apply with respect to any such transaction; and (B) to lower the thresholds set forth in Section 1(a) to not less than the greater of (i) the sum of .001% and the largest percentage of Voting Power represented by the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock then known by the Company to be Beneficially Owned by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any trustee or fiduciary holding shares of Voting Stock for, or pursuant to the terms of, any such plan, acting in such capacity), and (ii) 10%.  Upon delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment; provided, however, that no supplement or amendment may be made to Sections 18, 19, 20, or 21 hereof without the consent of the Rights Agent.  Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.

 

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, Etc.  (a)  For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of any class or series of Voting Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of Voting Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner (or the particular percentage of Voting Power if such shares of Voting Stock represented by shares of Voting Stock Beneficially Owned by such Person), shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the Exchange Act Regulations as in effect on the date hereof.  Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, 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 of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power (i) to interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) to make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement).  All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors of the Company or any member thereof to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

 

(b) The Board of Directors, when considering whether this Agreement should be modified or the Rights should be redeemed, shall have the power to set its own agenda and to retain at the expense of the Company its choice of legal counsel, investment bankers and other advisors.  The Board of Directors, when considering whether this Agreement should be modified or the Rights should be redeemed, shall have the authority to review all information of the Company and to consider any and all factors they deem relevant to an evaluation of whether this Agreement should be modified or the Rights should be redeemed.

 

Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person, other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock), any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock).

 

Section 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, each Right and each Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Maryland and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State.

 

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

 

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

 

*           *           *           *           *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Form of Right Certificate]

 

Certificate No. R—

______ Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER AUGUST 30, 2013, OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION IS GIVEN.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY ACQUIRING PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN THE AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.

 

Right Certificate

 

A. M. CASTLE & CO.

 

This certifies that ______________________ or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entities the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement dated as of August 31, 2012 (the “Rights Agreement”), between A. M. Castle & Co., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC a trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (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. (New York time) on August 30, 2013, at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, or its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series B Junior Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the Company, at a purchase price of $54.00 per one one-hundredth of a share (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed.

 

The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of  __________. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price, the type of security, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or common stock 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 above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.

 

 

This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right.

 

No fractional shares of preferred Stock will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

 

No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a 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: _______________________

 

			A. M. CASTLE & CO.
			By:____________________________________
			Title:
Countersigned:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC			ATTEST:
By:______________________________			By:______________________________
Authorized Signature			Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]

 

 

(To be executed by the registered holder if such

 

holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED _______________________________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfer 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 _______________________ as attorney to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

 

Dated:           _____________________

 

Signature:  ___________________________________

 

Signature Guaranteed:___________________________

 

 

The signature to the foregoing Assignment must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

 

(To be executed if holder desires to

 

exercise Rights represented by the

 

Right Certificate.)

 

To:           A. M. CASTLE & CO.

 

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

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number ________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

(Please print name and address) ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

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

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number ________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Dated:	___________
Signature Guaranteed:			Signature:
________________________			_________________________

 

 

The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On August 31, 2012, the Board of Directors of A. M. Castle & Co. (the “Company”) entered into the Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) with American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (the “Rights Agent”), and, in connection therewith, on August 31, 2012 declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right (collectively, the “Rights”) on each outstanding share of common stock, (the “Common Stock”), of the Company, subject to the completion of appropriate documentation.  The distribution was made to stockholders of record on September 11, 2012 (the “Record Date”).  Except as set forth below, each Right entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase from the Company a unit consisting of one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of a newly created series of the Company's Series B Junior Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”), at a purchase price of $54.00 per Unit (the “Purchase Price”), subject to anti-dilution adjustments described below.

 

The Rights are represented by the Common Stock certificates and are not exercisable or transferable apart from the Common Stock until the earlier to occur of (i) ten days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”), has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock (the “Stock Acquisition Date”) or (ii) ten business days following the commencement of (or announcement of an intention to make) a tender offer or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group would be the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding (the earlier of the dates being called the “Distribution Date”).  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), Common Stock certificates will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference.  As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (the “Rights Certificates”) will be mailed to stockholders who were holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date.  From and after the Distribution Date, the separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.  The Rights will expire at the close of business on August 30, 2013 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company.

 

The Rights Agreement grandfathers any person or group owning 10% or more of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock immediately prior to the first public announcement of the Rights Agreement.  The Simpson Holders (as defined in the Rights Plan) are grandfathered under this provision, but only for so long as their beneficial ownership does not exceed 28% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock.  Any other existing 10% holder is also grandfathered, but only for so long as it does not become the beneficial owner of additional shares of Voting Stock representing more than 0.5% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock then outstanding.

 

 

If an Acquiring Person becomes the beneficial owner of more than 10% of the Voting Power of the aggregate of all shares of Voting Stock (or, in the case of the shareholders that are grandfathered pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the applicable percentage), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right at the then current Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock which at the time of the transaction would have a market value of two times the Purchase Price.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Right may be exercised for Common Stock of the Company until the Rights have become non-redeemable, as described below.  If, at any time following the Distribution Date, the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its assets or earning power is sold, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of the Right at the then current Purchase Price, a number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of the transaction would have a market value of two times the Purchase Price.  The events described in this paragraph are defined as “Triggering Events.”

 

Following the occurrence of any Triggering Events, any Rights that are or were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person will be null and void.

 

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

 

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% of the Purchase Price.  No fractional Units will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

 

At any time on or prior to the earlier of (i) the tenth day following the Stock Acquisition Date (which period may be extended for an additional ten days), or (ii) the Final Expiration Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”).  Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

 

At any time any person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to such time as such person, together with its affiliates becomes the beneficial owner of at least 75% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock, the Company may, provided that all necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained, exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such Acquiring Person which become null and void), in whole or in part, at a ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, subject to adjustment.

 

Until a Right is exercised, the holder of the Right will not have any rights as a stockholder of the Company solely by virtue of holding the Right, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

 

 

As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock, the Company will issue one Right with each new share of Common Stock issued so that all shares will have attached Rights.  After the Distribution Date but prior to the Final Expiration Date, Rights shall only be issued in  connection with the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of stock options granted prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to other benefits under any employee plan or arrangement established prior to the Distribution Date.

 

The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company may amend the Rights Agreement only if the amendment will not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person).

 

The Preferred Stock purchased upon exercise of the Rights will be non-redeemable.  Each share of Preferred Stock will have a minimum preferential quarterly dividend rate of $0.01 per share, but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared on the Common Stock.  In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Stock will receive a preferred liquidation payment of $0.01 per share, but will be entitled to receive an aggregate liquidation payment equal to 100 times the payment made per share of Common Stock.  Each share of Preferred Stock will have 100 votes, voting together as one class with the Common Stock.  Finally, in the event of any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or other property, each share of Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 100 times the aggregate amount of stock or securities, cash and/or other property, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.  The foregoing rights of the Preferred Stock are protected against dilution if additional shares of Common Stock are issued.  Fractional shares of Preferred Stock will not be issuable and in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made.

 

A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Rights Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Attention: Rights Agent for A. M. Castle & Co. Rights Agreement.  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 incorporated herein by reference.