-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, VXmJZl/s3OLRgyfJaEexDGb6Ty/YPQyIhPDb55euCCMODE2UkOypx8BQIimka5DV NNr09su8+1z3ujehuuuvWw== 0001011908-00-000006.txt : 20000411 0001011908-00-000006.hdr.sgml : 20000411 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001011908-00-000006 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 4 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20000321 ITEM INFORMATION: ITEM INFORMATION: FILED AS OF DATE: 20000410 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AUTOZONE INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000866787 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-AUTO & HOME SUPPLY STORES [5531] IRS NUMBER: 621482048 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NV FISCAL YEAR END: 0828 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-10714 FILM NUMBER: 597405 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 123 SOUTH FRONT ST CITY: MEMPHIS STATE: TN ZIP: 38103 BUSINESS PHONE: 9014956500 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: P O BOX 2198 STREET 2: DEPT 8074 CITY: MEMPHIS STATE: TN ZIP: 38101-9842 8-K 1 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 21, 2000 AUTOZONE, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Nevada 1-10714 62-1482048 (State of (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Incorporation) Identification No.) 123 South Front Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) (901) 495-6500 (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) (not applicable) (former name or former address, if changed since last report) Item 5. OTHER EVENTS. a. ADOPTION OF RIGHTS PLAN: On March 21, 2000 the Board of Directors of AutoZone, Inc. (the "Company") adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan. In connection with the Rights Plan, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (the "Rights") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company outstanding at the close of business on April 14, 2000 (the "Record Date"). Each Right will entitle the registered holder thereof, after the Rights become exercisable and until March 21, 2010 (or the earlier redemption, exchange or termination of the Rights), to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $125 per one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a Preferred Share, subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments (the "Purchase Price"). Until the earlier to occur of (i) ten (10) days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the Common Shares (an "Acquiring Person") or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the Common Shares (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being called the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate. The Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares until the Distribution Date or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights will at no time have any voting rights. Each Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will be entitled, when, as and if declared, to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times the dividend, if any, declared per Common Share. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to a preferential liquidation payment of $1,000 per share plus any accrued but unpaid dividends but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes and will vote together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. Preferred Shares will not be redeemable. These Rights are protected by customary anti-dilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Share's dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. In the event that a Person becomes an Acquiring Person or if the Company were the surviving corporation in a merger with an Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate of an Acquiring Person and the Common Shares were not changed or exchanged, each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which Rights will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the then current Purchase Price of one Right. In the event that, after a person has become an Acquiring Person, the Company were acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or more than 50% of its assets or earning power were sold, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction would have a market value of two times the then current Purchase Price of one Right. At any time after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the earlier of one of the events described in the last sentence in the previous paragraph or the acquisition by such Acquiring Person of 50% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors may cause the Company to exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by an Acquiring Person which have become void), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange rate of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment). The Rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (the "Redemption Price") by the Board of Directors at any time prior to the time that an Acquiring Person has become such. The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will receive the Redemption Price. The Rights will expire on March 21, 2010 (unless earlier redeemed, exchanged or terminated). First Chicago Trust Company of New York is the Rights Agent. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares or convertible securities at less than the current market price of the Preferred Shares or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or dividends payable in Preferred Shares (which dividends will be subject to the adjustment described in clause (i) above)) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company beyond those as an existing stockholder, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. Any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement dated as of March 21, 2000 between the Company and the Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement") may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company for so long as the Rights are then redeemable, and after the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may amend or supplement the Rights Agreement in any manner that does not adversely affect the interests of the holder of the Rights. One Right will be distributed to stockholders of the Company for each Common Share owned of record by them on April 14, 2000. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Shares, the Company will issue one Right with each new Common Share so that all such shares will have attached Rights. The Company has agreed that, from and after the Distribution Date, the Company will reserve 200,000 Preferred Shares initially for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. The rights are designed to assure that all of the Company's stockholders receive fair and equal treatment in the event of any proposed takeover of the Company and to guard against partial tender offers, open market accumulations and other abusive tactics to gain control of the Company without paying all stockholders a control premium. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that acquires 15% or more of the Company's stock on terms not approved by the Company's Board of Directors. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors at any time prior to the first date that a Person or group has become an Acquiring Person. The Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights and the text of the press release announcing the declaration of the Rights, are incorporated herein by reference as exhibits to this Current Report. The foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits. b. AMENDMENT TO BYLAWS: On March 21, 2000 the Board of Directors of the Company amended the Company's Bylaws to require that any action of the stockholders be taken only at an annual or special stockholders meeting, and that special meetings may only be called by the Chairman, the President, or a majority of the members of the Board of Directors. In addition, the Bylaws were amended to clarify the procedures required for stockholders to bring business before a meeting of stockholders and to clarify the requirements for proper notification of stockholders and directors. Item 7. EXHIBITS 3. Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. 4. Rights Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2000, between AutoZone, Inc. and First Chicago Trust Company of New York which includes the form of Certificate of Designations of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of AutoZone, Inc. as Exhibit A, the form of Right Certificate as Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares as Exhibit C. 99. Text of Press Release, dated March 21, 2000. SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. AUTOZONE, INC. Dated: April 10, 2000 By: /s/ ROBERT J. HUNT ------------------------- Robert J. Hunt Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer EXHIBIT INDEX 3. Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. 4. Rights Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2000, between AutoZone, Inc. and First Chicago Trust Company of New York which includes the form of Certificate of Designations of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of AutoZone, Inc. as Exhibit A, the form of Right Certificate as Exhibit B and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares as Exhibit C. 99. Text of Press Release, dated March 21, 2000. EX-3 2 BYLAWS EXHIBIT 3 SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF AUTOZONE, INC. ARTICLE I. OFFICES Section 1. The Corporation may have offices at such places both within and without the State of Nevada as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require. ARTICLE II. MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS Section 1. All meetings of the stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Nevada as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the absence of any such designation, stockholders' meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. Section 2. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time and place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting, for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as is properly brought before the meeting in accordance with these By-Laws. To be properly brought before the annual meeting, business must be either (i) specified in the notice of annual meeting (or any supplement or amendment thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) otherwise brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder's notice must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90{th}) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120{th}) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120{th}) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90{th}) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10{th}) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder's notice as described above. A stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii) the name and record address of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the class, series and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder, and (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such business. Notwithstanding anything in the By-Laws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at the annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article II, Section 2. The officer of the Corporation presiding at an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the annual meeting that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Article II, Section 2, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the annual meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted. Written notice of the annual meeting stating the place, date and hour of the annual meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting. Section 3. The holders of a majority of the voting power of the Corporation's stock at any meeting of stockholders, which are present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these By-Laws. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum and the votes present may continue to transact business until adjournment. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, a majority of the voting stock represented in person or by proxy may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote thereat. Section 4. When a quorum is present at any meeting, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the Corporation's stock present in person or represented by proxy shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the statutes, or the Articles of Incorporation, or these By-Laws, a different vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Section 5. At each meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder having the right to vote may vote in person or may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy appointed in a reasonable manner as may be permitted by law, including, without limitation, a signed writing, telegram, facsimile, and electronic communication. All proxies must be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation at the beginning of each meeting in order to be counted in any vote at the meeting. Each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock having voting power, registered in his name on the books of the Corporation on the record date set by the Board of Directors as provided in Article V, Section 6 hereof. Section 6. Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose, or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, may be called by the Chairman of the Board or President and shall be called by the President or the Secretary at the request in writing of a majority of the Board of Directors. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice. Section 7. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which notice shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. The written notice of any meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Section 8. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. Section 9. Stockholders of the Corporation may only take action at an annual or special meeting of stockholders. Stockholders may not take action by written consent without a meeting. ARTICLE III DIRECTORS Section 1. Subject to any limitations in the laws of the State of Nevada, the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the number of directors may be changed from time to time by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors or the stockholders. No reduction of the number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of his term of office. A director need not be a stockholder of the Corporation. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at the annual meeting may be made at such meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, by any committee or persons appointed by the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election of directors at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Article III, Section 1. Such nominations by any stockholder shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder's notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90{th}) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120{th}) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120{th}) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90{th}) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10{th}) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder's notice as described above. Such stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth (i) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, (a) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (b) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (c) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the person, and (d) any other information relating to the person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations for proxies for election of directors pursuant to the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and (ii) as to the stockholder giving the notice (a) the name and record address of the stockholder and (b) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth herein. The officer of the Corporation presiding at an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. The directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, except as provided in Section 2 of this Article III, and each director elected shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified; provided, however, that unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or law, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, either with or without cause, from the Board of Directors at any meeting of stockholders by the holders of two-thirds of the voting power of the Corporation's stock. Section 2. Vacancies on the Board of Directors by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. The directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election of directors and until their successors are duly elected and shall qualify, unless sooner displaced. If there are no directors in office, then an election of directors may be held in the manner provided by statute. If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a majority of the whole Board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten percent of the voting power of the Corporation's stock may summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office. Section 3. The property and business of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and authorities by these By-Laws expressly conferred upon them, the Board may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation or by these By-Laws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 4. The directors may hold their meetings and have one or more offices, and keep the books of the Corporation outside of the State of Nevada. Section 5. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board. Section 6. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President on twenty-four hours' notice to each director, either personally, by telephone, by facsimile, by mail or by telegram; special meetings shall be called by the President or the Secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of two directors unless the Board consists of only one director; in which case special meetings shall be called by the President or Secretary in like manner or on like notice on the written request of the sole director. Section 7. At all meetings of the Board of Directors a majority of the authorized number of directors shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum, shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, by the Articles of Incorporation or by these By-Laws. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. If only one director is authorized, such sole director shall constitute a quorum. Section 8. Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Section 9. Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS Section 10. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power in reference to amending the Articles of Incorporation (except that a committee may, to the extent authorized in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of shares of stock adopted by the Board of Directors, fix the designations and any of the preferences or rights of such shares relating to dividends, redemption, dissolution, any distribution of assets of the Corporation or the conversion into, or the exchange of such shares for, shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation or fix the number of shares of any series of stock or authorize the increase or decrease of the shares of any series), adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation's property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending the By-Laws of the Corporation; and, unless the resolution, By-Laws, or the Articles of Incorporation expressly so provide, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend to authorize the issuance of stock, or to adopt Articles of Merger. Section 11. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required. COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS Section 12. Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings. INDEMNIFICATION Section 13. (a) The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the Corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. (b) The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys' fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation. Indemnification shall not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the Corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper. (c) To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he must be indemnified by the Corporation against expenses, including attorneys' fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense. (d) Any indemnification under paragraphs (a) and (b), unless ordered by a court shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances. The determination shall be made (1) by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the corporation's stock, (2) by the Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the act, suit or proceeding, (3) if a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to the act, suit or proceeding so order, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) if a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the act, suit or proceeding cannot be obtained, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion. (e) Expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Section 13. Such expenses incurred by other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Board of Directors deems appropriate. (f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses authorized in or ordered by a court pursuant to the other paragraphs of this Section 13, (i) does not exclude any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any By- Law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, for either an action in his official capacity or an action in another capacity while holding his office except that indemnification, unless ordered by a court pursuant to paragraph (b) or for the advancement of expenses made pursuant to paragraph (e), may not be made to or on behalf of any director or officer if a final adjudication establishes that his acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of the law and was material to the cause of action; and (ii) continues for a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and inures to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. If a claim for indemnification or payment of expenses under this Section 13 is not paid in full within ninety (90) days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law. (g) The Board of Directors may authorize, by a vote of a majority of a quorum of the Board of Directors, the Corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Section 13. (h) The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to enter into a contract with any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise providing for indemnification rights equivalent to or, if the Board of Directors so determines, greater than those provided for in this Section 13. (i) For the purposes of this Section 13, references to "the Corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting Corporation, any constituent Corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent Corporation if its separate existence had continued. (j) For purposes of this section, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" shall include service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this section. ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS Section 1. The officers of this Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall include a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Corporation may also have at the discretion of the Board of Directors such other officers as are desired, including a Chairman of the Board, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, and such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 hereof. In the event there are two or more Vice Presidents, then one or more may be designated as Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, or other similar or dissimilar title. At the time of the election of officers, the directors may by resolution determine the order of their rank. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws otherwise provide. Section 2. The Board of Directors, at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders, shall choose the officers of the Corporation. Section 3. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board. Section 4. The salaries of all officers and agents of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. Section 5. The officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualify in their stead. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer or officers becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Section 6. The Chairman of the Board, if such an officer be elected, shall, if present, preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or prescribed by these By-Laws. The Chairman of the Board shall in addition be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in Section 7 of this Article IV, if no such officer is elected. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Section 7. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Board of Directors to the Chairman of the Board, if there be such an officer, the Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation. He shall preside at all meetings of the Stockholders and, if there is no Chairman of the Board, at all meetings of the Board of Directors. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of Chief Executive Officer of corporations, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these By-Laws. PRESIDENT Section 8. In the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall perform all duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer. He shall be an ex- officio member of all committees and shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of President of corporations, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these By-Laws. VICE PRESIDENTS Section 9. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice Presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Board of Directors, or if not ranked, the Vice President designated by the Board of Directors, shall perform all the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The Vice Presidents shall have such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed for them, respectively, by the Board of Directors. SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY Section 10. The Secretary shall attend all sessions of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose; and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these By-Laws. The Secretary shall keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation, and affix the same to any instrument requiring it, and when so affixed it shall be attested by his signature or by the signature of an Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature. Section 11. The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors, or if there be no such determination, the Assistant Secretary designated by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURER Section 12. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys, and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation, in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. He shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, he shall give the Corporation a bond, in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors, for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation. Section 13. The Assistant Treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Board of Directors, or if there be no such determination, the Assistant Treasurer designated by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. ARTICLE V. CERTIFICATES OF STOCK Section 1. Every holder of stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares represented by the certificate owned by such stockholder in the Corporation. Section 2 Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue. Section 3. If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions and relative rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualification, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, provided that, except as otherwise provided in section 78.195 of the Revised Nevada Statutes, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue a statement setting forth the office or agency of the Corporation from which the stockholders may obtain a copy of a statement setting forth in full or summarizing the voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions and relative rights of each class of stock or series thereof that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests. LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES Section 4. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed. TRANSFERS OF STOCK Section 5. Upon surrender to the Corporation, or the transfer agent of the Corporation, of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books. FIXING RECORD DATE Section 6. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date which shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS Section 7. The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact thereof and accordingly shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim or interest in such share on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, save as expressly provided by the laws of the State of Nevada. ARTICLE VI. GENERAL PROVISIONS DISTRIBUTIONS Section 1. Distributions upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Section 2. Before payment of any distribution there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for distributions such sum or sums as the directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund to meet contingencies, or for equalizing distributions, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the directors shall think conducive to the interests of the Corporation, and the directors may abolish any such reserve. CHECKS Section 3. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, or such other persons, as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate. FISCAL YEAR Section 4. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. SEAL Section 5. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words "Corporate Seal, Nevada". Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise. NOTICES Section 6. Whenever, under the provisions of the statutes or of the Articles of Incorporation or of these By-Laws, notice is required to be given to any director or stockholder, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but such notice may be given in any manner as may be permitted by law reasonably intended to give actual notice, to such address, physical or electronic, as appears on the records of the Corporation, with any required postage prepaid,. Notice to any director may be by any reasonable means, including, without limitation, mail, personal delivery, facsimile, or electronic communication. All notices shall be deemed given when sent. Section 7. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the statutes or of the Articles of Incorporation or of these By-Laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS Section 1. Except as otherwise restricted in the Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws: (a) Any provision of these By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed at the annual or any regular meeting of the Board of Directors without prior notice, or at any special meeting of the Board of Directors if notice of such alteration or repeal be contained in the notice of such special meeting. (b) These By-Laws may also be altered, amended or repealed at a duly convened meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the Corporation's stock. The stockholders may provide by resolution that any By-law provision repealed, amended, adopted or altered by them may not be repealed, amended, adopted or altered by the Board of Directors. EX-4 3 RIGHTS AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 4 AutoZone, Inc. and First Chicago Trust Company of New York as Rights Agent Rights Agreement Dated as of March 21, 2000 RIGHTS AGREEMENT Rights Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2000, between AutoZone, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York corporation, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). RECITALS WHEREAS, on March 21, 2000, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted this Agreement, and has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share (as defined in Section 1.6) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on April 14, 2000 (the "Record Date") and has authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in Sections 3.1 and 7.1), each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth (subject to adjustment) of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Shares") of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth provided, however, that Rights may be issued with respect to Common Shares that shall become outstanding after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with Section 22. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows: 1 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated: 1.1 "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter defined) of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding but shall not include (i) an Exempt Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) or (ii) if, as of the date hereof, any Person is the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares outstanding (an "Existing Holder"), such Existing Holder shall not be or become an "Acquiring Person" unless and until such time as such Existing Holder shall become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the Company (other than (a) shares received pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares, (b) shares received pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares, (c) shares received by a director of the Company pursuant to the AutoZone, Inc. Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan or other similar plan, as amended from time to time, or (d) shares issued to a director of the Company upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the AutoZone, Inc. Amended and Restated 1998 Director Stock Option Plan or other similar plan, as amended from time to time), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional Common Shares, such Existing Holder is not then the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding solely by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of one or more additional Common Shares of the Company (other than (a) shares received pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding Common Shares in Common Shares, (b) shares received pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares, (c) shares received by a director of the Company pursuant to the AutoZone, Inc. Amended and Restated Director Compensation Plan, as amended, or (d) shares issued to a director of the Company upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the AutoZone, Inc. Amended and Restated 1998 Director Stock Option Plan, as amended), then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" unless upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock such Person does not beneficially own 15% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1, has become such inadvertently (including, without limitation, because (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 of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement), and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.1, then such Person shall not be deemed to be or have become an "Acquiring Person" at any time for any purposes of this Agreement. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement. 1.2 "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations, under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement. 1.3 A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities: (i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement); (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately, or only after the passage of time, compliance with regulatory requirements, fulfillment of a condition or otherwise) 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, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (w) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, (x) securities which such Person has a right to acquire upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, (y) securities issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and after the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person if such Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 22 ("Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11.9 or Section 11.15 with respect to an adjustment to Original Rights or (z) securities which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates may acquire, does or do acquire or may be deemed to acquire or may be deemed to have the right to acquire, pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) if prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person the Board of Directors of the Company has approved such agreement and determined that such Person shall not be or be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such securities within the meaning of this Section 1.3.; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security under this clause (B) if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) and with respect to which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), whether or not in writing, for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in the proviso to Section 1.3(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that no Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person shall be deemed, solely by reason of such Person's status or authority as such, to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, to have "Beneficial Ownership" of or to "beneficially own" any securities that are "beneficially owned" (as defined in this Section 1.3), including, without limitation, in a fiduciary capacity, by an Exempt Person or by any other such officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person. 1.4 "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. 1.5 "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. 1.6 "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such other Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person, and which has issued and outstanding such capital stock, equity securities or equity interest. 1.7 "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including, without limitation, its fiduciary capacity, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity or trustee holding shares of capital stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan, or for the purpose of funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company. 1.8 "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, firm, corporation, unincorporated association, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity. 1.9 "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, the filing of a report pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information which reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person or such earlier date as a majority of the Board of Directors shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person. 1.10 "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interests is owned, of record or beneficially, directly or indirectly, by such Person. 1.11 A "Trigger Event" shall be deemed to have occurred upon any Person becoming an Acquiring Person. 1.12 The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below: Term Section ---- ------- Adjustment Shares 11.1.2 common stock equivalent 11.1.3 Company Recitals current per share market price 11.4 Current Value 11.1.3 Distribution Date 3.1 equivalent preferred stock 11.2 Exchange Act 1.1 Exchange Consideration 27 Existing Holder 1.1 Expiration Date 7.1 Final Expiration Date 7.1 Nasdaq 9 Original Rights 1.3 Preferred Shares Recitals Principal Party 13.2 Purchase Price 4 Record Date Recitals Redemption Date 7.1 Redemption Price 23.1 Right Recitals Right Certificate 3.1 Rights Agent Recitals Security 11.4 Spread 11.1.3 Substitution Period 11.1.3 Summary of Rights 3.2 Trading Day 11.4 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, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable upon ten (10) days prior written notice to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise and shall in no event be liable for the acts or omission of any such co-Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agent shall be as the Company shall determine. 3 Issuance of Right Certificates. 3.1 Rights Evidenced by Share Certificates. Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day after the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement of the intent of any Person (other than an Exempt Person) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person (other than an Exempt Person) becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares of the Company (the earlier of (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3.2) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates for Common Shares shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate certificates, and (y) the Rights (and the right to receive certificates therefor) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying Common Shares. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date specified as a result of an event described in clause (ii) (or such later Distribution Date as the Board of Directors of the Company may select pursuant to this sentence), the Board of Directors may postpone, one or more times, the Distribution Date which would occur as a result of an event described in clause (ii) beyond the date set forth in such clause (ii). Nothing herein shall permit such a postponement of a Distribution Date after a Person becomes an Acquiring Person. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Company (or, if requested, the Rights Agent) will send, by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more certificates for Rights, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right (subject to adjustment as provided herein) for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. 3.2 Summary of Rights. On the Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send or cause to be sent a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the close of business on the Record Date, until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights and the registered holders of the Common Shares shall also be registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding at the close of business on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. 3.3 New Certificates After Record Date. Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (whether upon issuance out of authorized but unissued Common Shares, disposition out of treasury or transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, shall have impressed, printed, stamped, written or otherwise affixed onto them the following legend: This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in an Agreement between AutoZone, Inc. (the "Company") and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent, dated as of March 21, 2000, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the 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 Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. As described in the Agreement, Rights ------------------------------------- which are owned by, transferred to or have been owned by -------------------------------------------------------- Acquiring Persons or Associates or Affiliates thereof (as --------------------------------------------------------- defined in the Agreement) shall become null and void and -------------------------------------------------------- will no longer be transferable. ------------------------------- With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the Distribution Date (or the earlier Expiration Date), the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificates, except as otherwise provided herein, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section 3.3, 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. 4 Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares, certification and assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or trading system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Right Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Record Date, and shall show the date of countersignature by the Rights Agent, and on their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share set forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein. 5 Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, 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 any Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned, either manually or by facsimile signature, by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent, but it shall not be necessary for the same signatory to countersign all of the Right Certificates hereunder. No Right Certificate shall 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 Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent, and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement any such person was not such an officer. Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates, the certificate number of each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates. 6 Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 and Section 14, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 27) may be transferred, split up or combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up or combine or exchange any Right Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender, together with any required form of assignment and certificate duly completed, the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up or combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate or Right Certificates until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Right Certificate or Right Certificates and shall have provided such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment from the holders of Right Certificates of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up or combination or exchange of such Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.2 , at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. 7 Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. 7.1 Exercise of Rights. Subject to Section 11.1.2 and except as otherwise provided herein, 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 upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and certification on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (or other securities, cash or other assets) as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the time (the "Expiration Date") that is the earliest of (i) the close of business on March 21, 2010 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 (the "Redemption Date"), (iii) the closing of any merger or other acquisition transaction involving the Company pursuant to an agreement of the type described in Section 13.3 at which time the Rights are deemed terminated, or (iv) the time at which the Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 27. 7.2 Purchase . The Purchase Price for each one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall be initially $125, shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11, 13 and 26 and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with Section 7.3. 7.3 Payment Procedures. Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certification duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for the total number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9, in cash or by certified or cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to deposit the total number of Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depository agent, requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company hereby directs the depositary agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 or otherwise in accordance with Section 11.1.3, (iii) promptly after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. In the event that the Company is obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11.1.3, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. 7.4 Partial Exercise. 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 Section 14. 7.5 Full Information Concerning Ownership. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate surrendered for such exercise shall have been duly completed and signed by the registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request. 8 Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such canceled Right Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company. 9 Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock. The Company covenants and agrees that from and after the Distribution Date it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares or other securities or out of its shares held in its treasury) the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights. So long as the Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) issuable upon the exercise of Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange or traded in the over-the-counter market and quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("Nasdaq") (including the National Market or Small Cap Market), 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 or admitted to trading on such exchange or quoted on Nasdaq upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) 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. From and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, the Company shall use its best efforts, if then necessary to permit the issuance of Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights, to register and qualify such Preferred Shares under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or "Blue Sky" laws (to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause such registration statement and qualifications to become effective as soon as possible after such filing and keep such registration and qualifications effective until the earlier of the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall have been obtained and until a registration statement under the Securities Act (if required) shall have been declared effective. The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all Federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due. 10 Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends or other distributions, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein. 11 Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property purchasable upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11. 11.1 Post-Execution Events. 11.1.1 Corporate Dividends, Reclassifications, Etc. In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare and pay a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11.1, 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 Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11.1.1 and Section 11.1.2, the adjustment provided for in this Section 11.1.1 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, the adjustment required pursuant to, Section 11.1.2. 11.1.2 Acquiring Person Events; Triggering Events. Subject to Sections 23.1 and 27, in the event that a Trigger Event occurs, then, from and after the first occurrence of such event, each holder of a Right, except as provided below, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable (without giving effect to this Section 11.1.2) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the current per share market price of the Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the first of the date of the occurrence of, or the date of the first public announcement of, a Trigger Event (the "Adjustment Shares"); provided that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by (1) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof, (2) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (3) a transferee of any Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of this Section 11.1.2, and subsequent transferees, shall become void without any further action, and any holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement or otherwise. From and after the Trigger Event, no Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 or Section 6 that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become void pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be canceled. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 11.1.2 are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to any Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exercised pursuant to this Section 11.1.2 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and not pursuant to this Section 11.1.2. 11.1.3 Insufficient Shares. The Company may at its option substitute for a Common Share issuable upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with the foregoing Section 11.1.2 a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share. In the event that upon the occurrence of a Trigger Event there shall not be sufficient Common Shares authorized but unissued, or held by the Company as treasury shares, to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing Section 11.1.2, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights, provided, however, that if the Company determines that it is unable to cause the authorization of a sufficient number of additional Common Shares, then, in the event the Rights become 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: (A) determine the excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the "Current Value"), over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess, the "Spread") and (B) with respect to each Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Preferred Shares or other equity securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or fractions of shares, of preferred stock which, by virtue of having dividend and liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed in good faith to have substantially the same value as Common Shares) (each such share of preferred stock or fractions of shares of preferred stock constituting a "common stock equivalent")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or (6) any combination of the foregoing having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that if the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within thirty (30) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, 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, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Purchase Price, Common Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, such number or fractions of Preferred Shares (to the extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is unlikely that sufficient additional Common Shares could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety (90) days following the occurrence of a Trigger Event, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares (such period as may be extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the second and/or third sentences of this Section 11.1.3, the Company (x) shall provide that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11.1.3, the value of a Common Share shall be the current per share market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of the occurrence of a Trigger Event and the value of any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Shares on such date. The Board of Directors of the Company may, but shall not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Shares upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.1.3. 11.2 Dilutive Rights Offering. In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares (or securities having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred stock at a price per Preferred Share or per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion or exercise price per share, if a security convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred stock) less than the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or shares of equivalent preferred stock to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current per share market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or shares of equivalent preferred stock to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right. In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Preferred Shares and shares of equivalent preferred stock owned by or held for the account of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustments 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. 11.3 Distributions. In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash, securities or assets (other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividend, or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares (which dividend, for purposes of this Agreement, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11.1.1(A))) or convertible securities, or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11.2), 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 per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4) 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, securities or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4); provided, however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. 11.4 Current Per Share Market Value. 11.4.1 General. For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11.4.1) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during any period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares or (ii) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security, and prior to the expiration of thirty (30) Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current per share market price" shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Security is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date the Security is not so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the Security, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. 11.4.2 Preferred Shares. Notwithstanding Section 11.4.1, for the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above in Section 11.4.1 (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current per share market price of the Preferred Shares cannot be determined in the manner described in Section 11.4.1, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Shares occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the current per share market price of the Common Shares (as determined pursuant to Section 11.4.1). If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, or if on any such date neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in either the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares, "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For purposes of this Agreement, the "current per share market price" of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share shall be equal to the "current per share market price" of one Preferred Share divided by 1,000. 11.5 Insignificant Changes. 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. Any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11.5 are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundred thousandth of a Preferred Share or the nearest one-thousandth of a Common Share or other share or security, as the case may be. 11.6 Shares Other Than Preferred Shares. If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11.1, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.13, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. 11.7 Rights Issued Prior to Adjustment. All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein. 11.8 Effect of Adjustments. Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11.9, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11.2 and 11.3, each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one-hundred thousandth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price. 11.9 Adjustment in Number of Rights. The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11.9, the Company may, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein (and 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. 11.10 Right Certificates Unchanged. Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per share and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder. 11.11 Par Value Limitations. Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below one one- thousandth of the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Shares or other shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares or other such shares at such adjusted Purchase Price. 11.12 Deferred Issuance. In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of that number of Preferred Shares and shares of other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and shares of other capital stock or other securities, assets or cash 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. 11.13 Reduction in Purchase Price. Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance wholly for cash of any of the Preferred Shares at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in this Section 11, hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders. 11.14 Company Not to Diminish Benefits of Rights. The Company covenants and agrees that after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date or Distribution Date it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 26 or Section 27, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. 11.15 Adjustment of Rights Associated with Common Shares. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the date hereof and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on the outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares, (ii) effect a subdivision or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by the payment of dividends payable in Common Shares), or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Shares into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case, the number of Rights associated with each Common Share then outstanding, or issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date or in accordance with Section 22 shall be proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with each Common Share following any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each Common Share immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Common Shares outstanding immediately following the occurrence of such event. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11.15 shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected. 12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 or 13, 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 Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate. 13 Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. 13.1 Certain Transactions. In the event that, from and after the first occurrence of a Trigger Event, directly or indirectly, (A) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person and the Company shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation, (B) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person or cash or any other property, or (C) the Company shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, exchange, mortgage or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11.14), then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares or Common Shares, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradable Common Shares of the Principal Party (as such term is hereinafter defined) not subject to any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Trigger Event (as subsequently adjusted pursuant to Sections 11.1.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.8, 11.9 and 11.12) and (y) dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; provided, that the price per Right so payable and the number of Common Shares of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right shall thereafter be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11.6 to reflect any events covered thereby occurring in respect of the Common Shares of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party; and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; provided that, upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right shall thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Purchase Price as provided in this Section 13.1, such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property which such holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Shares of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13.1, and such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, reservation of shares of stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that the requirements of this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 shall promptly be performed in accordance with their terms and that such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer of assets shall not result in a default by the Principal Party under this Agreement as the same shall have been assumed by the Principal Party pursuant to this Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 and providing that, as soon as practicable after executing such agreement pursuant to this Section 13, the Principal Party, at its own expense, shall (1) prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities Act, if necessary, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date and similarly comply with applicable state securities laws; (2) use its best efforts, if the Common Shares of the Principal Party shall be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or on another national securities exchange, to list or admit to trading (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on the New York Stock Exchange or such securities exchange, or, if the Common Shares of the Principal Party shall not be listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or a national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the securities receivable upon exercise of the Rights to be authorized for quotation on Nasdaq or on such other system then in use; (3) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) under the Exchange Act; and (4) obtain waivers of any rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the Common Shares of the Principal Party subject to purchase upon exercise of outstanding Rights. In case the Principal Party has 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 (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a transaction referred to in this Section 13, Common Shares or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than the then current market price per share thereof (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares or common stock equivalents of such Principal Party at less than such then current market price (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), or (ii) providing for any special payment, taxes or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Shares of such Principal Party pursuant to the provision of Section 13, then, in such event, the Company hereby agrees with each holder of Rights that it shall not consummate any such transaction unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that the provision in question of such Principal Party shall have been canceled, waived or amended, or that the authorized securities shall be redeemed, so that the applicable provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of the proposed transaction. The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any time after the Trigger Event, enter into any transaction of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 13.1 if (i) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction 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, (ii) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other transaction, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party for purposes of Section 13.2 shall have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates or (iii) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive transactions of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 13.1. 13.2 Principal Party. "Principal Party" shall mean: (i) in the case of any transaction described in (A) or (B) of the first sentence of Section 13.1: (i) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the Common Shares are converted in such merger or consolidation, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (ii) if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that is the other party to the merger, if such Person survives said merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person the Common Shares of which have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the merger does not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the merger (including the Company if it survives) or (z) the Person resulting from the consolidation; and (ii) in the case of any transaction described in (C) of the first sentence in Section 13.1, the Person that is the party receiving the greatest 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 so transferred or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding; provided, however, that in any such case described in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 13.2, if the Common Shares of such Person are not at such time or have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then (1) if such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which are and have been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person, or (2) if such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than one Person, the Common Shares of all of which are and have been so registered, the term "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (3) if such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests. 13.3 Approved Acquisitions. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, upon the consummation of any merger or other acquisition transaction of the type described in clause (A), (B) or (C) of Section 13.1 involving the Company pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and any Person (or one or more of such Person's Affiliates or Associates) which agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to any Person becoming an Acquiring Person, this Agreement and the rights of holders of Rights hereunder shall be terminated in accordance with Section 7.1. 14 Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. 14.1 Cash in Lieu of Fractional Rights. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date in accordance with Section 11.15). In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14.1, the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the current market value of the Rights on such date shall be the fair value of the Rights as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, or, if at the time of such determination there is an Acquiring Person, by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall have the duty to make such determination in a reasonable and objective manner, which determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. 14.2 Cash in Lieu of Fractional Preferred Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise or exchange of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share). Interests in fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised or exchanged as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current per share market price of one Preferred Share (as determined in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange. 14.3 Cash in Lieu of Fractional Common Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share (as determined in accordance with Section 14.1) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange. 14.4 Waiver of Right to Receive Fractional Rights or Shares. 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 or exchange of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14. 15 Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce this Agreement, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce this Agreement, or otherwise enforce or 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 obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person (including, without limitation, the Company) subject to this Agreement. 16 Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that: (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares; (b) as of and after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer with all required certifications completed; and (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. 17 Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24), 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. 18 Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without 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 arising therefrom, directly or indirectly. The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or the Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, instruction, 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. 19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any corporation or limited liability company into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or limited liability company resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation or limited liability company succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer 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 or limited liability company would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement. 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. 20 Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound: 20.1 Legal Counsel. The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel selected by it (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. 20.2 Certificates as to Facts or Matters. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or 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. 20.3 Standard of Care. The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. 20.4 Reliance on Agreement and Right Certificates. The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except as to its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only. 20.5 No Responsibility as to Certain Matters. The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11.1.2) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Sections 3, 11, 13, 23 or 27 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 change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares or other securities to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable. 20.6 Further Assurance by Company. 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. 20.7 Authorized Company Officers. The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties under this Agreement, 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 or for any delay in acting while waiting for these instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable to the Company for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than three business days after the date any such officer actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking of any such action (or the effective date in the case of omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted. 20.8 Freedom to Trade in Company Securities. 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. 20.9 Reliance on Attorneys and Agents. 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, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct, provided that reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof. 20.10 Incomplete Certificate. If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has not been completed to certify the holder is not an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate thereof), the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company. 20.11 Rights Holders List. At any time and from time to time after the Distribution Date, upon the request of the Company, the Rights Agent shall promptly deliver to the Company a list, as of the most recent practicable date (or as of such earlier date as may be specified by the Company), of the holders of record of Rights. 21 Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable, by registered or certified mail. Following the Distribution Date, the Company shall promptly notify the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail of any such resignation. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the resigning, removed, or incapacitated Rights Agent shall remit to the Company, or to any successor Rights Agent designated by the Company, all books, records, funds, certificates or other documents or instruments of any kind then in its possession which were acquired by such resigning, removed or incapacitated Rights Agent in connection with its services as Rights Agent hereunder, and shall thereafter be discharged from all duties and obligations hereunder. Following notice of such removal, resignation or incapacity, the Company shall appoint a successor to such Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York or the State of California (or any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of New York or California) in good standing, having an office in the State of New York or the State of California, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $10 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, as applicable, and, following the Distribution Date, mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be. 22 Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of Common Shares following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, granted or awarded, or upon exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereinafter issued by the Company, in each case existing prior to the Distribution Date, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Right 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 Right Certificate would be issued and (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof. 23 Redemption. 23.1 Right to Redeem. The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time prior to a Trigger Event, redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"), and the Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares (based on the "current per share market price," determined pursuant to Section 11.4, of the Common Shares at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and subject to such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. 23.2 Redemption Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at such later time as the Board of Directors may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), 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. The Company shall promptly give public notice of such redemption; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. The Company shall promptly give, or cause the Rights Agent to give, notice of such redemption to 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 Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 27, and other than in connection with the purchase, acquisition or redemption of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date. 24 Notice of Certain Events. In case the Company shall propose at any time after the earlier of the Shares Acquisition Date and the Distribution Date (a) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of Preferred Shares (other than a regular periodic cash dividend at a rate not in excess of 125% of the rate of the last regular periodic cash dividend theretofore paid or, in case regular periodic cash dividends have not theretofore been paid, at a rate not in excess of 50% of the average net income per share of the Company for the four quarters ended immediately prior to the payment of such dividends, or a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the Common Shares), or (b) to offer to the holders of Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (c) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), or (d) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person (other than pursuant to a merger or other acquisition agreement of the type described in Section 1.3(ii)(A)(z)), or (e) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (f) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, 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, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares and/or Common Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (a) or (b) above at least ten (10) days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Shares and/or Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier. In case any event set forth in Section 11.1.2 or Section 13 shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to the Rights Agent and to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 25, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11.1.2 and Section 13, and (ii) all references in this Section 24 to Preferred Shares shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Shares and/or, if appropriate, other securities. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, prior to the Distribution Date a filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission shall constitute sufficient notice to the holders of securities of the Company, including the Rights, for purposes of this Agreement and no other notice need be given. 25 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: AutoZone, Inc. 123 South Front Street Memphis, TN 38103 Attention: Secretary Subject to the provisions of Section 21 and Section 24, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows: First Chicago Trust Company of New York a Division of EquiServe 525 Washington Boulevard Jersey City, NJ 07310 Attention: Corporate Actions 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 (or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing Common Shares) 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. 26 Supplements and Amendments. For so long as the Rights are then redeemable, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights or Common Shares. From and after the time that the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Company may, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights (i) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein or (ii) to make any other changes or provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, including but not limited to extending the Final Expiration Date; provided, however, that no such supplement or amendment shall adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights as such (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and no such supplement or amendment may cause the Rights again to become redeemable or cause this Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this sentence; provided further, that the right of the Board of Directors to extend the Distribution Date shall not require any amendment or supplement hereunder. Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 26, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Without limiting the foregoing, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Agreement to lower the thresholds set forth in Sections 1.1 and 3.1 to not less than the greater of (i) any percentage greater than the largest percentage of the outstanding Common Shares then known by the Company to be beneficially owned by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) and (ii) 10%. 27 Exchange. 27.1 Exchange of Common Shares for Rights. The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after the occurrence of a Trigger Event, exchange Common Shares for all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) by exchanging at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such amount per Right being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Consideration"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Acquiring Person shall have become the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. From and after the occurrence of an event specified in Section 13.1, any Rights that theretofore have not been exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1 shall thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged pursuant to this Section 27.1. The exchange of the Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. 27.2 Exchange Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange for any Rights pursuant to Section 27.1 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 the Exchange Consideration. 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 shall state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than the Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.1.2) held by each holder of Rights. 27.3 Insufficient Shares. The Company may at its option substitute, and, in the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit an exchange of Rights for Common Shares as contemplated in accordance with this Section 27, the Company shall substitute to the extent of such insufficiency, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof (or equivalent preferred stock, as such term is defined in Section 11.2) such that the current per share market price (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) of one Preferred Share (or equivalent preferred share) multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share (determined pursuant to Section 11.4) as of the date of such exchange. 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. 29 Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares). 30 Determination and Actions by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise the 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 to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or 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 of Directors of the Company in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights. 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. 32 Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Nevada and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State. 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. 34 Descriptive Heading. 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, as of the day and year first above written. AUTOZONE, INC. By /s/ Robert J. Hunt ---------------------------- Name: Robert J. Hunt Title: Chief Financial Officer By /s/ Harry L. Goldsmith ---------------------------- Name: Harry L. Goldsmith Title: Secretary FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK By /s/ John H. Ruocco ------------------------------ Name: John H. Ruocco Title: Senior Account Manager EXHIBIT A FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS of SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK of AUTOZONE, INC. (Pursuant to Section 78.1955 of the Nevada Revised Statutes) _____________________________ AutoZone, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada (hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 78.1955 of the Nevada Revised Statutes at a meeting duly called and held on March 21, 2000. RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative rights, powers and preferences, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof as follows: Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 200,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock. Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section 2 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights: (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation. (C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action. Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not: (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; (ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled; (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (both as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes. (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner. Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law. Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share (the "Series A Liquidation Preference") equal to $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to such event. (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. (C) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6. Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the Company. Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock, except to the extent that any such other series specifically provides that it shall rank on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock. Section 10. Amendment. At any time any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, neither the Articles of Incorporation nor the Certificate of Designations of the Corporation shall be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, privileges, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class. No approval of any class or series of stock of the Corporation which, before amendment, is senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to the payment of distributions upon dissolution of the Corporation (regardless of any limitations or restrictions on the voting power of that class or series) shall be required for any amendment to this Certificate of Designations. Section 11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by the undersigned this 21st day of March, 2000. By --------------------------- Name: Harry L. Goldsmith Title: Senior Vice President By --------------------------- Name: Donald R. Rawlins Title: Assistant Secretary STATE OF TENNESSEE ) ) ss. COUNTY OF SHELBY ) This instrument was acknowledged before me on March 21, 2000, by Harry L. Goldsmith as Senior Vice President and Donald R. Rawlins as Assistant Secretary of AutoZone, Inc. ----------------------------- Signature of Notarial Officer My commission expires: EXHIBIT B [Form of Right Certificate] Certificate No. R- _______ Rights NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER MARCH 21, 2010 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE IS GIVEN OR IF THE COMPANY IS MERGED OR ACQUIRED PURSUANT TO AN AGREEMENT OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1.3(ii)(A)(z) OF THE AGREEMENT. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT, AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN ------------- CIRCUMSTANCES (SPECIFIED IN SECTION 11.1.2 OF THE ------------------------------------------------- AGREEMENT), RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ---------------------------------------------------------- AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT), OR ANY --------------------------------------------------------- SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID ---------------------------------------------------------- AND WILL NO LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE. ----------------------------------- Right Certificate AUTOZONE, INC. This certifies that , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2000, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), between AutoZone, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a _____________ corporation, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on March 21, 2010, at the offices of the Rights Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, designated for such purpose, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Preferred Shares") of the Company, at a purchase price of $125 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and certification duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of ________, ____ based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. Capitalized terms used in this Right Certificate without definition shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement. As provided in the Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events. This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which 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 Agreement are on file at the principal offices of the Company and the Rights Agent. This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share 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 Agreement, the Board of Directors may, at its option, (i) redeem the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate at a redemption price of $.001 per Right or (ii) exchange Common Shares for the Rights evidenced by this Certificate, in whole or in part. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions of Preferred Shares which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement. No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the 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 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 Agreement. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of the 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 the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. This Right Certificate shall not be valid or binding for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent. WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _______________. Attest: AUTOZONE, INC. By ______________________ By _________________________________ Title: Title: Countersigned: FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, as Rights Agent By_____________________________ Authorized Signature [Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate] FORM OF ASSIGNMENT (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.) FOR VALUE RECEIVED hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto (Please print name and address of transferee) Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution. Dated: Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The undersigned hereby certifies that: (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate thereof; and (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof. Dated: Signature FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE (To be executed if holder desires to exercise the Right Certificate.) To: AutoZone, Inc. The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise __________________ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights (or such other securities or property of the Company or of any other Person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of: ____________________________________________________________ (Please print name and address) ____________________________________________________________ If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: Please insert social security or other identifying number ____________________________________________________________ (Please print name and address) ____________________________________________________________ Dated: __________________ Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The undersigned hereby certifies that: (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by and are not being assigned to an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or an Associate thereof; and (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the undersigned did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof. Dated:_______________ Signature NOTICE The signature in the foregoing Form of Assignment and Form of Election to Purchase must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase is not completed, the Company will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate hereof and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored. EXHIBIT C AUTOZONE, INC. SUMMARY OF RIGHTS Form of Security The Board of Directors has declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of AutoZone's Common Stock, payable to holders of record as of the close of business on April 14, 2000 (each a "Right" and collectively, the "Rights"). Certificates and Transfer No separate certificates will be issued for the Rights at this time. Prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by certificates for and will be transferred with the Common Stock, and the registered holders of the Common Stock will be deemed to be the registered holders of the Rights. After the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will mail separate certificates evidencing the Rights to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, and thereafter the Rights will be transferable separately from the Common Stock. Exercise Prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be exercisable. After the Distribution Date, prior to the occurrence of an event described below under "Flip-In" and "Flip-Over", each Right will be exercisable to purchase, for $125.00 (the "Purchase Price"), one one- thousandth of a share of AutoZone's Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share. Flip-In If any person or group (other than as set forth in the following sentence) becomes the beneficial owner of 15% or more of AutoZone's Common Stock (such person or group, an "Acquiring Person"), then each Right (other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and certain affiliated persons) will entitle the holder to purchase, for the Purchase Price, a number of shares of the AutoZone's Common Stock having a market value of twice the Purchase Price. Any person who was, as of the close of business on March 21, 2000, the beneficial owner of 15% or more of AutoZone's Common Stock outstanding on such date shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for purposes of the Rights Agreement so long as neither such person nor any of its affiliates or associates becomes the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Common Stock. Flip-Over If, after any person has become an Acquiring Person, (1) AutoZone is involved in a merger or other business combination in which AutoZone is not the surviving corporation or its Common Stock is exchanged for other securities or assets or (2) AutoZone and/or one or more of its subsidiaries sell or otherwise transfer assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of AutoZone and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, then each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for the Purchase Price, a number of shares of common stock of the other party to such business combination or sale (or in certain circumstances, an affiliate) having a market value of twice the Purchase Price. Exchange At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person but before any person becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of AutoZone's Common Stock, AutoZone may exchange all or part of the Rights (other than the Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person and certain affiliated persons) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right. Redemption The Board of Directors may redeem all of the Rights at a price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person. Expiration The Rights will expire on March 21, 2010, unless earlier exchanged or redeemed. Amendments For so long as the Rights are redeemable, the Rights Agreement may be amended in any respect by AutoZone's Board of Directors. At any time after the Rights are no longer redeemable, the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of Directors in any respect that does not (i) adversely affect the Rights holders (other than any Acquiring Person and certain affiliated persons), (ii) cause the Rights Agreement again to become amendable other than in accordance with this paragraph or (iii) cause the Rights again to become redeemable. Voting Rights Rights holders have no rights as an AutoZone stockholder separate from those as a stockholder, including the right to vote and to receive dividends. Antidilution Provisions The Rights Agreement includes antidilution provisions designed to prevent efforts to diminish the efficacy of the Rights. Taxes While the dividend of the Rights will not be taxable to stockholders or to AutoZone, stockholders or AutoZone may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become exercisable. _______________________ A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A, a copy of which may be found on the SEC's EDGAR database at www.sec.gov. A copy of the Rights Agreement is also available free of charge to AutoZone's stockholders by writing to Investor Relations, AutoZone, Inc., P.O. Box 2198, Dept. 8501, Memphis, TN 38101-2198. This summary description of the Rights is not complete and is qualified by reference to the Rights Agreement, as may be amended from time to time, the terms of which are incorporated by reference. _______________________ Distribution Date generally means the earlier of: (1) the 10th day after public announcement that any person or group has become an Acquiring Person (which, as described under "Flip-In" below, generally means the beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Company's Common Stock), and (2) the 10th business day after the date of the commencement or announcement of an intention to make a tender or exchange offer by any person which would, if consummated, result in such person becoming an Acquiring Person. EX-99 4 PRESS RELEASE Press Release EXHIBIT 99

(AUTOZONE(R) Logo)

123 South Front Street · Memphis, TN · 38103-3607 · (901) 495-6500 · Fax: (901) 495-8300
 
News:
For Immediate Release
Financial Contact: Emma Jo Kauffman
(901) 495-7005
Media contact: Eric Epperson
(901) 495-7307

AUTOZONE BOARD APPROVES STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

MEMPHIS, Tenn (March 21, 2000) -- AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE: AZO), announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a dividend distribution of one Preferred Share Purchase Right on each outstanding share of AutoZone common stock. Subject to limited exceptions, the Rights will be exercisable if a person or group acquires 15% or more of AutoZone's common stock or announces a tender offer for 15% or more of the common stock. Under certain circumstances, each Right will entitle stockholders to buy one one-thousandth of a share of AutoZone's newly created Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock at an exercise price of $125. AutoZone's Board will be entitled to redeem the Rights at $.001 per Right at any time before a person has acquired 15% or more of the outstanding common stock.

The Rights are designed to assure that all AutoZone stockholders receive fair and equal treatment in the event of any proposed takeover and to guard against partial tender offers, open market accumulations and other abusive tactics to gain control of AutoZone without paying all stockholders a control premium. The Rights are not being distributed in response to any specific effort to acquire control of AutoZone. They do not prevent a takeover, but should encourage anyone seeking to acquire AutoZone to negotiate with its Board of Directors prior to attempting a takeover. Initially, the Rights will automatically attach to AutoZone's common stock and will not be transferable separately.

If a person acquires 15% or more of AutoZone's common stock, each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a number of AutoZone's common shares having a market value at that time of twice the Right's exercise price. Rights held by a person who acquires 15% or more of the outstanding common stock will become void and will not be exercisable to purchase shares at the bargain purchase price. If AutoZone is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction which has not been approved by the Board of Directors, each Right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the Right's then-current exercise price, a number of the acquiring company's common shares having a market value at that time of twice the Right's exercise price.

The dividend distribution to establish the new Rights Plan will be payable to stockholders of record on April 14, 2000. The Rights will expire in ten years. The Rights distribution is not taxable to stockholders.

Further details of the Rights plan will be mailed to all AutoZone stockholders.

Separately, the Board of Directors has also amended AutoZone's Bylaws to require that any action of the stockholders be taken only at an annual or special stockholder's meeting, and that special meetings may only be called by the Chairman, the President, or a majority of the members of the Board of Directors.

AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 2,837 AutoZone stores in 40 states in the U.S. plus the District of Columbia and 11 AutoZone stores in Mexico. AutoZone also sells heavy-duty truck parts through 47 TruckPro stores in 14 states, and automotive diagnostic and repair software through ALLDATA and diagnostic and repair information through alldatadiy.com.
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