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COMMON STOCK RIGHTS PLAN
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Common Stock Rights Plan [Abstract]  
Common Stock Rights Plan [Text Block]
11.
COMMON STOCK RIGHTS PLAN
 
In September 1995, our Board of Directors adopted a Common Stock Rights Plan (the Rights Plan) and declared a dividend of one common share purchase right (a Right) for each of the then outstanding shares of the common stock of the Company. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one share of common stock at an initial purchase price of $70.00 per share, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Co., as Rights Agent.
 
The Rights (as amended) become exercisable and transferable apart from the common stock upon the earlier of i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group (Acquiring Person) has, without the prior consent of the Continuing Directors (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding common stock or ii) 10 days following commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding common stock (the earlier of such dates being called the Distribution Date).
 
Upon the Distribution Date, the holder of each Right not owned by the Acquiring Person would be entitled to purchase common stock at a discount to the initial purchase price of $70.00 per share, effectively equal to one half of the market price of a share of common stock on the date the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person. If, after the Distribution Date, the Company should consolidate or merge with any other entity and the Company were not the surviving company, or, if the Company were the surviving company, all or part of the Company’s common stock were changed or exchanged into the securities of any other entity, or if more than 50% of the Company’s assets or earning power were sold, each Right would entitle its holder to purchase, at the Rights’ then current purchase price, a number of shares of the acquiring company’s common stock having a market value at that time equal to twice the Right’s exercise price.
 
At any time after a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding common stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of common stock per Right (subject to adjustment). At any time prior to 14 days following the date that any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person (subject to extension by the Board of Directors), the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the then outstanding Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.005 per Right, subject to adjustment.
 
On June 8, 2005, our Board of Directors voted to authorize an amendment of the Rights Agreement to extend the Final Expiration Date by an additional three years to September 19, 2008. As of June 30, 2005, we entered into an amendment to the Rights Agreement with the Rights Agent reflecting such extension. No other changes were made to the terms of the Rights or the Rights Agreement at that time. On June 6, 2008, our Board of Directors voted to authorize amendments of the Rights Agreement to extend the Final Expiration Date by an additional three years to September 19, 2011 and to increase the ownership threshold for determining Acquiring Person status from 15% to 18%. As of June 30, 2008, we entered into an amendment to the Rights Agreement with the Rights Agent reflecting such extension and threshold increase. No other changes were made to the terms of the Rights or the Rights Agreement at that time. On August 5, 2011, our Board of Directors voted to authorize amendments of the Rights Agreement to extend the Final Expiration Date by an additional three years to September 19, 2014 and to increase the ownership threshold for determining Acquiring Person status from 18% to 20%. As of August 9, 2011, we entered into an amendment to the Rights Agreement with the Rights Agent reflecting such extension and threshold increase. No other changes were made to the terms of the Rights or the Rights Agreement at that time.
  
Our Board of Directors believes that there is some risk that the potential value of the Mast Out® product development initiative may not be fairly reflected in the market price of our common stock, as it fluctuates from time to time, and that opportunistic buyers could take advantage of that disparity to the detriment of our stockholders. If this were to happen and result in a potential threat through an unsolicited acquisition effort or otherwise, our Board of Directors feels that the Rights Plan could enhance stockholder value by providing management with negotiating leverage.