SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-A FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 (b) OR 12(g) OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Virginia 54-1237042 (State of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 5290 Concourse Drive Roanoke, Virginia 24019 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c), check the following box. [_] If this Form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d), check the following box. [X] Securities Act registration statement file number to which this Form relates: __________ (if applicable) Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Rights to Purchase Series A Participating Preferred Shares, no par value Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares On November 2, 2001, the Board of Directors of Optical Cable Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Company"), declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, no par value, of the Company (the "Common Shares"). The dividend was payable on November 5, 2001 (the "Record Date") to the shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one- thousandth of a Series A Participating Preferred Share of the Company, no par value (the "Preferred Shares"), at a price of $25 (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, as amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company and First Union National Bank, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being the "Distribution Date"), the Rights associated with Common Shares for which share certificates have been issued will be evidenced by such Common Share certificates, and the Rights associated with uncertificated Common Shares, will be evidenced by the registration of ownership of Common Shares in the Company's share register. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an "Acquiring Person" does not include (x) the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (y) any person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" as of November 2, 2001 unless and until such person, together with all affiliates and associates of such person, shall be the beneficial owner of a percentage of the Common Shares then outstanding equal to the sum of .0001% plus the percentage of Common Shares beneficially owned by such person and all affiliates and associates of such person as of November 2, 2001, provided that the foregoing exclusion will cease to apply with respect to any person at such time as such person, together with all affiliates and associates of such person, ceases to beneficially own 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; or (z) any person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" but for the good faith determination by the Board of Directors of the Company that such person has become an "Acquiring Person" inadvertently, provided that such person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person." 2 The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Company's Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights. The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on November 2, 2011 (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares; (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares; or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date (other than the already-declared stock dividend referred to in the first paragraph above). Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will be nonredeemable. Each Preferred Share will have a minimum preferential quarterly dividend rate of $1.00 per share, but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times the dividend declared on the Common Shares. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will receive a preferential liquidation payment for each Preferred Share equal to the greater of $25,000 or 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of a one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, other than 3 Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, proper provision will be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Company's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise. At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.0001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is included as an exhibit to this registration statement. 4 Item 2. Exhibits 1. Articles of Amendment filed November 5, 2001 to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation amending the terms for the Company's Series A Preferred Shares, no par value, including the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended through November 5, 2001 (filed herewith). 2. Bylaws of the Company, as amended (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1997 (file number 0-27022), and incorporated herein by reference). 3. Form of certificate representing the Company's Common Stock, no par value, including Rights legend (filed herewith). 4. Rights Agreement dated as of November 2, 2001, between the Company and First Union National Bank, Rights Agent, (filed herewith). 5. Form of certificate representing Rights (filed herewith). 5 Signature Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized. OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION Date: November 5, 2001 By: /s/ Neil D. Wilkin, Jr. ----------------------- Neil D. Wilkin, Jr. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 6
Exhibit 1 OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT 1. Name. The name of the Corporation is Optical Cable Corporation. ---- 2. The Amendment. The Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation is as ------------- set forth in the attachment hereto. The Amendment adds a Section 4.3 to the Corporation's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. 3. Board Action. At a meeting held on November 2, 2001, the Board of ------------ Directors duly adopted the Amendment. 4. Shareholder Action. Pursuant to Section 13.1-639 of the Code of ------------------ Virginia and Article IV of the Corporation's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, shareholder action was not required to effect the Amendment. Dated: November 2, 2001 OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION By: /s/ NEIL D. WILKIN, JR. -------------------------- Neil D. Wilkin, Jr. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Attachment 4.3 Series A Participating Preferred Shares (a) Designation and Amount. Pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board ---------------------- of Directors of the Corporation on November 2, 2001, 100,000 preferred shares (no par value) are hereby constituted as a series of preferred shares of the Corporation which shall be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Shares" (the "Series A Preferred Shares"), the preferences, limitations and relative rights of which are set forth herein. (b) Dividends and Distribution. -------------------------- (i) The holders of Series A Preferred Shares, in preference to the holders of Common Shares, no par value (the "Common Shares"), of the Corporation 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 fifteenth day of January, April, July and October 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 Shares, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (X) $1.00 or (Y) 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 Common Shares or a subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Shares, 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 Shares. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (Y) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided in this paragraph (i) immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Shares (other than a dividend payable in Common Shares); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Shares 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 Shares shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. 2 Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding Series A Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such Series A Preferred 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. (c) Voting Rights. The holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have ------------- the following voting rights: (i) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares 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 Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (ii) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and the holders of Common Shares shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation. (iii) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred Shares 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 Shares as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action. (d) Certain Restrictions. -------------------- (i) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided in paragraph (b) are in arrears, thereafter and until 3 all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on Series A Preferred Shares outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not: (A) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Shares; (B) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Shares and all such parity shares 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; (C) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any such parity shares in exchange for any shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Shares; or (D) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any Series A Preferred Shares, or any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, 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. (ii) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (d), purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner. (e) Reacquired Shares. Any Series A Preferred Shares 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, and upon the taking of any action required by applicable law, become authorized but unissued preferred shares and may be reissued as part of a new series of preferred shares to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein. (f) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any voluntary -------------------------------------- liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made: 4 (A) to the holders of shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Shares unless, prior thereto, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have received an amount per share equal to the greater of (i) $25,000 per share, or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Shares, plus in each case an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, or (B) to the holders of shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Shares and all other such parity shares 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 Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (g) Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into --------------------------- any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the Common Shares are exchanged for or changed into other shares or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series A Preferred Shares shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of shares, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Shares is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of Series A Preferred Shares shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (h) No Redemption. The Series A Preferred Shares shall not be redeemable. ------------- 5 (i) Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not --------- be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Shares so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of two- thirds or more of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. 6 OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION ARTICLE I Name The name of the corporation is Optical Cable Corporation (the "Corporation"). ARTICLE II Purpose The Corporation is organized to engage in the development, manufacture and sale of optical fiber cables, specialty cables and cable assemblies. In addition, the Corporation shall have the power to engage in any lawful business not required by the Virginia Stock Corporation Act to be stated in the Articles of Incorporation. ARTICLE III Authorized Shares 3.1 Number and Designation. The aggregate number and designation of shares that the Corporation shall have authority to issue are as follows: Number of Class Shares ----- ----------- Preferred, no par value.................... 1,000,000 Common, no par value....................... 100,000,000 3.2 Preemptive Rights. No holder of outstanding shares shall have any preemptive right with respect to (i) any shares of any class of the Corporation, whether now or hereafter authorized, (ii) any warrants, rights or options to purchase any such shares, or (iii) any obligations convertible into any such shares or into warrants, rights or options to purchase any such shares. 7 ARTICLE IV Preferred Shares 4.1 Issuance in Series. (a) The Board of Directors is authorized to issue Preferred Shares from time to time in one or more series and to provide for the designation, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the shares of each series by the adoption of Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation setting forth: (i) The maximum number of shares in the series and the designation of the series, which designation shall distinguish the shares thereof from the shares of any other series or class; (ii) Whether shares of the series shall have special, conditional or limited voting rights, or no right to vote, except to the extent prohibited by law; (iii) Whether shares of the series are redeemable or convertible (x) at the option of the corporation, a shareholder or another person or upon the occurrence of a designated event, (y) for cash, indebtedness, securities or other property, and (z) in a designated amount or in an amount determined in accordance with a designated formula or by reference to extrinsic data or events; (iv) Any right of holders of shares of the series to distributions, calculated in any manner, including the rate or rates of dividends, and whether dividends shall be cumulative, noncumulative or partially cumulative; (v) The amount payable upon the shares of the series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation; and (vi) Any other preferences, limitations or specified rights (including a right that no transaction of a specified nature shall be consummated while any shares of such series remain outstanding except upon the assent of all or a specified portion of such shares) now or hereafter permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 4.1. (b) All Preferred Shares, regardless of series, shall rank on a parity with all other Preferred Stock as to dividends (whether or not the dividend rates or payment dates are different) and as to rights in the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of affairs of the Corporation (whether or not the redemption or liquidation prices are different). 4.2 Articles of Amendment. Before the issuance of any shares of a series, Articles of Amendment establishing such series shall be filed with and made effective by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia, as required by law. 8 4.3 Series A Participating Preferred Shares (a) Designation and Amount. Pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board ---------------------- of Directors of the Corporation on November 2, 2001, 100,000 preferred shares (no par value) are hereby constituted as a series of preferred shares of the Corporation which shall be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Shares" (the "Series A Preferred Shares"), the preferences, limitations and relative rights of which are set forth herein. (b) Dividends and Distribution. -------------------------- (i) The holders of Series A Preferred Shares, in preference to the holders of Common Shares, no par value (the "Common Shares"), of the Corporation 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 fifteenth day of January, April, July and October 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 Shares, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (X) $1.00 or (Y) 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 Common Shares or a subdivision of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Shares, 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 Shares. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (Y) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided in this paragraph (i) immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Shares (other than a dividend payable in Common Shares); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Shares 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 Shares shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding Series A Preferred Shares from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such 9 Series A Preferred 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares 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 Series A Preferred Shares entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof. (c) Voting Rights. The holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have ------------- the following voting rights: (i) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Shares shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares 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 Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (ii) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and the holders of Common Shares shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation. (iii) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred Shares 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 Shares as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action. (d) Certain Restrictions. -------------------- (i) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided in paragraph (b) are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on Series A Preferred Shares outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not: 10 (A) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Shares; (B) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Shares and all such parity shares 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; (C) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any such parity shares in exchange for any shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Shares; or (D) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any Series A Preferred Shares, or any shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, 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. (ii) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (d), purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner. (e) Reacquired Shares. Any Series A Preferred Shares 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, and upon the taking of any action required by applicable law, become authorized but unissued preferred shares and may be reissued as part of a new series of preferred shares to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein. (f) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any voluntary -------------------------------------- liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made: (A) to the holders of shares of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A 11 Preferred Shares unless, prior thereto, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall have received an amount per share equal to the greater of (i) $25,000 per share, or (ii) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Shares, plus in each case an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, or (B) to the holders of shares of the Corporation ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Shares, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Shares and all other such parity shares 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 Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of Series A Preferred Shares were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (A) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (g) Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into --------------------------- any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the Common Shares are exchanged for or changed into other shares or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the Series A Preferred Shares shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of shares, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Shares is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on Common Shares payable in Common Shares, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of Series A Preferred Shares shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to such event. (h) No Redemption. The Series A Preferred Shares shall not be redeemable. ------------- (i) Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not --------- be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Shares so as to affect them adversely without 12 the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. ARTICLE V Common Shares 5.1 Voting Rights. The holders of outstanding Common Shares shall, to the exclusion of the holders of any other class of shares of the Corporation, have the sole power to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes without limitation, except (i) as otherwise provided in the Articles of Amendment establishing any series of Preferred Shares or (ii) as may be required by law. 5.2 Distributions. Subject to the rights of the holders of shares, if any, ranking senior to the Common Shares as to dividends or rights in the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, the holders of the Common Shares shall be entitled to distributions, including dividends, when declared by the Board of Directors and to the net assets of the Corporation upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation. ARTICLE VI Limit on Liability and Indemnification 6.1 Definition. For purposes of this Article the following definitions shall apply: (i) "Corporation" means this corporation only and no predecessor entity or other legal entity; (ii) "expenses" include counsel fees, expert witness fees, and costs of investigation, litigation and appeal, as well as any amounts expended in asserting a claim for indemnification; (iii) "liability" means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine, or other such obligation, including, without limitation, any excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan; (iv) "legal entity" means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise; (v) "predecessor entity" means a legal entity the existence of which ceased upon its acquisition by the Corporation in a merger or otherwise; and (vi) "proceeding" means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, proceeding or appeal whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal. 13 6.2 Limit on Liability. In every instance in which the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, as it exists on the date hereof or may hereafter be amended, permits the limitation or elimination of liability of directors or officers of a corporation to the corporation or its shareholders, the directors and officers of this Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its shareholders. 6.3 Indemnification of Directors and Officers. The Corporation shall indemnify any individual who is, was or is threatened to be made a party to a proceeding (including a proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation) because such individual is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or because such individual is or was serving the Corporation, or any other legal entity in any capacity at the request of the Corporation while a director or officer of the Corporation, against all liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred in the proceeding except such liabilities and expenses as are incurred because of such individual's willful misconduct or knowing violation of the criminal law. Service as a director or officer of a legal entity controlled by the Corporation shall be deemed service at the request of the Corporation. The determination that indemnification under this Section 6.3 is permissible and the evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses in a specific case shall be made, in the case of a director, as provided by law, and in the case of an officer, as provided in Section 6.4 of this Article; provided, however, that if a majority of the directors of the Corporation has changed after the date of the alleged conduct giving rise to a claim for indemnification, such determination and evaluation shall, at the option of the person claiming indemnification, be made by special legal counsel agreed upon by the Board of Directors and such person. Unless a determination has been made that indemnification is not permissible, the Corporation shall make advances and reimbursements for expenses incurred by a director or officer in a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking from such director or officer to repay the same if it is ultimately determined that such director or officer is not entitled to indemnification. Such undertaking shall be an unlimited, unsecured general obligation of the director or officer and shall be accepted without reference to such director's or officer's ability to make repayment. The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not of itself create a presumption that a director or officer acted in such a manner as to make such director or officer ineligible for indemnification. The Corporation is authorized to contract in advance to indemnify and make advances and reimbursement for expenses to any of its directors or officers to the same extent provided in this Section 6.3. 6.4 Indemnification of Others. The Corporation may, to a lesser extent or to the same extent that it is required to provide indemnification and make advances and reimbursements for expenses to its directors and officers pursuant to Section 6.3, provide indemnification and make advances and reimbursements for expenses to its employees and agents, the directors, officers, employees and agents of its subsidiaries and predecessor entities, and any person servicing any other legal entity in any capacity at the request of the Corporation, and may contract in advance to do so. The determination that indemnification and the evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses in a specific case shall be made as authorized from time to time by general or specific action of the Board of Directors, which action may be taken before or after a claim for 14 indemnification is made, or as otherwise provided by law. No person's rights under Section 6.3 of this Article shall be limited by the provisions of this Section 6.4. 6.5 Miscellaneous. The rights of each person entitled to indemnification under this Article shall inure to the benefit of such person's heirs, executors and administrators. Special legal counsel selected to make determinations under this Article may be counsel for the Corporation. Indemnification pursuant to this Article shall not be exclusive of any other right of indemnification to which any person may be entitled, including indemnification pursuant to a valid contract, indemnification by legal entities other than the Corporation and indemnification under policies of insurance purchased and maintained by the Corporation or others. However, no person shall be entitled to indemnification by the Corporation to the extent such person is indemnified by another, including an insurer. The Corporation is authorized to purchase and maintain insurance against any liability it may have under this Article or to protect any of the persons named above against any liability arising from their service to the Corporation or any other legal entity at the request of the Corporation regardless of the Corporation's power to indemnify against such liability. The provisions of this Article shall not be deemed to preclude the Corporation from entering into contracts otherwise permitted by law with any individuals or legal entities, including those named above. If any provision of this Article or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Article, and to this end the provisions of this Article are severable. 6.6 Application; Amendments. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable from and after its adoption even though some or all of the underlying conduct or events relating to a proceeding may have occurred before its adoption. No amendment, modification or repeal of this Article shall diminish the rights provided hereunder to any person arising from conduct or events occurring before the adoption of such amendment, modification or repeal. 15
Exhibit 3 FORM OF STOCK CERTIFICATE COMMON STOCK A CORPORATION ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS THIS CERTIFIES THAT IS THE OWNER OF FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION (THE "CORPORATION") transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar. WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers. DATED: Countersigned: First Union National Bank Transfer Agent AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE By: PRESIDENT By: SECRETARY OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION ---------- The Corporation will furnish any stockholder on request and without charge a full statement of the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of the stock of each class of stock which the Corporation is authorized to issue, or of the differences in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series of a class in series which the Corporation is authorized to issue, to the extent they have been set, and the authority of the board of directors to set the relative rights and preferences of subsequent series or classes. Such request may be made to the Secretary of the Corporation or to its Transfer Agent. The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: TEN COM -- as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -- .. Custodian .. TEN ENT -- as tenants by the entireties (Cust) (Minor) JT TEN -- as joint tenants with right of under Uniform Gifts to Minors survivorship and not as tenants Act .................. in common (State) Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. For value received, _____________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ________________________________________________________________shares of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________________________________________ Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises. Dated ____________________ ---------------------------------------------- NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Optical Cable Corporation and First Union National Bank, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Optical Cable Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Optical Cable Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) may become null and void. SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED ______________________________________________________ THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17AD-15.
Exhibit 4 ________________________________________________________________________________ OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION, a Virginia Corporation AND FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK Rights Agent RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of November 2, 2001 ________________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents EXHIBITS -------- Exhibit A - Form of Right Certificate Exhibit B - Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares
Section Page 1. Certain Definitions......................................................................... 1 2. Appointment of Rights Agent................................................................. 4 3. Issue of Right Certificates................................................................. 4 4. Form of Right Certificates.................................................................. 6 5. Countersignature and Registration........................................................... 6 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates................................................ 7 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights............................... 7 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.......................................... 8 9. Availability of Preferred Shares............................................................ 8 10. Preferred Shares Record Date................................................................ 8 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.......................... 9 12 Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.................................. 13 13 Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power........ 14 14 Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..................................................... 14 15 Rights of Action............................................................................ 15 16 Agreement of Right Holders.................................................................. 15 17 Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder........................................... 16 18 Concerning the Rights Agent................................................................. 16 19 Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent................................... 16 20 Duties of Rights Agent...................................................................... 17 21 Change of Rights Agent...................................................................... 19 22 Issuance of New Right Certificates.......................................................... 19 23 Redemption.................................................................................. 20 24 Exchange.................................................................................... 20 25 Notice of Certain Events.................................................................... 21 26 Notices..................................................................................... 21 27 Supplements and Amendments.................................................................. 22 28 Successors.................................................................................. 22 29 Benefits of this Agreement.................................................................. 22 30 Severability................................................................................ 22 31 Governing Law............................................................................... 23 32 Counterparts................................................................................ 23 33 Descriptive Headings........................................................................ 23 RIGHTS AGREEMENT ---------------- This Rights Agreement (this "Agreement"), dated as of November 2, 2001, is entered into between Optical Cable Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Corporation"), and First Union National Bank, as rights agent (the "Rights Agent"). The Board of Directors of the Corporation has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share of the Corporation outstanding on November 5, 2001 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding (x) between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are defined in Sections 3 and 7 hereof) or (y) after the Distribution Date but before the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, if such Common Share became outstanding (A) upon the exercise of a stock option, (B) pursuant to any employee plan or arrangement, or (C) upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of any other security (other than a Right), which option, plan, arrangement or other security was granted, established or issued, as the case may be, by the Corporation before the Distribution Date (collectively, "Post-Distribution Shares Bearing Rights"). Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows: Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated: (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Corporation then outstanding, but shall not include the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Corporation 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 Corporation then outstanding; provided that if a Person shall -------- become the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Corporation then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Corporation and shall, after such share purchases by the Corporation, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common Shares of the Corporation, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Person who would otherwise qualify as an Acquiring Person as of November 2, 2001 pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a) shall not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person for any purpose of this Agreement on and after such date unless and until such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of a percentage of Common Shares of the Company then outstanding equal to the sum of .0001% and the percentage of Common Shares of the Company Beneficially Owned by such Person and all Affiliates and Associates of such Person as of November 2, 2001; provided that -------- the foregoing exclusion shall cease to apply with respect to any Person at such time as such Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, ceases to Beneficially Own 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Corporation then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Corporation determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement. (b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. (c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement. (d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities: (i) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided that a Person shall not be deemed the -------- Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided -------- that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Corporation. Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Corporation, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder. Rights Agreement Page 2 (e) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in Roanoke, Virginia or Charlotte, North Carolina are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. (f) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on such date; provided that, if such date is not -------- a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on the next succeeding Business Day. (g) "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Corporation shall mean the shares of Common Stock, no par value, of the Corporation. "Common Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Corporation shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power, or having power to control or direct the management, of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person. (h) "Corporation" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof. (i) "current per share market price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof. (j) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof. (k) "equivalent preferred shares" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) hereof. (l) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (m) "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 24(a) hereof. (n) "Exchangeable Share" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof. (o) "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof. (p) "NASDAQ" shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System. (q) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity. (r) "Post-Distribution Shares Bearing Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement. (s) "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation having the rights and preferences set forth in the Articles of Amendment establishing such series of preferred stock. (t) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) hereof. (u) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof. (v) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a) hereof. Rights Agreement Page 3 (w) "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 23(a) hereof. (x) "Rights Agent" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof. (y) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph hereof. (z) "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a) hereof. (aa) "Security" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof. (bb) "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such. (cc) "Subsidiary" of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person. (dd) "Summary of Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof. (ee) "Trading Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) hereof. Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Corporation hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall, prior to the Distribution Date, also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent. In the event the Corporation appoints one or more co- Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agents will be as the Corporation may determine. Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, the close of business on the Record Date) or (ii) the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary of the Corporation or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights associated with Common Shares for which share certificates have been issued will be evidenced by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates, (y) the Rights associated with uncertificated Common Shares will be evidenced by the registration of the Common Shares in the Corporation's share register in the names of the holders thereof (which registration shall also be deemed to be registration of ownership of the associated Right) and not by separate Right Certificates and (z) the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Rights Agreement Page 4 Final Expiration Date), the transfer of any Common Shares shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date (and subsequently with respect to each issuance of Post-Distribution Shares Bearing Rights), the Corporation will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Corporation will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send, at the expense of the Corporation) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (or the date of issuance in the case of Post-Distribution Shares Bearing Rights), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Corporation, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each share of Common Shares so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates. The failure to mail any such Rights Certificate shall not affect the legality or validity of the Rights. (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Corporation will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Corporation. The failure to send a copy of a Summary of Rights shall not affect the legality or validity of the Rights. (c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding, or initial transaction or subsequent periodic statements issued with respect to uncertificated Common Shares (whether upon issuance out of authorized but unissued Common Shares, issuance out of treasury, or issuance upon transfer or exchange of outstanding Common Shares) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them, in the case of share certificates, the following legend: This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, as amended, between Optical Cable Corporation and First Union National Bank, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Optical Cable Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Optical Cable Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) will become null and void. and in the case of initial transaction or subsequent periodic statements with respect to uncertificated Common Shares, the following legend: The registration in the share register of Optical Cable Corporation of the shares of common stock to which this initial transaction statement relates also evidences and entitles the registered holder of such shares to certain rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement, as amended, between Optical Cable Corporation and First Union National Bank, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of Optical Cable Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Optical Cable Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) will become null and void. Rights Agreement Page 5 Until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by certificates (whether or not containing the foregoing legend) shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. Until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares with respect to which such initial transaction or subsequent periodic statements are issued (whether or not containing the foregoing legend) shall be evidenced solely by the registration of ownership of such Common Shares in the share register of the Corporation, and the registration of transfer of ownership in such share register shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares whose ownership is so transferred. In the event that the Corporation 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 Corporation shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding. Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit A hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation 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 automated quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of 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, but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein. Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Corporation's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Corporation who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Corporation, such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Corporation with the same force and effect as though the Person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Corporation; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Corporation by any Person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Corporation to sign such Right Certificate although at the date of the execution of this Rights 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 and the date of each of the Right Certificates. Rights Agreement Page 6 Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of 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, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the principal office of the Rights Agent. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Corporation shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right Certificate 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 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 Corporation shall reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall (subject to Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 24 hereof) countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates. Upon receipt by the Corporation 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 Corporation's or Rights Agent's request, reimbursement to the Corporation 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 Corporation will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein), in whole or in part, at any time after the Distribution Date, upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on November 2, 2011 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption Date") or (iii) the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof. (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $25, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof (the "Purchase Price") and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below. (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check, cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Corporation, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition Rights Agreement Page 7 from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the number of Preferred Shares to be purchased and the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizes any such transfer agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) requisition from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing 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 of the Preferred Shares with such depositary agent) and the Corporation hereby directs such depositary agent to comply with such request; (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof; (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, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate. (d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof. Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Corporation 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 cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Corporation 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 Corporation otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Corporation, or shall, at the written request of the Corporation, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and, in such case, shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Corporation. Section 9. Availability of Preferred Shares. The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its treasury, the number of Preferred Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights in accordance with Section 7. The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares. The Corporation further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Corporation shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Corporation's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due. Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the Preferred Shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the Rights Agreement Page 8 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 that if the date of such surrender and payment is a -------- date upon which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Corporation are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Corporation are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Corporation, except as provided herein. Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11. (a) (i) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare 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 Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Corporation were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification. (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the Corporation as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Corporation's Common Shares (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Corporation shall not take any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. From and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof; no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate; and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person whose Rights would be void pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be cancelled. Rights Agreement Page 9 (iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Corporation shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Corporation shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares (which term shall include for purposes of this subparagraph (iii) other shares of the Corporation's Preferred Stock having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Series A Participating Preferred Stock if and to the extent there shall not be sufficient Common Shares or shares of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this subparagraph (iii)) or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof. (b) In case the Corporation 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 shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares 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 outstanding on such record date plus the number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Preferred Shares owned by or held for the account of the Corporation shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. (c) In case the Corporation 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 Corporation is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that Rights Agreement Page 10 such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed. (d) (i) 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(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date; provided that in the event that the current per -------- share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each 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 Corporation. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or quoted is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange or quoted on any automated quotation system, a Business Day. (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one thousand. If neither the Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. (e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are -------- not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights. Rights Agreement Page 11 (f) If, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Corporation other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares. (g) All Rights originally issued by the Corporation 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. (h) Unless the Corporation shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share) obtained by (A) multiplying (x) the number of one one-thousandths of a share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price. (i) The Corporation 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 purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of 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 ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Corporation shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Corporation shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Corporation, 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 Corporation, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement. (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of 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 and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder. Rights Agreement Page 12 (k) 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 issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Corporation shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Corporation may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price. (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other -------- appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment. (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Corporation 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 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 Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such shareholders. (n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Corporation shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (A) the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (B) each Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected. Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof, the Corporation shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained, and shall not be obligated or responsible for calculating any adjustment, nor shall it be deemed to have knowledge of such an adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate. Rights Agreement Page 13 Section 13. Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, at any time after a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Corporation shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the Corporation, or merge with and into the Corporation and the Corporation shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger, or consummate a share exchange with the Corporation, and, in connection with such merger or share exchange, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Corporation) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Corporation shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Corporation or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Corporation as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Corporation pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Corporation" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Corporation shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Corporation and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The Corporation shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers. Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, Rights Agreement Page 14 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 Corporation. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used. (b) The Corporation 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 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). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Corporation 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 Corporation shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise. (c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above). Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Corporation to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of any Person subject to, this Agreement. Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Corporation and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that: (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares; (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and Rights Agreement Page 15 (c) the Corporation 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, in the case of certificated Common Shares, or, in the case of uncertificated Common Shares, the associated Common Shares reflected on the Corporation's share register) 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, in the case of certificated Common Shares, the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Corporation 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 shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof. Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Corporation agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent, its directors, officers, employees and agents for, and to hold each of them 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 or such other indemnified party in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises. The indemnity provided for herein shall survive the expiration of the Rights, the termination of this Agreement, and the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent. The reasonable costs and expenses of enforcing this right of indemnification shall also be paid by the Corporation. The Rights Agent may conclusively rely upon and 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 Common Shares or for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof. Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust powers 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 fact on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the Rights Agreement Page 16 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. Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement, and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent, upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Corporation and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound: (a) Before the Rights Agent acts or refrains from acting, the Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Corporation), and the advice or 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 advice or opinion. (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Corporation 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, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate. (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Corporation and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only. (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Preferred Shares to be Rights Agreement Page 17 issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable. (f) The Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement. (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Corporation, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Corporation shall be addressed and delivered in accordance with Section 26 of this Agreement and may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Rights Agent shall not be liable 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 in such application (which date shall not be less than ten Business Days after the date any officer of the Corporation actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent shall have received written instruction in response to such application subject to the proposed action or omission and/or specifying the action to be taken or omitted. (h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Corporation 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 Corporation or for any other legal entity. (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Corporation resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided the Rights Agent was not grossly negligent in the selection and continued employment thereof. (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. (k) Except as may be otherwise specified in this Agreement, the Rights Agent shall not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any fact, event or determination (including, without limitation, any dates or events defined in this Agreement or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate) under this Agreement unless and until the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing by the Corporation of such fact, event or determination. Rights Agreement Page 18 (l) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits) unless such loss or damage results directly from the Rights Agent's willful misconduct or bad faith. Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Corporation and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and at the expense of the Corporation to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Corporation may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Corporation shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Corporation shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right Certificate for inspection by the Corporation), 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 Corporation or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of North Carolina (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of North Carolina), in good standing, having an office in the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of North Carolina or the State of New York, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. 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 Corporation shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be. Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Corporation 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 redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Corporation (a) shall, with respect to Common Shares so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement (so long as such options, plan or arrangement were granted or established by the Corporation prior to the Distribution Date), or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of any other securities issued by the Corporation after the Record Date and prior to the Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other case if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale. Rights Agreement Page 19 Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option, at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.0001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors of the Corporation, in its sole discretion, may establish. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided that the -------- failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Corporation shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Corporation nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common Shares prior to the Distribution Date. Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 3(a) or Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Corporation, any Subsidiary of the Corporation, any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding. (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Corporation shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided -------- that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Corporation promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 3(a) or Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights. Rights Agreement Page 20 (c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional Common Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Corporation shall, after good faith effort, be unable to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional Common Shares, the Corporation shall substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of Preferred Shares or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Preferred Share multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof. (d) The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Corporation 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. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24. Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Corporation shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, or (vi) 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 Corporation shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier. (b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then the Corporation shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof. Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Corporation 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: Rights Agreement Page 21 Optical Cable Corporation 5290 Concourse Drive Roanoke, Virginia 24019 Attention: Chief Financial Officer Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sent by Federal Express or another overnight courier service, registered or certified mail and shall be deemed given upon receipt and addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Corporation) as follows: First Union National Bank 1525 West W.T. Harris Boulevard, 3C3 Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-1153 Attention: Equity Services Group Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Corporation or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Corporation. Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Corporation may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights which the Corporation may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Corporation and the Rights Agent; provided that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring -------- Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no supplement or amendment that changes the rights, duties or liabilities of the Rights Agent under this Agreement shall be effective without the consent of the Rights Agent. Upon delivery of a certificate from an officer of the Corporation which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Corporation or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder. Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of 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 Corporation, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares). Section 30. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. Rights Agreement Page 22 Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Section 32. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. Section 33. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written. FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK as Rights Agent By: /s/ Rhonda D. Whitley ------------------------------ Name: Rhonda D. Whitley ---------------------------- Title: Trust Officer --------------------------- : OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION By: /s/ Neil D. Wilkin, Jr. ------------------------- Name: Neil D. Wilkin, Jr. ------------------------- Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer ------------------------- Rights Agreement Page 23 Exhibit A Form of Right Certificate Certificate No. R- _______ Rights NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 2, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. Right Certificate OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION This certifies that _________________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Optical Cable Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Corporation"), and First Union National Bank (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Corporation at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on November 2, 2011 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation, (the "Preferred Shares") at a purchase price of $25 (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of November 5, 2001, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events. This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Corporation and the offices of the Rights Agent. This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of $.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged by the Corporation in whole or in part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Corporation's Common Stock, no par value. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement. This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent. WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation and its corporate seal. Dated as of ______, ____. FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK By: _______________________________ Name: Title: OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION By: _________________________________ Name: Title: Rights Agreement Exhibit A Page 2 Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate FORM OF ASSIGNMENT (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.) FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ______________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ___________________________________________ (Please print name and address of transferee) this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________________________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Corporation, with full power of substitution. Dated: _________, Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust Corporation having an office or correspondent in the United States. The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). Signature --------------------------------- Rights Agreement Exhibit A Page 3 Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Right Certificate.) To: Optical Cable Corporation The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of: Please insert social security or other identifying number (Please print name and address) If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: Please insert social security or other identifying number (Please print name and address) Dated:____________, Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust Corporation having an office or correspondent in the United States. ------------------------------------------ Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). Signature Rights Agreement Exhibit A Page 4 -------------------------------------------------------- NOTICE The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Corporation and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored. Exhibit B Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares On November 2, 2001, the Board of Directors of Optical Cable Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Corporation"), declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, no par value, of the Corporation (the "Common Shares"). The dividend was payable on November 5, 2001 (the "Record Date") to the shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Corporation one one-thousandth of a Series A Participating Preferred Share of the Corporation, no par value (the "Preferred Shares") at a price of $25 (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) per one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Corporation and First Union National Bank as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"). Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") have acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation prior to such time as any person or group of affiliated persons becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (the earlier of such dates being the "Distribution Date"), the Rights will be represented by the certificates for the associated Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an "Acquiring Person" does not include (x) the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (y) any person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" as of November 2, 2001 unless and until such person, together with all affiliates and associates of such person, shall be the beneficial owner of a percentage of the Common Shares then outstanding equal to the sum of .0001% plus the percentage of Common Shares beneficially owned by such person and all affiliates and associates of such person as of November 2, 2001, provided that the foregoing exclusion will cease to apply with respect to any person at such time as such person, together with all affiliates and associates of such person, ceases to beneficially own 15% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding; or (z) any person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person" but for the good faith determination by the Board of Directors of the Company that such person has become an "Acquiring Person" inadvertently, provided that such person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person." Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), (i) the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares, and (ii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Shares. Following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights will be mailed to holders of record of the Corporation's Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, such separate Right certificates alone will evidence the Rights. Except in certain limited circumstances, only Common Shares issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with associated Rights. The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on November 2, 2011, (the "Final Expiration Date"), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Corporation, in each case, as described below. The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Shares; (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Shares of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Shares at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price, less than the then-current market price of the Preferred Shares; or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above). The number of outstanding Rights and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share issuable upon exercise of each Right are also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or subdivisions, consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date. Preferred Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will be nonredeemable. Each Preferred Share will have a minimum preferential quarterly dividend rate of $1.00 per share, but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 1,000 times any dividend declared on the Common Shares. In the event of liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Shares will receive a preferential liquidation payment equal to the greater of $25,000 or 1,000 times the payment made per Common Share. Each Preferred Share will have 1,000 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which Common Shares are exchanged, each Preferred Share will be entitled to receive 1,000 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions. Because of the nature of the Preferred Shares' dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of a one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share purchasable upon exercise of each Right should approximate the value of one Common Share. In the event that any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Common Shares having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or one one- thousandth of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or series of the Corporation's preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment). With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts) and, in lieu Rights Agreement Exhibit B Page 2 thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise. At any time prior to the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or associated persons of beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.0001 per Right (the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time on such basis with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price. The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Corporation without the consent of the holders of the Rights, except that from and after such time as any person or group of affiliated or associated persons becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends. 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 dated November 5, 2001. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Corporation. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. * * * * * * Rights Agreement Exhibit B Page 3
Exhibit 5 Form of Right Certificate Certificate No. R- _______ Rights NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 2, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.0001 PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. Right Certificate OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION This certifies that _________________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the "Rights Agreement"), between Optical Cable Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the "Corporation"), and First Union National Bank (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Corporation at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on November 2, 2011 at the principal office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Corporation, (the "Preferred Shares") at a purchase price of $25 (subject to adjustment as provided in the Rights Agreement) per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of one one- thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of November 5, 2001, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events. This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Corporation and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Corporation and the offices of the Rights Agent. This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Corporation at a redemption price of $.0001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged by the Corporation in whole or in part for Preferred Shares or shares of the Corporation's Common Stock, no par value. No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election of the Corporation, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Corporation which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement. This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent. WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Corporation and its corporate seal. Dated as of ______, ____. FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK By: _______________________________ Name: Title: OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION By: _______________________________ Name: Title: Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate FORM OF ASSIGNMENT (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.) FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ____________________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ________________________________ (Please print name and address of transferee) this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ____________________________________ Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Corporation, with full power of substitution. Dated: ______________________________, Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust Corporation having an office or correspondent in the United States. The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). Signature ------------------------------------------- Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights represented by the Right Certificate.) To: Optical Cable Corporation The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of: Please insert social security or other identifying number (Please print name and address) If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to: Please insert social security or other identifying number (Please print name and address) Dated:____________, Signature Signature Guaranteed: Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust Corporation having an office or correspondent in the United States. --------------------------------------------- Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement). Signature -------------------------------------------------------- NOTICE The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not completed, the Corporation and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement) and such Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.