8-K
false--12-31000172644500017264452026-02-262026-02-26

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

February 26, 2026

 

 

Seer, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

 

001-39747

 

82-1153150

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(Commission

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation)

 

File Number)

 

Identification No.)

3800 Bridge Parkway, Suite 102

Redwood City, California 94065

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

650-453-0000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last reports)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share

SEER

The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

(The NASDAQ Global Select Market)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


 

Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

As of February 26, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Seer, Inc. (the “Company”) authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 9, 2026 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company at an exercise price of $11.00 (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment. The complete terms of the Rights are set forth in a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan (the “Plan”), dated as of February 26, 2026, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.

By adopting the Plan, the Board is seeking to protect the Company’s ability to use its net operating losses and other tax attributes (collectively, “Tax Benefits”). The Company views its Tax Benefits as highly valuable assets of the Company that are likely to inure to the benefit of the Company and its stockholders. However, if the Company experiences an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), its ability to use the Tax Benefits could be substantially limited, and the timing of the usage of the Tax Benefits could be substantially delayed; these could significantly impair the value of the Tax Benefits. Generally, an “ownership change” occurs if the percentage of the Company’s stock owned by one or more “five percent stockholders” increases by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such stockholders at any time during the prior three-year period or, if sooner, since the last “ownership change” experienced by the Company. The Plan is intended to deter acquisitions of 4.9 percent or more of the outstanding Common Stock by any person without the approval of the Board. This would protect the Tax Benefits because changes in ownership by a person owning less than 4.9 percent of the Common Stock are not included in the calculation of “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382 of the Code. The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits by adopting the Plan.

The following is a summary of the terms of the Plan. The summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Plan, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. Unless the context requires otherwise, any capitalized terms used in the following summary that are not otherwise defined will have the meaning given to such terms in the Plan.

Distribution and Transfer of Rights; Rights Certificates:

The Board has declared a dividend of one Right for each outstanding share of Common Stock. Prior to the Distribution Date referred to below:

the Rights will be evidenced by and trade with the certificates for the Common Stock (or, with respect to any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, by notation in book entry), and no separate rights certificates will be distributed;
new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a legend incorporating the Plan by reference (for uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, this legend will be contained in a notation in book entry); and
the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock (or the surrender for transfer of any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form) will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Stock.

 

Rights will accompany any new shares of Common Stock that are issued after the Record Date.

 

 


 

Distribution Date:

Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Plan, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable following (1) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (such person or group, an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock or (2) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer that would result in ownership by a person or group of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock. For purposes of the Plan, beneficial ownership is defined to include the ownership of derivative securities as well as ownership of securities pursuant to Section 382 of the Code.

 

The date on which the Rights separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable is referred to as the “Distribution Date.”

 

After the Distribution Date, the Company will mail Rights certificates to the Company’s stockholders as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and the Rights will become transferable apart from the Common Stock. Thereafter, such Rights certificates alone will represent the Rights.

 

Preferred Stock Purchasable Upon Exercise of Rights:

After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock having economic and other terms similar to that of one share of Common Stock. This portion of a share of Preferred Stock is intended to give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one share of Common Stock, and should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.

 

More specifically, each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, if issued, will:

not be redeemable;
entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $0.001 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, or an amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater;
entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or an amount equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater;
have the same voting power as one share of Common Stock; and
entitle holders to a payment per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock if the Common Stock is exchanged via merger, consolidation or a similar transaction.

 

Flip-In Trigger:

If an Acquiring Person obtains beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock, then each Right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price. However, the Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the foregoing event until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company, as further described below.

 

 


 

 

Following the occurrence of an event set forth in preceding paragraph, all Rights that are or, under certain circumstances specified in the Plan, were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or certain of its transferees will be void.

 

Flip-Over Trigger:

If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock, (1) the Company merges into another entity, (2) an acquiring entity merges into the Company or (3) the Company sells or transfers 50 percent or more of its assets, cash flow or earning power, then each Right (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above) will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of shares of common stock of the person engaging in the transaction having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price.

 

Redemption of the Rights:

The Rights will be redeemable at the Company’s option for $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board) at any time on or prior to the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that an Acquiring Person has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock. Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of the Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company undertakes a stock dividend or a stock split.

 

Exchange Provision:

At any time after the date on which an Acquiring Person beneficially owns 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50 percent of the Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above), in whole or in part, for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). In certain circumstances, the Company may elect to exchange the Rights for cash or other securities of the Company having a value approximately equal to one share of Common Stock.

 

Expiration of the Rights:

The Rights expire on the earliest of (1) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 25, 2029 (unless such date is extended); (2) the redemption or exchange of the Rights as described above; (3) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 25, 2027, if the Company’s stockholders do not ratify the Plan; or (4) when the Board, its sole discretion, determines that (a) the Plan is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Tax Benefits, (b) the Tax Benefits are fully utilized or no longer available pursuant to Section 382 or Section 383 of the Code, (c) no Tax Benefits may be carried forward or (d) the Plan and the Rights are no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

 

Amendment of Terms of the Plan and Rights:

The terms of the Rights and the Plan may be amended in any respect without the consent of the holders of the Rights on or prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Plan may be amended without the consent of the holders of Rights in order to (1) cure any ambiguities, (2) shorten or lengthen any time period pursuant to the Plan or (3) make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

 

Voting Rights; Other Stockholder Rights:

The Rights will not have any voting rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no separate rights as stockholder of the Company.

 

Anti-Dilution Provisions:

 

The Board may adjust the Exercise Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock.

 

 


 

 

With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Exercise Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent of the Exercise Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Stock.

 

Taxes:

The distribution of Rights should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes. However, following an event that renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights, stockholders may recognize taxable income.

 


 

 

 

Item 3.03

Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information included in Item 1.01 and Item 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

 

Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

The information set forth under Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference.

In connection with the adoption of the Plan, as of February 26, 2026 the Board approved a Certificate of Designation of Rights, Powers and Preferences of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designation”) setting forth the rights, powers and preferences of the Preferred Stock. The Certificate of Designation will be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to be effective on February 26, 2026. A copy of the Certificate of Designation is attached as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.01

Regulation FD Disclosure.

On February 26, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the adoption of the Plan. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information contained in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the information contained in Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section, and such information shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 


 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

Form

 

File No.

 

Exhibit

 

Filing Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.1

 

Certificate of Designation of Rights, Powers and Preferences of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.1

 

Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, dated as of February 26, 2026, by and between Seer, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press release issued by Seer, Inc. dated February 26, 2026.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

104

 

Cover Page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Filed herewith

 

 

 

 


 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

SEER, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

Date: February 26, 2026

 

By:

 

/s/ David Horn

 

 

 

 

David Horn

 

 

 

 

President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 


EX-3.1

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, POWERS AND PREFERENCES
OF SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF
SEER, INC.

 

Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Seer, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, certifies:

That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, as of February 26, 2026, the Board adopted the following resolution creating a series of preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“Preferred Stock”), of the Corporation designated as Series A Participating Preferred Stock:

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation (the “Charter”), the Board, as of February 26, 2026, provides for the issuance of a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation and fixes, states and expresses the designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of such series of Preferred Stock as follows:

Section 1.
Designation and Amount. The shares of such series will be designated as “Series A Participating Preferred Stock.” The Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have a par value of $0.00001 per share, and the number of shares constituting such series will be 500,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Corporation’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), except that no decrease will reduce the number of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the exercise of any options, rights or warrants issuable upon conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

1


 

Section 2.
Dividends and Distributions.
(a)
Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or other similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to 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 Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 and (ii) subject to any provision for adjustment in this Certificate of Designation, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock. If the Corporation at any time after February 25, 2026 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”) (A) declares and pays any dividend on the Common Stock payable in the form of shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (C) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence will be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such event and the denominator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of such event.
(b)
The Corporation will declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2(a) immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock), except that if no dividend or distribution has been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, then a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock will nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date (it being understood that the actual payment of such dividend may be deferred if prohibited under any of the Corporation’s debt instruments).

2


 

(c)
Dividends will begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, 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 will begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends will begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends will not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares will be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date will be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
Section 3.
Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have the following voting rights:
(a)
Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. If the Corporation at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (i) declares any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event will be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b)
Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Designation, in any other Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, the Charter or the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights will vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c)
Except as set forth in this Certificate of Designation or as required by law, the holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have no special voting rights and their consent will not be required (except to the extent that holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock are entitled to vote with holders of shares of Common Stock as set forth in this Certificate of Designation) for taking any corporate action.

3


 

Section 4.
Certain Restrictions.
(a)
The Corporation will not declare any dividend on, make any distribution on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Common Stock after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless concurrently therewith it will declare a dividend on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as required by Section 2.
(b)
Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock outstanding will have been paid in full, the Corporation will not:
(i)
declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, other than (A) redemptions or purchases that may be deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or similar rights or the grant, vesting or lapse of restrictions on the grant of any performance shares, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards to the extent that such shares represent all or a portion of (1) the exercise or purchase price of such options, warrants or similar rights or other equity awards and (2) the amount of withholding taxes owed by the recipient of such award in respect of such grant, exercise, vesting or lapse of restrictions; or (B) the repurchase, redemption, or other acquisition or retirement for value of any such shares from employees, former employees, directors, former directors, consultants or former consultants of the Corporation, or their respective estate, spouse, former spouse or family member, pursuant to the terms of the agreements pursuant to which such shares were acquired;
(ii)
declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii)
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, it being understood that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock; or

4


 

(iv)
redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, will determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.
(c)
The Corporation will not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, pursuant to Section 4(a), purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.
Section 5.
Reacquired Shares of Preferred Stock. Any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever will be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares will upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth in this Certificate of Designation, in the Charter or in any other Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.
Section 6.
Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(a)
Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, no distribution will be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have received an amount per share (the “Series A Liquidation Preference”) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment or (ii) the Adjustment Number multiplied by the per share amount of all cash and other property to be distributed in respect of the Common Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation. The “Adjustment Number” will initially be 1,000. If the Corporation at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (A) declares and pays any dividend on the Common Stock payable in the form of shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (C) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event will be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

5


 

(b)
If there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of Preferred Stock, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, then the assets available for distribution will be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock and such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.
(c)
None of the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another entity or the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or with the Corporation will be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.
Section 7.
Consolidation, Merger, etc. If the Corporation enters into any consolidation, merger, combination, conversion, share exchange or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock, securities, cash or any other property (payable in kind), then in any such case the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will 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 the Adjustment Number multiplied by the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.
Section 8.
No Redemption. The shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will not be redeemable.
Section 9.
Ranking. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock will rank junior to all other series of the Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series will provide otherwise, and will rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.
Section 10.
Amendment. At any time when any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, neither the Charter nor this Certificate of Designation will be amended in any manner that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.
Section 11.
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that will entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

* * *

6


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of the 26th day of February, 2026.

 

 

SEER, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ David Horn

 

 

 

 

Name: David Horn

 

 

 

 

Title: President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

7


EX-4.1

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

TAX BENEFIT PRESERVATION PLAN

Dated as of February 26, 2026

 

between

 

SEER, INC.

and

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Rights Agent

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Section 1. Certain Definitions

2

Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent

13

Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates

13

Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates

15

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration

16

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

17

Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Exercise Price; Prohibited Issuances

18

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates

21

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Shares of Capital Stock

21

Section 10. Record Date for Securities Issued

23

Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights

23

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares

30

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power

31

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares

34

Section 15. Rights of Action

35

Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders

35

Section 17. Holder of Rights Certificate Not Deemed to be a Stockholder

36

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent

37

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

38

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent

38

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent

42

Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates

43

Section 23. Redemption

43

Section 24. Exchange

44

Section 25. Process to Seek Exemption Prior to Triggering Event

47

Section 26. Notice of Certain Events

49

Section 27. Notices

49

Section 28. Supplements and Amendments

51

Section 29. Successors

51

Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board

51

Section 31. Benefits of this Plan

52

Section 32. Severability

52

Section 33. Governing Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial

52

Section 34. Counterparts

53

Section 35. Interpretation

53

Section 36. Costs of Enforcement

55

Section 37. Force Majeure

55

Section 38. USA PATRIOT Act

56

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

Page

 

EXHIBITS

Exhibit A Form of Certificate of Designation of Rights, Powers and Preferences of Series A Participating Preferred Stock

Exhibit B Form of Rights Certificate

Exhibit C Form of Summary of Rights

-ii-


 

TAX BENEFIT PRESERVATION PLAN

This Tax Benefit Preservation Plan (this “Plan”), dated as of February 26, 2026, is between Seer, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agent”). Each of the Company and the Rights Agent are sometimes referred to as a “Party.” All capitalized terms used in this Plan have the meanings given to them in Section 1.

RECITALS

A. As of February 26, 2026 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”), the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) (i) adopted resolutions creating a series of preferred stock designated as “Series A Participating Preferred Stock,” (ii) adopted this Plan and (iii) authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a “Right”) for each share of Common Stock outstanding as of the Close of Business on March 9, 2026 (the “Record Date”). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Plan, each Right initially represents the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Plan) and has the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation of Rights, Powers and Preferences of Series A Participating Preferred Stock attached as Exhibit A.

B. The Board further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Plan) with respect to each share of Common Stock that becomes outstanding (whether as an original issuance or from the Company’s treasury) between the Record Date and, subject to Section 22, the earlier of the Distribution Date and the Expiration Date.

C. If the Company experiences an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Code, its ability to use Tax Benefits for income tax purposes could be substantially limited or lost altogether.

D. The Company views the Tax Benefits as highly valuable assets of the Company that are likely to inure to the benefit of the Company and its stockholders, and the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits on the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan.

AGREEMENT

The Parties therefore agree as follows:

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

(a) “Acquiring Person” means any Person who or that, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding but will not include any Exempt Person. Notwithstanding anything in this definition of “Acquiring Person” to the contrary:

 


 

(i) no Person who Beneficially Owns, as of the time of the public announcement of this Plan, the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding will become an Acquiring Person unless such Person, after the time of the public announcement of this Plan, becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the Common Stock in the form of shares of Common Stock or a split or subdivision of the Common Stock), unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person is not then the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (it being understood that such Person will be considered to be an Acquiring Person upon thereafter becoming the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding unless expressly provided to the contrary under the other provisions of this Plan);

(ii) no Person will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by an Exempt Person that, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock that are Beneficially Owned by such Person to the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, it being understood that if a Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely as the result of a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding due to an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by an Exempt Person and, after such acquisition by such Exempt Person, such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the Common Stock in the form of shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the Common Stock), then such Person will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person does not Beneficially Own the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (it being understood that such Person will be considered to be an Acquiring Person upon thereafter becoming the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding unless expressly provided to the contrary under the other provisions of this Plan);

-2-


 

(iii) no Person will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person solely as a result of any unilateral grant of any security by the Company, or through the exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests (including restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and employees, it being understood that if a Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding by reason of a unilateral grant of a security by the Company, or through the exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interests (including restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and employees, and such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Common Stock (other than (A) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the Common Stock in shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the Common Stock; or (B) the unilateral grant of a security by the Company, or through the exercise of any options, warrants, rights or similar interest (including restricted stock) granted by the Company to its directors, officers and employees), then such Person will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person unless, upon becoming the Beneficial Owner of such additional shares of Common Stock, such Person does not Beneficially Own the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (it being understood that such Person will be considered to be an Acquiring Person upon thereafter becoming the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding unless expressly provided to the contrary under the other provisions of this Plan);

(iv) no Person will be deemed to be an Acquiring Person as the result of the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock from an individual who, as of the time of the public announcement of this Plan, is the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding if such shares of Common Stock are received by such Person upon an individual’s death pursuant to such individual’s will or pursuant to a charitable trust created by such individual for estate planning purposes; and

(v) if the Board determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person has become such inadvertently (including because (A) such Person was unaware that it Beneficially Owned a percentage of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding that would otherwise cause such Person to be an Acquiring Person or (B) such Person was aware of the extent of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding that it Beneficially Owned but had no actual knowledge of the consequences of such Beneficial Ownership pursuant to this Plan) and without any intention of changing or influencing control of the Company or negatively affecting the Tax Benefits, and if such Person divested or divests (including by entering into an agreement with the Company, which agreement is satisfactory to the Board (or a committee thereof) in its sole discretion, to divest and subsequently divests in accordance with the terms of such agreement, without exercising or retaining any power, including voting power, with respect to such shares of Common Stock) as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no longer be an Acquiring Person, then such Person will not be deemed to be or to have become an Acquiring Person at any time for any purposes of this Plan.

-3-


 

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Board (or a committee thereof), in its sole discretion, may determine that any Person (whether or not including any Affiliates and Associates of such Person) is an Acquiring Person under this Plan if such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of the Triggering Percentage or more of, in the aggregate, any of (i) the Company’s stock then outstanding (as the term “stock” is defined in Treasury Regulations § 1.382-2(a)(3) and § 1.382-2T(f)(18)); (ii) the Company’s preferred stock (other than preferred stock described in Section 1504(a)(4) of the Code); (iii) the Company’s warrants, rights, convertible debt or options (including options within the meaning of Treasury Regulations § 1.382-4(d)(9)) to purchase stock (other than preferred stock described in Section 1504(a)(4) of the Code); or (iv) any other interest that would be treated as “stock” of the Company pursuant to Treasury Regulation § 1.382-2T(f)(18) (any of the foregoing, “Stock”).

(b) “Adjustment Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).

(c) “Affiliate” and “Associate” have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Plan, and, to the extent not included within the foregoing, will also include, with respect to any Person, any other Person (other than an Exempt Person) whose Stock: (i) would be deemed owned constructively or indirectly by such first Person for purposes of Section 382; (ii) would be deemed owned by a single “entity” as defined in Treasury Regulation § 1.382-3(a)(1) in which both such first Person and such other Person are included; or (iii) otherwise would be deemed aggregated with Stock owned by such first Person pursuant to the provisions of Section 382. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Person will not be deemed to be an Affiliate or Associate of another Person solely because either or both such Persons are or were directors of the Company.

(d) “Appropriate Officers” means the Company’s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer or Secretary, or any Vice President or Assistant Secretary.

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

(i) that such Person actually owns, directly or indirectly, or would be deemed to actually or constructively own pursuant to Section 382, including any “coordinated acquisition” of securities by any Persons who have a formal or informal understanding with respect to such acquisition (to the extent that ownership of such securities would be attributed to such Persons under Section 382), or otherwise would be aggregated with any securities owned by such Person pursuant to the Code, including Section 382;

-4-


 

(ii) that such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, owns or has the legal, equitable or contractual right or obligation to acquire (whether directly or indirectly and whether exercisable, or whether such obligation is required to be performed, immediately or only after the passage of time, upon compliance with regulatory requirements, upon satisfaction of one or more conditions (whether or not within the control of such Person, Affiliate or Associate), or otherwise): (A) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities); (B) upon the exercise of any conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than the Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; (C) pursuant to the power to revoke a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement; (D) pursuant to the power to terminate a repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement, arrangement or understanding; (E) pursuant to the automatic termination of a trust, discretionary account or similar arrangement; or (F) pursuant to any securities (including rights, options or warrants) that are convertible or exchangeable into, or exercisable for, Common Stock but only at such time as such securities are converted, exchanged or exercised or are otherwise “beneficially owned” (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Plan), except to the extent that the acquisition or transfer of any such security (including any rights, options or warrants) would be treated as exercised on the date of its acquisition or transfer pursuant to Treasury Regulations § 1.382-4(d), except, in each case, that that a Person will not be deemed pursuant to this Section 1(e)(ii) to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, securities (1) 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; (2) issuable upon the exercise of Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event; (3) issuable upon the exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a Triggering Event if such Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 (the “Original Rights”) or pursuant to Section 11(h) in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights; or (4) that a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may be deemed to have the right to acquire, or does acquire, pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates), or any tender, voting or support agreement entered into by such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates) in connection with such merger or other acquisition, if in each case such agreement has been approved by the Board prior to a Section 11(a)(ii) Event occurring with respect to such Person (or one or more of its Affiliates or Associates);

-5-


 

(iii) that such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote (including the power to vote or to direct the voting of) or dispose (or direct the disposition) of or has “beneficial ownership” of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Plan), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding whether or not in writing, except that a Person will not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any security pursuant to this Section 1(e)(iii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or understanding (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act; (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D; or (C) does not constitute a trust, proxy, power of attorney or other device with the purpose or effect of allowing two or more persons, acting in concert, to avoid being deemed Beneficial Owners of such security or otherwise avoid the status of Acquiring Person under the terms of this Plan or as part of a plan or scheme to evade the reporting requirements under Schedule 13D or Sections 13(d) or 13(g) of the Exchange Act;

(iv) that are Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) with which such first Person (or any of such first Person’s Affiliates or Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding whether or not in writing (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a revocable proxy to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(e)(iii)) or disposing of any securities of the Company, it being understood that no person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person will be deemed, solely by reason of such person’s status or authority as such, to be a Beneficial Owner of, to have Beneficial Ownership of or to Beneficially Own any securities of the Company that are Beneficially Owned (including in a fiduciary capacity) by an Exempt Person or by any other officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person, it being further understood that any stockholder of the Company, together with any Affiliate, Associate or other person who may be deemed to be a representative of such stockholder who is then serving as a director of the Company, will not be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, to have Beneficial Ownership of or to Beneficially Own any securities of the Company held by any other Person as a result of (A) any Person affiliated or otherwise associated with such stockholder serving as a director of the Company or taking any action in connection therewith; (B) discussing the status of its securities with the Company or other stockholders of the Company that are similarly situated; or (C) voting or acting in a manner similar to other stockholders of the Company that are similarly situated, absent a specific finding by the Board of an express agreement among such stockholders to act in concert with one another as stockholders so as to cause, in the good faith judgment of the Board, each such stockholder to be the Beneficial Owner of the securities held by the other stockholder(s); or

-6-


 

(v) that are the subject of a derivative instrument or transaction entered into by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, including, for these purposes, any derivative instrument (whether or not presently exercisable) acquired by such Person, or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, that gives such Person, or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, the economic equivalent of direct or indirect ownership of, or the opportunity to obtain ownership of, an amount of securities where the value of the derivative is determined in whole or in part with reference to, or derived in whole or in part from, the price or value of such securities, or that provides such Person, or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, an opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit, or to share in any profit derived from, any change in the value of such securities, in any case without regard to whether (A) the derivative conveys any voting rights in such securities to such Person, or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates; (B) the derivative is required to be, or capable of being, settled through delivery of such securities, cash or other property; or (C) such Person, or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates, may have entered into other transactions that hedge the economic effect of the derivative (it being understood that (1) in determining the number of shares of Common Stock that the subject Person will be deemed to Beneficially Own by virtue of the operation of this Section 1(e)(v), the subject Person will be deemed to Beneficially Own (without duplication) the notional or other number of shares of Common Stock that, pursuant to the documentation evidencing the derivative position, may be acquired upon the exercise or settlement of the applicable right or as the basis upon which the value or settlement amount of such right, or the opportunity of the holder of such right to profit or share in any profit, is to be calculated, in whole or in part, and in any case (or if no such number of shares of Common Stock is specified in such documentation or otherwise) as determined by the Board in good faith to be the number of shares of Common Stock to which the derivative position relates; and (2) the modification (directly or indirectly) of any derivative instrument or transaction that on the date of this Plan is not by its terms exchangeable or exercisable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock to provide for the possibility of, or the exchange or settlement of any such instrument or transaction for, the issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock or an instrument or transaction providing for the issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock will be deemed to be an acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of additional shares of Common Stock, in each case regardless of whether, thereafter or as a result thereof, there is an increase, decrease or no change in the percentage of shares of Common Stock then outstanding that are Beneficially Owned by such Person).

(f) “Board” has the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Plan.

(g) “Book Entry Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(h) “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is closed.

(i) “Close of Business” on any given date means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date. If such date is not a Business Day, then it means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

(j) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute.

-7-


 

(k) “Common Stock” means, unless otherwise specified, the shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Company. When used with reference to any Person other than the Company, Common Stock means the capital stock with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such Person or, if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, of the Person that ultimately controls such first Person.

(l) “Common Stock Equivalents” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

(m) “Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble, subject to the terms of Section 13(a).

(n) “Current Per Share Market Price” of any security (a “Security” for purposes of this definition), for all computations other than those made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii), means the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to but not including such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii), the Current Per Share Market Price of any Security on any date will be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 10 consecutive Trading Days immediately following but not including such date. If the Current Per Share Market Price of the Security is determined during any period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (i) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares (other than the Rights) or (ii) any subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock split or reclassification of such Security, and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock split or reclassification, has not occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite 30 consecutive Trading Day or 10 consecutive Trading Day period as set forth above, then, and in each such case, the Current Per Share Market Price will be appropriately adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day will be the last sale price, regular way, reported at or prior to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, or, if no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the bid and asked prices, regular way, reported as of 4:00 p.m. New York City time, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on Nasdaq or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on Nasdaq, 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 reported at or prior to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, or, if on such date the Security is not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported as of 4:00 p.m., New York City time, 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. If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Security, the fair value of the Security on such date as determined in good faith by the Board will be used, which determination will be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. If the Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Stock cannot

-8-


 

be determined in the manner provided above or if the shares of Preferred Stock are not publicly held or not listed or traded in a manner described above, then the Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Stock will be conclusively deemed to be (x) the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Stock as determined pursuant to this Section 1(n) multiplied by (y) 1,000 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any subdivision, combination, consolidation, reverse stock split or reclassification of Common Stock occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date). If the Security (other than the Preferred Stock) is not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or if on any such date the Security is not so quoted and no such market maker is making a market in the Security, then the Current Per Share Market Price means the fair value per Security as determined in good faith by the Board, after consultation with a nationally recognized investment banking firm, whose determination will be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights.

(o) “Current Exchange Value” means the product of the Current Per Share Market Price of Common Stock on the date of the occurrence of an Exchange Determination (or the next Business Day, if such date is not a Business Day) multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock for which the Right would otherwise be exchangeable (without regard to whether there were sufficient shares of Common Stock available therefor).

(p) “Current Value” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

(q) “Distribution Date” means the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the 10th Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board, which action must be taken prior to the Distribution Date that otherwise would have occurred) after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the 10th Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, then the Close of Business on the Record Date); or (ii) the Close of Business on the 10th Business Day (or, if such 10th Business Day occurs before the Record Date, then the Close of Business on the Record Date) (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) is first published, sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act if, assuming the successful consummation thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring Person. If any tender or exchange offer referred to in the prior sentence is canceled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Distribution Date without the purchase or exchange of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, then such offer will be deemed, for purposes of this Section 1(q), never to have been made.

(r) “Equivalent Preferred Stock” means any class or series of capital stock of the Company having the same rights, powers and preferences as the Preferred Stock.

(s) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(t) “Exchange Determination” has the meaning set forth in Section 24(a).

(u) “Exchange Ratio” has the meaning set forth in Section 24(a).

-9-


 

(v) “Exempt Person” means (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including in any fiduciary capacity; (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity or trustee holding (or acting in a fiduciary capacity in respect of) shares of capital stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such plan or any other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company; or (iii) any Person determined to be an Exempt Person in accordance with Section 25 (but only to the extent so determined). No Person who is an officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person will be deemed, solely by reason of such Person’s status or authority as such, to be the Beneficial Owner of, to have Beneficial Ownership of or to Beneficially Own any securities that are Beneficially Owned (including in a fiduciary capacity) by an Exempt Person or by any other officer, director or employee of an Exempt Person.

(w) “Exemption Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 25(a).

(x) “Exercise Price” is initially $11.00 for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock issuable pursuant to the exercise of a Right and is subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11 or Section 13.

(y) “Expiration Date” means the earliest to occur of (i) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date; (ii) the Redemption Date; (iii) the time at which the Board orders the exchange of the Rights as provided in Section 24; (iv) the Close of Business on February 25, 2026, if Stockholder Approval has not otherwise been obtained by that date; (v) the Close of Business on the effective date of the repeal of Section 382 or Section 383 if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that this Plan is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Tax Benefits; (vi) the Close of Business on the date on which the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the Tax Benefits are fully utilized or no longer available pursuant to Section 382 or Section 383; (vii) the Close of Business on the first day of a taxable year of the Company to which the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that no Tax Benefits may be carried forward; or (viii) the Close of Business on the date on which the Board, in its sole discretion and prior to the Distribution Date, determines that this Plan and the Rights are no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

(z) “Final Expiration Date” means February 25, 2029.

(aa) “Nasdaq” means The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

(bb) “Original Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(e)(ii).

-10-


 

(cc) “Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, joint venture, business trust, trust, association, syndicate, group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Plan) or other entity, or any group of Persons having a formal or informal understanding among themselves to make a “coordinated acquisition” of Common Stock within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.382-3(a)(1) or who are otherwise treated as an “entity” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.382-3(a)(1), and, in each case, will include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of any such Person, but will not include a Public Group (as defined in Section 1.382-2T(f)(13) of the Treasury Regulations).

(dd) “Plan” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(ee) “Post-Event Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).

(ff) “Pre-Event Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).

(gg) “Preferred Stock” means shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Company and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Preferred Stock.

(hh) “Principal Party” means (i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) of Section 13(a), (A) the Person that is the issuer of the securities into which the Common Stock are converted in the consolidation or merger, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer whose Common Stock have the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding; or (B) if no securities are so issued, (1) the Person that is the other party to the consolidation or merger, if such Person survives the consolidation or merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the Person whose Common Stock has the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding; (2) if the Person that is the other party to the consolidation or merger does not survive such consolidation or merger, the Person that does survive such consolidation or merger (including the Company if it survives); or (3) the Person resulting from the consolidation or merger; and (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (iii) of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets, cash flow or earning power transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if more than one Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred and each such portion would, were it not for the other equal portions, constitute the greatest portion of the assets or earning power so transferred, or if the Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power cannot be determined, whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding. For purposes of this definition, if the shares of Common Stock of such Person are not at such time, or have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period, registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, then if such Person is (x) a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person whose Common Stock is and has been so registered, the term “Principal Party” will refer to such other Person, (y) a direct or indirect Subsidiary of more than one Person whose shares of Common Stock is and has been so registered, the term “Principal Party” will refer to

-11-


 

whichever of such Persons is the issuer of Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value of shares outstanding, or (z) owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set forth in clauses (x) and (y) above will apply to each of the owners having an interest in the venture as if the Person owned by the joint venture was a Subsidiary of both or all of such joint venturers, and the Principal Party in each such case must bear the obligations set forth in Section 13 in the same ratio as its interest in such Person bears to the total of such interests.

(ii) “Record Date” has the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Plan.

(jj) “Redemption Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 23(a).

(kk) “Redemption Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 23(a).

(ll) “Requesting Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 25(a).

(mm) “Right” has the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Plan.

(nn) “Rights Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(oo) “Rights Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B.

(pp) “Rights Dividend Declaration Date” has the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Plan.

(qq) “Schedule 13D” means a statement on Schedule 13D filing pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a), 13d-1(e), Rule 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g) of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, and any comparable or successor report.

(rr) “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

(ss) “Section 11(a)(ii) Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).

(tt) “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

(uu) “Section 13 Event” means any event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 13(a).

(vv) “Section 382” means Section 382 of the Code.

(ww) “Section 383” means Section 383 of the Code.

(xx) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(yy) “Security” has the meaning set forth in Section 1(n).

-12-


 

(zz) “Signature Guarantee” means a Signature Guarantee from an eligible guarantor institution participating in a signature guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association.

(aaa) “Spread” means the excess of (i) the Current Value over (ii) the Exercise Price.

(bbb) “Stock Acquisition Date” means (i) the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, includes the filing or amending of a Schedule 13D) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information that reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) such earlier date as a majority of the Board shall become aware of the existence of an Acquiring Person.

(ccc) “Stockholder Approval means the ratification or approval of this Plan by the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote (excluding any votes cast by any Acquiring Person or its Affiliates or Associates) at a duly called meeting of stockholders of the Company (or any adjournment, postponement or other delay thereof) at which a quorum is present.

(ddd) “Subsequent Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(e).

(eee) “Subsidiary” of any Person means any firm, corporation, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, joint venture, business trust, trust, association, syndicate or other entity (whether or not incorporated) of which an amount of voting securities sufficient to elect a majority of the directors or Persons having similar authority, or a majority of the equity or ownership interests, is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, or any firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, business trust, trust, association, syndicate or other entity (whether or not incorporated) otherwise controlled by such Person.

(fff) “Substitution Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

(ggg) “Summary of Rights” means a summary of this Plan substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C.

(hhh) “Tax Benefits” means net operating carryovers, capital loss carryovers, general business credit carryovers, Section 163(j) deferred interest carryovers, alternative minimum tax credit carryovers and foreign tax credit carryovers, as well as any loss or deduction (whether actual or prospective) attributable to a “net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of Section 382, in each case of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(iii) “Trading Day” means a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which a referenced security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if a referenced security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

-13-


 

(jjj) “Treasury Regulations” means the final, temporary and proposed income tax regulations promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Code, as amended or superseded from time to time.

(kkk) “Triggering Event” means any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event.

(lll) “Triggering Percentage” means 4.9 percent.

(mmm) “Trust” has the meaning set forth in Section 24(b)(ii).

(nnn) “Trust Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 24(b)(ii).

(ooo) “Waiver Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 25(b).

Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights agent for the Company in accordance with the express terms and conditions hereof (and no implied terms and conditions), and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable (the term “Rights Agent” being used herein to refer, collectively, to the Rights Agent together with any such co-Rights Agents), upon 10 days prior written notice thereof to the Rights Agent. If the Company appoints one or more co-Rights Agents, then the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agents will be as the Company reasonably determines provided that (a) such duties are consistent with the terms and conditions of this Plan; and (b) contemporaneously with such appointment the Company notifies, in writing, the Rights Agent and any co-Rights Agents of any such duties. The Rights Agent will have no duty to supervise and will in no event be liable for the acts or omissions of any co-Rights Agent.

Section 3. Issuance of Rights Certificates.

(a) Rights Evidenced by Certificates for Shares of Common Stock and Book Entry Shares. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights (unless earlier expired, redeemed or terminated) will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) and Section 3(c)) by the certificates for shares of Common Stock registered in the names of the holders thereof or, in the case of uncertificated shares of Common Stock registered in book entry form (“Book Entry Shares”), by notation in book entry accounts reflecting the ownership of such shares of Common Stock (which certificates and Book Entry Shares, as applicable, will also be deemed to be Rights Certificates) and not by separate Rights Certificates; and (ii) the Rights (and the right to receive Rights Certificates) will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if so requested and provided with all necessary information and documents, send) (by mailing, in accordance with Section 27 or by such means as may be selected by the Company) to each record holder of shares of Common Stock as of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates), at the address of such holder shown on the transfer books of the Company or the transfer agent for the Common Stock, one or more Rights Certificates evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment

-14-


 

as provided in this Plan. Receipt of a Rights Certificate by any Person will not preclude a later determination that all or part of the Rights represented by such Rights Certificate are void pursuant to Section 7(e). To the extent that a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has also occurred, the Company may implement such procedures as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion to minimize the possibility that Rights are received by any Person whose Rights are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e). If an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11, then at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the Company will make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a)) so that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights (in accordance with Section 14(a)). As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by the Rights Certificates and may be transferred by the transfer of the Rights Certificates as permitted by this Plan, separately and apart from any transfer of shares of Common Stock, and the holders of such Rights Certificates as shown on the transfer books of the Company or the transfer agent for the Rights (which may be the Rights Agent) will be the record holders thereof. The Company will promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution Date and, if such notification is given orally, the Company shall confirm the same in writing within two Business Days. Until such notice is provided to the Rights Agent, it may presume conclusively for all purposes that the Distribution Date has not occurred.

(b) Summary of Rights; Outstanding Shares of Common Stock. The Company will make available, or cause to be made available, promptly after the Record Date, a copy of the Summary of Rights to any holder of Rights who may so request from time to time prior to the Expiration Date. With respect to certificates representing shares of Common Stock and Book Entry Shares, as applicable, outstanding as of the Record Date or issued subsequent to the Record Date, until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates or Book Entry Shares, and the registered holders of the Common Stock will also be the registered holders of the associated Rights. Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the surrender for transfer of any shares of Common Stock in respect of which Rights have been issued (with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights) will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, upon the effectiveness of a redemption pursuant to Section 23 or an exchange pursuant to Section 24, the Company will not thereafter issue any additional Rights and, for the avoidance of doubt, no Rights will be attached to or will be issued with any Common Stock (including any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to an exchange) at any time thereafter.

(c) Legend. Rights will be issued in respect of all shares of Common Stock that are issued (whether as an original issuance or from the Company’s treasury) after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates representing such shares of Common Stock will also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and will bear substantially the following legend if such certificates are issued after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date:

-15-


 

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder to certain rights as set forth in a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, dated as of February 26, 2026, between Seer, Inc. (the “Company”) and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent, as it may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”), the terms of which are incorporated by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances as set forth in the Plan, the Rights (as defined in the Plan) may be redeemed, may become exercisable for securities or assets of the Company or securities of another entity, may be exchanged for shares of common stock or other securities or assets of the Company, may expire or may be evidenced by separate certificates, and may no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Plan as in effect on the date of mailing without charge after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances as set forth in the Plan, Rights that are beneficially owned by, transferred to or have been owned by an Acquiring Person (as defined in the Plan) or any of its Affiliates (as defined in the Plan) or Associates (as defined in the Plan) will be null and void and will no longer be transferable.

With respect to any Book Entry Shares, a legend in substantially similar form will be included in any appropriate ownership notice provided to the holder of such Book Entry Share or in a notice to the record holder of such Book Entry Share in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates representing shares of Common Stock or Book Entry Shares, as applicable, containing the foregoing legend, until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, (i) the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates or Book Entry Shares will be evidenced solely by such certificates or Book Entry Shares; (ii) the registered holders of the shares of Common Stock will also be the registered holders of the associated Rights; and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any such certificates or Book Entry Shares (with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights) will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock represented thereby. Notwithstanding this Section 3(c), the omission of a required legend, the inclusion of a legend that makes reference to a stockholder rights plan other than this Plan or the failure to provide notice thereof will not affect the enforceability of any part of this Plan or the rights of any holder of Rights.

(d) Acquisitions of Rights by the Company. If the Company purchases or acquires any shares of Common Stock after the Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, then any Rights associated with such shares of Common Stock will be deemed to be canceled and retired so that the Company will not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock that are no longer outstanding.

-16-


 

Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.

(a) Rights Certificates. The Rights Certificates (and the form of election to purchase and form of assignment, including the certifications therein, to be printed on the reverse thereof) will be substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (but which do not affect the rights, duties, responsibilities or liabilities of the Rights Agent) and are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto, with any applicable rule or regulation of any applicable stock exchange or trading system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or to conform to customary usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22, the Rights Certificates, whenever distributed, will be dated as of the Record Date (or in the case of Rights issued with respect to shares of Common Stock issued by the Company after the Record Date, as of the date of issuance of such Common Stock) and on their face will entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as will be set forth therein at the Exercise Price, but the number and type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Exercise Price will be subject to adjustment as provided in this Plan.

(b) Certain Legends. Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a), Section 11(h) or Section 22 that represents Rights that are Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, will contain (to the extent that the Rights Agent has notice thereof and to the extent feasible) substantially the following legend:

The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were beneficially owned by a person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Plan). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate and the Rights may become null and void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of the Plan.

(c) Uncertificated Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Company and the Rights Agent may amend this Plan to provide for uncertificated Rights in addition to or in place of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates.

-17-


 

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.

(a) Countersignature. The Rights Certificates will be executed on behalf of the Company by one of its Appropriate Officers, which execution will be attested to by such officers as the Board may designate, in each case by manual, facsimile or other electronic signature, and will have affixed thereto the Company’s seal (if any) or a facsimile or other electronic copy thereof. The Rights Certificates will be countersigned, by manual, facsimile or other electronic signature, by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent, but it will not be necessary for the same signatory to countersign all of the Rights Certificates. No Rights Certificate will be valid for any purpose unless countersigned by the Rights Agent. If any director or officer of the Company who has signed or attested to any of the Rights Certificates ceases to be such director or officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates nevertheless may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed or attested to such Rights Certificates on behalf of the Company had not ceased to be a director or officer of the Company. Any Rights Certificate may be signed or attested to on behalf of the Company by any person who, as of the actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, is a proper director or officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Plan any such person was not such a director or officer. In case any authorized signatory of the Rights Agent who has countersigned any Rights Certificate ceases to be an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent before issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificate, nevertheless, may be issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who countersigned such Rights Certificate had not ceased to be an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent. Any Rights Certificate may be countersigned on behalf of the Rights Agent by any person who, at the actual date of the countersignature of such Rights Certificate, is properly authorized to countersign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Plan any such person was not so authorized.

(b) Transfer Books. Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of written notice to that effect and all other relevant and necessary information referred to in Section 3(a), the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office designated for such purposes, books for registration and transfer of the Rights Certificates issued under this Plan. Such books will show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates, the certificate number of each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of the Rights Certificates. The Rights Agent will not register, or permit to be registered, any transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificates (or the underlying Rights) that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e), have been redeemed pursuant to Section 23 or have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24.

-18-


 

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

(a) Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24, at any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate (other than any Rights Certificate representing Rights that have become null and void pursuant to Section 7(e), that have been redeemed pursuant to Section 23 or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights Certificate surrendered then entitled such holder (or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate will make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and will surrender the Rights Certificate, together with any required form of assignment duly executed and properly completed, to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, along with a Signature Guarantee. The Rights Certificates are transferable only on the books and records of the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company will be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder has properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such Rights Certificate accompanied by a Signature Guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent reasonably requests. Thereupon, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e), Section 14 and Section 24, the Rights Agent will countersign (by manual, facsimile or other electronic signature) and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate as so requested. The Company or the Rights Agent may require payment from the holder of a Rights Certificate 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 any Rights Certificate. If and to the extent that the Company does require payment of any such tax or governmental charge, the Company will provide the Rights Agent prompt written notice thereof and the Rights Agent will not deliver any Rights Certificate unless and until the Rights Agent is satisfied that all such payments have been made, and the Rights Agent will forward any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such Person as the Company specifies by written notice. The Rights Agent will not have any duty or obligation to take any action pursuant to any Section of this Plan related to the issuance or delivery of Rights Certificates unless and until it is satisfied that all such taxes or charges have been paid.

(b) Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 7(e), Section 11(a)(ii) and Section 24, at any time after the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to each of the Company and the Rights Agent of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate and such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company or the Rights Agent may request, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to each of the Company and the Rights Agent, and reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental

-19-


 

thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 6(b) in lieu of any lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Rights Certificate will evidence a contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Rights Certificate will be at any time enforceable by anyone, and, subject to Section 7(e), will be entitled to all the benefits of this Plan equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly issued under this Plan.

Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Exercise Price; Prohibited Issuances.

(a) Exercise of Rights. Subject to Section 7(e), Section 23(b) and Section 24(a), the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided in this Plan) in whole or in part on any Business Day at or after the Distribution Date and prior to the Close of Business on the Expiration Date by surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and certificate on the reverse side thereof properly completed and duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, accompanied by a Signature Guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent reasonably requests, together with payment of the Exercise Price for each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which the Rights are exercised.

(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price is payable in accordance with Section 7(c).

(c) Payment. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan, upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and certificate properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price for the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax or governmental charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e), the Rights Agent will, subject to Section 7(f) and Section 20(m), thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock) a certificate for the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be purchased (or, in the case of uncertificated shares or other securities, requisition from the transfer agent a notice setting forth such number of shares or other securities to be purchased for which registration will be made on the transfer books of the Company), and the Company irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests; or (B) if the Company has elected to deposit the total number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) issuable upon exercise of the Rights with a depositary agent, requisition from such depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other

-20-


 

securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as are to be purchased (in which case certificates representing shares of the Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) represented by such receipts will be deposited by the transfer agent with such depositary agent) and the Company irrevocably directs such depositary agent to comply with such request; (ii) when necessary to comply with the terms of this Plan, requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14; (iii) after receipt of such certificates, notices, or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder; and (iv) when necessary to comply with the terms of this Plan, after receipt thereof, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Exercise Price (as such amount may be reduced (including to zero) pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii)), and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax or governmental charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e), may be made by certified bank check, money order, cashier’s check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company. If the Company is obligated to issue securities of the Company other than Preferred Stock, pay cash or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a), then the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash or other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply with the terms of this Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Company reserves the right to require that prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.

(d) Partial Exercise. If the registered holder of any Rights Certificate exercises less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, then a new Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14.

(e) Prohibited Issuances. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, from and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights that are or were acquired or Beneficially Owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such (a “Post-Event Transferee”), (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of the Acquiring Person) to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person) or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of the Acquiring Person) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding whether or not in writing regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that has as a primary purpose or effect of avoiding this Section 7(e) (a “Pre-Event Transferee”), (iv) any subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights from a Post-Event Transferee or a Pre-Event Transferee, either directly or through one or more intermediate transferees (a “Subsequent Transferee”), or (v)

-21-


 

any nominee of any of the foregoing will, in each case, become null and void without any further action, and no holder (whether or not such holder is an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person) of such Rights will have any rights whatsoever (including the right to exercise) with respect to such Rights or any Rights Certificates that formerly evidenced such Rights, whether pursuant to any provision of this Plan or otherwise. From and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, no Rights Certificate will be issued pursuant to this Plan (including to an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing) that represents one or more Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to this Section 7(e) or with respect to any Common Stock otherwise deemed to be Beneficially Owned by any of the foregoing, and any Rights Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent that represents Rights that are or have become null and void pursuant to this Section 7(e) will be canceled. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) are complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent will have any liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or to any other Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing. The Company will provide the Rights Agent with written notice of the identity of any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, Post-Event Transferee, Pre-Event Transferee, Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing, and the Rights Agent may rely on such notice in carrying out its duties pursuant to this Plan and will be deemed not to have any knowledge of the identity of any such Person unless and until it has received such notice.

(f) Information Concerning Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or any Rights Certificate, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company is obligated to undertake any action with respect to a registered holder of Rights upon the occurrence of any purported exercise or transfer of Rights as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered holder, in addition to having complied with the requirements of Section 7(a), has (i) properly completed and duly executed the certificate contained in the form of election to purchase or form of assignment, as applicable, set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate surrendered for such exercise or assignment; and (ii) provided such additional evidence (including the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby, and the Affiliates or Associates of such Beneficial Owner or former Beneficial Owner) as the Company or the Rights Agent may reasonably request. If such registered holder does not comply with the foregoing requirements, then the Company will be entitled to conclusively deem such Rights to be Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing, as applicable) and, accordingly, such Rights will be null and void and not exercisable or transferable.

-22-


 

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination, redemption or exchange will, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, will be canceled by it, and no Rights Certificates will be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Plan. The Company will deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and, at the expense of the Company, the Rights Agent will so cancel and retire, any Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. Subject to applicable law, the Rights Agent will maintain electronic or physical records of all Rights Certificates that have been canceled or destroyed by the Rights Agent.

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Shares of Capital Stock.

(a) Reservation. The Company covenants and agrees that it will use all reasonable efforts to cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Stock not reserved for another purpose (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock or other securities, or out of its authorized and issued shares held in treasury), the number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

(b) Listing. So long as the Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock or other securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be listed on any national securities exchange, the Company must use all reasonable efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable (but only to the extent that it is reasonably likely that the Rights will be exercised), all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official notice of issuance upon such exercise.

(c) Registration. The Company must use all reasonable efforts to (i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event in which the consideration to be delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights is described in Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 11(a)(iii), or as soon as is required by law following the Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form; (ii) cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing; and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company may temporarily suspend (with prompt written notice of any suspension provided to the Rights Agent), from time to time for a period not to exceed 180 days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective or in order to prepare and file any supplement or amendment to such registration statement that the Board determines to be necessary pursuant to applicable law. Upon any such suspension, the Company will issue a public announcement stating, and promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing, that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as issue a public announcement, and promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing, at such time as the suspension is

-23-


 

no longer in effect. In addition, if the Company determines that a registration statement is required following the Distribution Date, then the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of the Rights until such time as such registration statement has been declared effective. The Company will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities or “blue sky” laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability of the Rights, as well as any other applicable law, rule or regulation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Rights will not be exercisable in any jurisdiction unless the requisite qualification in such jurisdiction has been obtained (and the exercise thereof is permitted pursuant to applicable law, rule or regulation), or an exemption therefrom is available, and until a registration statement in respect thereof has been declared and remains effective.

(d) Valid Issuance. The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock or other securities of the Company) delivered upon exercise of Rights will, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such securities (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the transfer agent for such securities) (subject to payment of the Exercise Price, if any), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

(e) Transfer Taxes and Governmental Charges. The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all transfer taxes and governmental charges that may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of Rights Certificates (or any Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other security of the Company, as the case may be) upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company is not required to (i) pay any transfer tax or governmental charge that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates (or certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities of the Company, as the case may be) in a name other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities of the Company, as the case may be, in a name other than, that of the registered holder of the Rights Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or exchange; or (ii) issue or deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities of the Company, as the case may be, upon the exercise or exchange of any Rights until any such transfer tax or charge has been paid (any such transfer tax or charge being payable by the registered holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender or exchange) or it has been established to the Company’s and the Rights Agent’s satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due. The foregoing will also apply to any transfer taxes and governmental charges that may be payable in respect of any uncertificated Rights Certificates, shares or other securities.

Section 10. Record Date for Securities Issued. Each Person in whose name any certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or any other security of the Company, including Common Stock) is issued (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the applicable transfer agent is effected) upon the exercise or exchange of Rights will for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or other security of the Company) represented thereby on, and such certificate will be dated (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the applicable transfer

-24-


 

agent effected), the date on which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the applicable Exercise Price, if any, together with any applicable transfer tax or governmental charge required to be paid by the holder of such Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 9(e), was made. However, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the transfer books of the Company (or the applicable transfer agent) are closed, then such Person will be deemed to have become the record holder of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities of the Company) on, and such certificate will be dated (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the applicable transfer agent effected), the next succeeding Business Day on which the transfer books of the Company (or the applicable transfer agent) are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate is not entitled to any rights of a holder of Preferred Stock (or any other security of the Company) for which the Rights are exercisable, including the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions, or to exercise any preemptive rights, and is not entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided in this Plan.

Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights. The Exercise Price, the number and kind of shares or other property 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) Certain Events.

(i) Certain Adjustments to Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, if the Company at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (A) declares a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock, (B) subdivides or splits the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combines or consolidates the outstanding Preferred Stock (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of shares of Preferred Stock or (D) issues any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a share exchange, consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 7(e), the Exercise Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification, and the number and kind of Preferred Stock or capital stock of the Company, as the case may be, issuable on such date, will be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time will be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Exercise Price then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of Preferred Stock or securities of the Company, as the case may be, that, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date (and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open), such holder would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification, it being understood that in no event will the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right. If an event occurs that would require an adjustment pursuant to both this Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii), then the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i) will be in addition to, and will be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).

-25-


 

(ii) Exercise of Rights Following Certain Events. Subject to Section 23 and Section 24, in the event that any Person, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, becomes an Acquiring Person (the first occurrence of such event being referred to as the “Section 11(a)(ii) Event”), unless the event causing such Person to become an Acquiring Person is a transaction set forth in Section 13(a), then promptly following the occurrence of such event each holder of a Right, except as provided below and in Section 7(e), will thereafter have the right to receive for each Right, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms of this Plan and payment of the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of such event, in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock as equals the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the product obtained by multiplying (1) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the first occurrence of such event by (2) the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable (or would have been exercisable if the Distribution Date had occurred) immediately prior to the first occurrence of such event by (B) 50 percent of the Current Per Share Market Price for Common Stock on the date of such first occurrence of such event (such number of shares, the “Adjustment Shares”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Exercise Price and the number of shares of Common Stock so receivable upon the exercise of a Right will be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e). If a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred and the Rights are outstanding, then, subject to Section 28, the Company may not take any action that would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The Company will promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing when this Section 11(a)(ii) applies and of the identity of any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person, Post-Event Transferee, Pre-Event Transferee, Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing. The Rights Agent may rely on such notice in carrying out its duties under this Plan and will not be deemed to have any knowledge of the identity of any such Acquiring Person, Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person, Post-Event Transferee, Pre-Event Transferee, Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing unless and until it receives such notice.

(iii) Insufficient Shares of Common Stock. If the number of shares of Common Stock that are authorized by the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with Section 11(a)(ii), or if any necessary regulatory or stockholder approval for such issuance has not been obtained by the Company, then, in the event that the Rights become exercisable, the Company will (A) determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of a Right (the “Current Value”) and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section 7(e)), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares issuable pursuant thereto, upon the exercise of a Right and the payment of the applicable Exercise Price, (1) cash, (2) a reduction in the Exercise Price, (3) Preferred Stock, (4) other equity securities of the Company (including shares or units of shares of any series of preferred stock that, by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights substantially comparable to those of the Common Stock, the Board has deemed in good faith to have substantially the same value or economic rights as the Common Stock (such shares or units of shares of preferred stock, “Common Stock Equivalents”)), (5) debt securities of the Company, (6) other assets or (7) any combination of the foregoing, in each case having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value (less the amount of any reduction in the Exercise Price), where such aggregate value has been determined

-26-


 

by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board, which determination will be described in a written statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. If the Company has not made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B) above within 30 days following the later of (x) the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company’s right of redemption pursuant to Section 23(a) expires (the later of (x) or (y), the “Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date”), then the Company will be obligated to deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the Exercise Price, Common Stock (to the extent available and except to the extent that the Company has not obtained any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance) and such number or fractions of Preferred Stock and then, if necessary, cash, which shares or cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board determines in good faith that it is likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights or that any necessary stockholder or regulatory approval for such issuance could be obtained, the 30 day period set forth above may be extended and re-extended to the extent necessary (with prompt written notice of any such extension provided to the Rights Agent) from time to time, but not more than 180 days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, so that the Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such additional shares of Common Stock or take such action necessary to obtain such regulatory approval (such period, as it may be extended, the “Substitution Period”). To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to the first or second sentences of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (a) will provide, subject to Section 7(e), that such action applies uniformly to all outstanding Rights and (b) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek such stockholder approval, to take any action necessary to obtain such regulatory approval or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the Company will issue a public announcement (and promptly provide written notice to the Rights Agent) stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as issue a public announcement (and promptly provide written notice to the Rights Agent) at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the per share value of the Common Stock will be the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and any Common Stock Equivalent will be deemed to have the same value as the value of the Common Stock on such date. The Board may, but will not be required to, establish procedures to allocate the right to receive Common Stock upon the exercise of the Rights among holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(a)(iii).

(b) Dilutive Rights Offering. If the Company, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, fixes a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock entitling such holders (for a period expiring within 45 days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock, at a price per share (or having a conversion or exercise price per share, if a security that is convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock) less than the Current Per Share Market Price of the Preferred Stock on such record date, then, in each such case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date will be determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of

-27-


 

which will be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock (if any) outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as the case may be, that the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as the case may be, to be offered or issued (or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities to be offered or issued) would purchase at such Current Per Share Market Price, and the denominator of which will be the number of shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock (if any) outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock, as the case may be, to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible), it being understood that in no event will the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right. If such subscription price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which is in a form other than cash, then the value of such consideration will be as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination will be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock and Equivalent Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company will not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment will be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and if such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, then the Exercise Price will be adjusted to be the Exercise Price that would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(c) Distributions. If the Company, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, fixes a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a share exchange, consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of cash (other than a periodic cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in shares of Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock), evidences of indebtedness, subscription rights, options or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), then, in each such case, the Exercise Price to be in effect after such record date will be determined by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which will be the Current Per Share Market Price of a share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market value per share of Preferred Stock (as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination will be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be conclusive and binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights) of the portion of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness to be so distributed or of such subscription rights, options or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock, and the denominator of which will be the Current Per Share Market Price of a share of Preferred Stock on such record date, it being understood that in no event will the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one Right. Such adjustment will be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and if such distribution is not so made, then the Exercise Price will be adjusted to be the Exercise Price that would have been in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

(d) Insignificant Changes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, no adjustment in the Exercise Price is required unless such adjustment would require an

-28-


 

increase or decrease of at least one percent of the Exercise Price, except that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(d) are not required to be made will be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations pursuant to this Section 11 must be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock or ten-thousandth of any other share or security, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(d), any adjustment required by this Section 11 must be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction that requires such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

(e) Stock Other Than Preferred Stock. If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) or Section 13(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised will become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock other than Preferred Stock, then thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right and, if required, the Exercise Price thereof, will 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 Stock contained in Section 11(a), Section 11(b), Section 11(c), Section 11(d), Section 11(g), Section 11(h), Section 11(i), Section 11(j), Section 11(k) and Section 11(l), and the provisions of Section 7, Section 9, Section 10 and Section 13 with respect to the Preferred Stock will apply on like terms to any such other shares.

(f) Rights Issued Subsequent to Adjustment. All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Exercise Price will evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (and other shares of other capital stock or other securities, assets or cash of the Company, if any) purchasable from time to time upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Plan.

(g) Effect of Adjustments on Existing Rights. Unless the Company has exercised its election as provided in Section 11(h), upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and Section 11(c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment will thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, that number of shares of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest ten-millionth of a share of Preferred Stock) obtained by (i) multiplying (A) the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (B) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Exercise Price; and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Exercise Price.

(h) Adjustment in Number of Rights. The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of the Exercise Price, to adjust the number of Rights in substitution for any adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment will be exercisable for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment will become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Exercise Price by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Exercise Price. The

-29-


 

Company will make a public announcement (and promptly provide written notice to the Rights Agent) 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 Exercise Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if any Rights Certificates have been issued, will be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If any Rights Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(h), the Company will, as promptly as practicable, distribute or cause to be distributed to holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14, the additional Rights to which such holders will be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, will distribute or cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders will be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates to be so distributed will be issued, executed and delivered by the Company, and countersigned and delivered by the Rights Agent, in the manner provided in this Plan (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Exercise Price), and will be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

(i) Rights Certificates Unchanged. Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price or the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates previously and subsequently issued may continue to express the Exercise Price per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock that were expressed in the initial Rights Certificates.

(j) Par Value Limitations. Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Exercise Price below the par or stated value, if any, of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company will take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may duly and validly issue as fully paid and nonassessable shares such number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Exercise Price.

(k) Deferred Issuance. In any case in which this Section 11 requires that an adjustment in the Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer (with prompt written notice to the Rights Agent) until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities, assets or cash of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities, assets or cash of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment. The Company must deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

-30-


 

(l) Reduction in Exercise Price. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11, the Company is entitled to make such reductions in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it, in its sole discretion, determines to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Stock or Common Stock at less than the applicable Current Per Share Market Price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of any Preferred Stock or Common Stock or securities that by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock or Common Stock, (iv) stock dividend or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11 made by the Company to holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock is not taxable to such stockholders.

(m) No Diminishment of Benefit of Rights. The Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date and so long as the Rights are outstanding, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or Section 28, take (or permit to be taken) any action if at the time that such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

(n) Certain Adjustments to Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, if the Company, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date, (i) declares or pays a dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides or splits the shares of outstanding Common Stock (other than by the payment of dividends payable in shares of Common Stock), (iii) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock (by reverse stock split or otherwise) into a lesser number of shares of Common Stock or (iv) issues any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Common Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a share exchange, consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), then, in each such event, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11 or Section 7(e): (A) each share of Common Stock (or shares of capital stock issued in such reclassification of the Common Stock) outstanding immediately following such time will have associated with it the number of Rights as were associated with one share of Common Stock immediately prior to the occurrence of such event; (B) the Exercise Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification will be adjusted so that the Exercise Price thereafter equals the result obtained by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such time by a fraction, the numerator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, it being understood that in no event will the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of such Right; and (C) the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of such other capital stock) issuable upon the exercise of each Right outstanding after such event equals the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of such other capital stock) as were issuable with respect to one Right immediately prior to such event. Each share of Common Stock that becomes outstanding after an adjustment has been made pursuant to this Section 11(n) will have issued with it that number of Rights, exercisable at the Exercise Price and for the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or shares of such other capital stock), as one share of Common Stock has associated with it immediately following the

-31-


 

adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11(n). If an event occurs that would require an adjustment pursuant to both this Section 11(n) and Section 11(a)(ii), then the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(n) will be in addition to, and will be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii). The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(n) will be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, split, combination, consolidation or reclassification is effected.

(o) Adjustment of Rights Associated with Certain Distributions. Other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Section 11(n), if the Company, at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date, issues or distributes any securities or assets in respect of shares of Common Stock (other than (A) a distribution or dividend of its capital stock and (B) pursuant to any non-extraordinary periodic cash dividend), then the Company will make such adjustments, if any, in the Exercise Price or the number of Rights or securities or other property purchasable upon exercise of Rights as the Board, in its sole discretion, may deem to be appropriate under the circumstances in order to adequately protect the interests of the holders of the Rights generally, and the Company and the Rights Agent will amend this Plan as necessary to provide for such adjustments.

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made, or any event affecting the Rights or their exercisability (including an event that causes the Rights to become null and void) occurs as provided in Section 11 or Section 13, the Company must promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief, reasonably detailed statement of the facts and computations accounting for such adjustment or event; (b) provide the Rights Agent and each transfer agent for the Common Stock or Preferred Stock a copy of such certificate; and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary of such adjustment or event to each holder of a Rights Certificate in accordance with Section 26. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of the Company to make or provide such certification or notice will not affect the validity of such adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent will (i) be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment or statement contained therein; (ii) have no duty or liability with respect thereto; and (iii) not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment or event unless and until it has received such certificate.

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.

(a) Certain Transactions. If, following a Stock Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (i) the Company consolidates with, or merges with and into, any other Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(m)) and the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger; (ii) any Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(m)) consolidates with, or merges with and into, the Company, and the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of the Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person or the Company, or cash or any other property; or (iii) the Company sells, exchanges, mortgages or otherwise transfers (or one or more of its Subsidiaries sells, exchanges, mortgages or otherwise transfers), in one transaction or

-32-


 

a series of related transactions, assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating to 50 percent or more of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company or one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries in one or more transactions, each of which individually (and together) complies with Section 11(m)), then, concurrent with and in each such case, proper provision must be made so that (A) each holder of a Right (except as provided in Section 7(e)) thereafter has the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price per Right equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the occurrence of such Section 13 Event in accordance with the terms of this Plan, and in lieu of Preferred Stock, such number of duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable and freely tradable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party, free of any liens, encumbrances, rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, equal to the result obtained by (1) multiplying the then current Exercise Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying the number of such one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event by the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event); and (2) dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, will be referred to as the “Exercise Price” for each Right and for all purposes of this Plan) by 50 percent of the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event, it being understood that the price per Right so payable and the number of shares of Common Stock of such Principal Party so receivable upon exercise of a Right will be subject to further adjustment as appropriate in accordance with Section 11(e) to reflect any events covered thereby occurring in respect of the Common Stock of such Principal Party after the occurrence of such Section 13 Event; (B) such Principal Party will thereafter be liable for, and must assume, by virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Plan; (C) the term “Company” will thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 will apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (D) such Principal Party must take such steps (including the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be necessary to ensure that the provisions hereof will thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; (E) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) will be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event; and (F) upon the subsequent occurrence of any consolidation, merger, sale, exchange, mortgage, transfer or other extraordinary transaction in respect of such Principal Party, each holder of a Right will thereupon be entitled to receive, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the Exercise Price as provided in this Section 13(a), such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property that such holder would have been entitled to receive had such holder, at the time of such transaction, owned the Common Stock of the Principal Party receivable upon the exercise of a Right pursuant to this Section 13(a), and such Principal Party must take such steps (including reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its capital stock) as may be necessary to permit the subsequent exercise of the Rights in accordance with the terms hereof for such cash, shares, rights, warrants and other property. For purposes hereof, the “earning power” of the Company and its

-33-


 

Subsidiaries will be determined in good faith by the Board on the basis of the operating income of each business operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries during the three fiscal years preceding the date of such determination (or, in the case of any business not operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the three fiscal years preceding such date, during the period that such business was operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries).

(b) Certain Arrangements. The Company will not consummate or permit to occur any Section 13 Event unless (A) the Principal Party has a sufficient number of authorized, unissued and unreserved shares of Common Stock to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and (B) prior thereto the Company and the Principal Party have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement confirming that (1) the requirements of this Section 13 will be promptly performed in accordance with their terms, (2) the Principal Party will, upon consummation of such Section 13 Event, assume this Plan in accordance with Section 13(a), (3) such Section 13 Event will not result in a default by the Principal Party pursuant to this Plan (as it has been assumed by the Principal Party) and (4) the Principal Party, as soon as practicable after the date of such Section 13 Event and at its own expense, will:

(i) prepare and file a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (x) become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (y) remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date, and similarly comply with applicable state securities laws;

(ii) use its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a national securities exchange or to meet the eligibility requirements for quotation on a national securities exchange and to list (and continue the listing of) the Rights and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on a national securities exchange;

(iii) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and its Affiliates that comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 (or any successor form) promulgated under the Exchange Act; and

(iv) take all other action as may be necessary to allow the Principal Party to issue the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights.

(c) Prohibited Transactions.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, if the Principal Party has a provision in any of its authorized securities or in its organizational documents that would have the effect of (i) causing the Principal Party to issue (other than to holders of Rights pursuant to this Section 13), in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of a Section 13 Event, Common Stock or common stock equivalents of the Principal Party at less than the then Current Per Share Market Price thereof or securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock or common stock equivalents of the Principal

-34-


 

Party at less than such Current Per Share Market Price; or (ii) providing for any special payment, tax, charge or similar provision in connection with the issuance of the Common Stock of the Principal Party pursuant to the provisions of this Section 13, then the Company agrees with each holder of Rights that it will not consummate any such Section 13 Event unless prior thereto the Company and such Principal Party have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing that such provision has been canceled, waived, amended or rescinded, or that such authorized securities will be redeemed, so that such provision will have no effect in connection with, or as a consequence of, the consummation of such Section 13 Event.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Company agrees with each holder of Rights that it will not consummate or permit to occur any Section 13 Event if (A) at the time or immediately after such Section 13 Event there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding, or any agreements or arrangements, that, as a result of the consummation of such Section 13 Event, would eliminate or diminish in any material respect the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights; (B) all rights of first refusal or preemptive rights in respect of the issuance of Common Stock or common stock equivalents of the Principal Party upon exercise of outstanding Rights have not been irrevocably waived or rendered inapplicable; (C) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such Section 13 Event, the stockholders of the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the Principal Party have received a distribution of Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates; or (D) the form or nature of organization of the Principal Party would preclude or limit the exercisability of the Rights.

(d) Continued Applicability. The provisions of this Section 13 will similarly apply to successive mergers, consolidations, sales, exchanges, mortgages, transfers or other extraordinary transactions. If a Section 13 Event occurs at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, then the Rights that have not previously been exercised will thereafter become exercisable in the manner described in Section 13(a) (without taking into account any prior adjustment required by Section 11(a)(ii)).

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

(a) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Rights. The Company will not be required to issue fractions of Rights (except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(n)) or to distribute Rights Certificates that evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, the Company will pay to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Current Per Share Market Price of a whole Right, calculated as of the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.

(b) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock. The Company will not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock) upon exercise or exchange of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of shares of Preferred Stock in integral multiples of one

-35-


 

one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary selected by the Company but only if such agreement provides that the holders of such depositary receipts have all of the rights, powers and preferences to which they are entitled as Beneficial Owners of the Preferred Stock represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time that such Rights are exercised or exchanged as provided in this Plan an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock will be one one-thousandth of the Current Per Share Market Price of a share of Preferred Stock, calculated as of the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.

(c) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares of Common Stock. The Company is not required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or exchange of Rights. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised or exchanged as provided in this Plan an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a share of Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of a share of Common Stock will be the Current Per Share Market Price of a share of Common Stock, calculated as of the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise or exchange.

(d) Waiver of Fractional Rights. Except as permitted by this Section 14, the holder of a Right, by the acceptance of such Right, expressly waives such holder’s right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares of any security upon the exercise or exchange of a Right.

(e) Procedure for Payment. Whenever a payment for fractional Rights or fractions of a share of Preferred Stock or Common Stock is to be made by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan, the Company will (i) promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such payment and the prices or formulas utilized in calculating such payments; and (ii) provide sufficient monies to the Rights Agent in the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights Agent will be fully protected in relying upon such certificate and will have no duty with respect thereto, and will not be deemed to have knowledge of any payment for fractional Rights or fractions of a share of Preferred Stock or Common Stock under any Section of this Plan relating to fractional Rights or fractions of a share of Preferred Stock or Common Stock unless and until the Rights Agent has received such certificate and sufficient monies.

Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Plan, except those rights of action given to the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock). Any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, any registered holder of Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,

-36-


 

any other holder of Common Stock), may, on such holder’s own behalf and for such holder’s own benefit and the benefit of other holders of Rights, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, this Plan or otherwise act in respect of such holder’s right to exercise such holder’s Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Plan. 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 Plan by the Company and will be entitled to specific performance by the Company of the obligations subject to this Plan, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened breaches or violations of the obligations of the Company under this Plan, in each case without having to post a bond.

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

(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be evidenced by a Rights Certificate and will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of shares of Common Stock;

(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates are transferable only on the transfer books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates properly completed and duly executed, accompanied by a Signature Guarantee and such other documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably request;

(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f), the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated certificate representing shares of Common Stock or Book Entry Shares, as applicable) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Rights Certificates or the associated certificate representing shares of Common Stock or Book Entry Shares, as applicable, made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent (subject to Section 7(e)) will be affected by any notice to the contrary;

(d) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent will have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of the inability to perform any of their respective obligations pursuant to this Plan by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, judgment, decree or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation, it being understood that the Company will use all reasonable efforts to have any such injunction, order, judgment, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as promptly as practicable;

-37-


 

(e) Rights that are Beneficially Owned by certain Persons will, under the circumstances set forth in Section 7(e), become null and void; and

(f) this Plan may be supplemented or amended from time to time in accordance with Section 28.

Section 17. Holder of Rights Certificate Not Deemed to be a Stockholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate will be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose to be the holder of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor will anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as specifically provided in Section 26), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.

(a) Compensation; Reimbursement; Indemnification. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it under this Plan in accordance with a fee schedule to be mutually agreed upon and, from time to time, on demand by the Rights Agent, the reasonable and documented expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred by the Rights Agent in connection with the preparation, negotiation, delivery, execution, amendment and administration of this Plan and the exercise and performance of its duties under this Plan. The Company also covenants and agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, demand, settlement, cost or expense (including the reasonable and documented expenses and fees of its outside counsel) that may be paid, incurred or suffered by it, or to which it may become subject, without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its duties pursuant to this Plan, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability arising therefrom, directly or indirectly, or of enforcing its rights under this Plan. The provisions of this Section 18 and Section 20 will survive the termination of this Plan, the exercise, exchange or expiration of the Rights and the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent.

(b) Reliance by the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent is authorized to rely conclusively on, and will be protected and will incur no liability for, or in respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in connection with its acceptance and administration of this Plan, and the exercise and performance of its duties pursuant to this Plan, in reliance upon any (i) Rights Certificate; (ii) certificate for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities of the Company issuable upon exercise of Rights; or (iii) instrument of assignment or transfer,

-38-


 

power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, instruction, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document reasonably believed by it, in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), to be genuine and to be duly executed and, where necessary, guaranteed, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20. The Rights Agent will not be required to take notice, or be deemed to have any knowledge, of any fact, event or determination of which it was supposed to receive notice under this Plan (including any dates or events defined in this Plan or the designation of any Person as an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), and the Rights Agent will be fully protected and will incur no liability for failing to take action in connection therewith, unless and until it has received such notice in writing.

(c) Survival. Section 18 and Section 20 will survive the termination of this Plan, the resignation, replacement or removal of the Rights Agent and the exercise, exchange or expiration of the Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, incidental, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever, even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of the action. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, any liability of the Rights Agent under this Plan will be limited to the amount of fees (but not including any reimbursed costs) paid by the Company to the Rights Agent during the 12 months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights Agent is being sought.

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

(a) Merger or Consolidation of Rights Agent. Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent is a party, or any Person succeeding to the stock transfer or other stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the Parties; provided, however, that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent pursuant to the provisions of Section 21. The purchase of all or substantially all of the Rights Agent’s assets employed in the performance of transfer agent activities will be deemed to be a merger or consolidation for purposes of this Section 19. If at the time that such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Plan any of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered, then any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned, and if at that time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, then any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights 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 Rights Certificates will have the full force and effect provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Plan.

(b) Change of Name of Rights Agent. If at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not

-39-


 

delivered, then the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned, and if at any time any of the Rights Certificates have not have been countersigned, then the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; in all such cases, such Rights Certificates will have the full force and effect provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Plan.

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Plan, and no implied duties or obligations will be read into this Plan against the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent will perform its duties and obligations upon the following terms and conditions, all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates or shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, by their acceptance thereof, will be bound:

(a) Consultation with Counsel. The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel that it selects (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent will have no liability for or in respect of, any action taken or omitted by it in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) in accordance with such advice or opinion.

(b) Reliance on Certificate of the Company. Whenever in the performance of its duties pursuant to this Plan the Rights Agent deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter (including the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of the Current Per Share Market Price of any security) be proved or established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof is specifically prescribed in this Plan) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Appropriate Officers and delivered to the Rights Agent, and such certificate will be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent will incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken by it pursuant to the provisions of this Plan in reliance upon such certificate in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction). The Rights Agent shall have no duty to act without such certificate as set forth in this Section 20(b).

(c) General Limitation of Liability. The Rights Agent will not be liable under this Plan for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Plan, the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

(d) No Liability for Certain Matters. The Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Plan, the Rights Certificates or any certificate (or registration on the transfer books of the Company, including, in the case of uncertificated shares, by notation in book entry accounts reflecting ownership) for Preferred Stock, Common Stock or other securities of the Company issuable upon exercise of

-40-


 

Rights, or be required to verify the same (except, in each case, its countersignature thereof, if applicable), and all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

(e) No Responsibility for Certain Matters. The Rights Agent will not (i) have any liability for or be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Plan or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the legality or validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); (ii) be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Plan or in any Rights Certificate; (iii) be liable or responsible for (A) any adjustment or calculation required pursuant to Section 13, Section 14 or Section 24; (B) the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or change; or (C) ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment or calculation (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates subject to the terms and conditions hereof after actual notice of any such adjustment); or (iv) by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Plan or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable.

(f) Company Compliance Obligations. The Rights Agent will not be liable or responsible for any failure of the Company to comply with any of its obligations relating to any registration statement filed with the SEC or this Plan, including obligations under applicable regulation or law.

(g) No Duty to Initiate Proceedings. The Rights Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case of the receipt of any written demand from any holder of Rights with respect to any action or default by the Company, including any duty or responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise to make any demand upon the Company.

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

(i) Acceptance of Instructions. The Rights Agent is authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties under this Plan from any person reasonably believed by the Rights Agent to be an Appropriate Officer, and it is authorized to apply to any Appropriate Officer for advice or instructions in connection with its duties pursuant to this Plan. Such advice and instructions will be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent, and the Rights Agent will not be liable for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in accordance with the written advice or instructions of any Appropriate Officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. The Rights Agent will be fully and completely authorized and protected in relying on the latest-dated instructions received from any Appropriate Officer. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from

-41-


 

the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan and the date on or after which such action will be taken, suffered or omitted. The Rights Agent will be fully authorized and protected in relying upon the most recent instructions received from any Appropriate Officer, and will not be liable for any action taken or suffered 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 unless, prior to taking or suffering any such action (or the effective date, in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent has received, in response to such application, written instructions with respect to the proposed action or omission specifying a different action to be taken, suffered or omitted.

(j) Dealing in Securities of the Company. The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer, employee or Affiliate of the Rights Agent, in each case in its capacity as such, may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan. Nothing herein will preclude the Rights Agent or any such member, stockholder, director, officer, employee or Affiliate from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.

(k) Use of Agents. The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Plan or perform any duty under this Plan either itself (including through its directors, officers and employees) or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent will not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company or to any other Person resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof (which gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct must be determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).

(l) No Risk of Funds. No provision of this Plan requires the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties under this Plan or in the exercise of its rights or powers if it reasonably believes that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility to the Company, any holders of Rights or any other Person for the interest or earnings on any money held by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Plan.

(m) No Action with Respect to Certain Rights Certificates. If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form of election to purchase or form of assignment, as the case may be, has either (i) not been properly completed or (ii) indicates an affirmative response to clause (1) or clause (2) thereof, then the Rights Agent will not take any further action with respect to such requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company. The Rights Agent will not be liable for any delays arising from the duties under this Section 20(m).

-42-


 

(n) Delivery of Rights Holder List. From time to time after the Distribution Date, upon the written request of the Company, the Rights Agent will promptly deliver to the Company a list, as of the most recent practicable date (or as of such earlier date as may be specified by the Company), of the record holders of Rights and Rights Certificates.

(o) Responsibility for Information. The Rights Agent will not be required to take notice or be deemed to have notice of any, event or condition hereunder, including any event or condition that may require action by the Rights Agent, unless the Rights Agent shall be specifically notified in writing of such event or condition by the Company, and all notices or other instruments required by this Plan to be delivered to the Rights Agent must, in order to be effective, be received by the Rights Agent as specified in Section 26 hereof, and in the absence of such notice so delivered, the Rights Agent may conclusively assume no such event or condition exists.

(p) Reliance on Certain Matters. The Rights Agent may rely on and be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon (i) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program in addition to, or in substitution for, the foregoing; or (ii) any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the same.

(q) Ambiguity or Uncertainty. In the event the Rights Agent believes any ambiguity or uncertainty exists hereunder or in any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document received by the Rights Agent hereunder, the Rights Agent, may (upon notice to the Company of such ambiguity or uncertainty), in its sole discretion, refrain from taking any action, and shall be fully protected and shall not be liable in any way to the Company, the holder of any Rights Certificate or any other Person for refraining from taking such action, unless the Rights Agent receives written instructions signed by the Company which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction of the Rights Agent.

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties pursuant to this Plan upon 30 days’ written notice to the Company. If any transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent terminates, then the Rights Agent will be deemed to have automatically resigned, and be discharged from its duties pursuant to this Plan, on the effective date of such termination, and the Company will be responsible for sending any required notices. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, with or without cause, upon no less than 30 days’ notice in writing to the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock (in the event that the Rights Agent or one of its Affiliates is not also such transfer agent), delivered to the Rights Agent in accordance with Section 27. If the Rights Agent resigns or is removed or otherwise becomes incapable of acting, then the Company will appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company fails to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving written 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 registered holder of a Rights Certificate (who must, together with such notice, submit such registered holder’s Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then such registered holder or the incumbent Rights

-43-


 

Agent may apply, at the Company’s expense, to a court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, must be either (a) a Person organized, in good standing and doing business pursuant to the laws of the United States or any state of the United States that is authorized pursuant to such laws to exercise corporate trust, stock transfer or stockholder services powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000; or (b) an Affiliate or direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of such Person. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent will 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 must deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it, and execute and deliver any further reasonable assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for such purpose, but such predecessor Rights Agent shall not be required to make additional expenditure or assume any additional liabilities in connection with the foregoing. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company will file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, and if such appointment occurs after the Distribution Time, mail a notice thereof to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, or any defect therein, will 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. Upon appointment, any successor Rights Agent will, unless the context requires otherwise, be deemed to be the Rights Agent for all purposes of this Plan.

Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or the Rights, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable pursuant to the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Plan. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company will, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold (whether pursuant to the exercise of stock options or pursuant to any employee benefit plan or arrangement or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities of the Company outstanding as of the Rights Dividend Declaration Date or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities issued by the Company after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (except, in each case, as may otherwise be provided in the instruments governing such securities)), and may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale. However, (a) no such Rights Certificate will be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company is advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of or result in material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued or would create a significant risk of or result in such options or employee plans or arrangements failing to qualify for otherwise available special tax treatment; (b) no such Rights Certificate will be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustment will otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof; and (c) the Company will have no obligation to distribute Rights Certificates to any Acquiring Person, Affiliate or

-44-


 

Associate of an Acquiring Person, Post-Event Transferee, Pre-Event Transferee, Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing.

Section 23. Redemption.

(a) Right to Redeem. The Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all of the then-outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (such redemption price, the “Redemption Price”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Rights will not be exercisable after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company’s right of redemption pursuant to this Section 23 has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in shares of Common Stock (based on the Current Per Share Market Price of the Common Stock at the time of redemption), cash or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board, in its sole discretion, to be at least equivalent to the Redemption Price. Such redemption of the Rights by the Board may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may establish. The date on which the Board elects to make the redemption effective is referred to as the “Redemption Date.”

(b) General Redemption Procedures. Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at such later time as the Board may establish for the effectiveness of such redemption), evidence of which will have been filed with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. The Company will promptly give public notice of any such redemption (with prompt written notice thereof also provided to the Rights Agent). Promptly after the action of the Board ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company will give, or cause to be given, notice of such redemption to the holders of Rights Certificates in accordance with Section 27, with any notice that is so provided deemed to be given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption must state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price is to be made. The failure to give, or any defect in, any notice required by this Section 23 will not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Board or of the redemption.

(c) Discharge of Obligations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, in the event of a redemption pursuant to Section 23(a), the Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release or making a publicly available filing with the SEC announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights and (ii) mailing payment of the Redemption Price to the holders of Rights at the addresses of such holders as shown on the transfer books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the transfer books of the Company or the transfer agent for the Common Stock, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights Certificates will be null and void without any further action by the Company.

-45-


 

(d) Prohibited Purchases. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in any manner other than as specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in Section 24, or other than in connection with the purchase or repurchase of shares of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date.

Section 24. Exchange.

(a) Exchange of Common Stock for Rights. The Board 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 will not include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction occurring in respect of the Common Stock after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (such exchange ratio, the “Exchange Ratio,” and such determination by the Board to effect such exchange, an “Exchange Determination”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board will not be empowered to effect an Exchange Determination at any time after any Person (other than any Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50 percent or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the occurrence of a Section 13 Event, any Rights that have not previously been exchanged pursuant to this Section 24(a) will thereafter be exercisable only in accordance with Section 13 and may not be exchanged (and will not be eligible for exchange) pursuant to this Section 24(a).

(b) Exchange Procedures.

(i) Manner of Effecting Exchange. Immediately following an Exchange Determination and without any further action or notice, the right to exercise the then-outstanding Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) will terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights is to receive that number of shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company will promptly give public notice of any such exchange (with prompt written notice thereof also provided to the Rights Agent), and thereafter will promptly give, or cause to be given, notice of such exchange to the holders of the then-outstanding Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) by mailing such notice, in accordance with Section 27, with any notice that is so provided deemed to be given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange must state the method by which the exchange of shares of Common Stock for Rights is to be effected (including the actions that must be taken by the holders of Rights to receive shares of Common Stock in exchange for Rights) and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights that are to be exchanged. Any partial exchange will be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e)) held by each holder of Rights. Following an Exchange Determination, the Company may implement such procedures as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, to minimize the possibility that any shares of Common Stock (or other consideration) issuable pursuant to this Section 24 are received by Persons whose Rights are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e). Prior to effecting any exchange, the Company may require, or cause the trustee of

-46-


 

the Trust to require, as a condition thereof, that any registered holder of Rights provide such evidence (including the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) thereof and the Affiliates or Associates of such Beneficial Owner or former Beneficial Owner) as the Company may reasonably request in order to determine if such Rights are null and void pursuant to Section 7(e). If such registered holder does not comply with the foregoing requirements, then the Company will be entitled to conclusively deem such Rights to be Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person (or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing) and, accordingly, such Rights will be null and void and not exchangeable in connection herewith. Any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) issued at the direction of the Board in connection with an Exchange Determination will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and the Company will be deemed to have received as consideration for such issuance a benefit having a value that is at least equal to the aggregate par value of the Common Stock (or other securities) so issued. The failure to give, or any defect in, any notice required by this Section 24 will not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Board or of such exchange.

(ii) Use of Trust. The exchange of the Rights pursuant to Section 24(a) may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board, in its sole discretion, may establish. Without limiting the foregoing, prior to effecting an exchange pursuant to Section 24(a), the Board may direct the Company to enter into a trust agreement in such form and with such terms as the Board approves (the “Trust Agreement”). If the Board so directs, then the Company must enter into the Trust Agreement and must issue to the trust created by such agreement (the “Trust”) all of the Common Stock (or other consideration) issuable pursuant to the exchange (or any portion thereof that has not previously been issued in connection with the exchange). From and after the time at which such Common Stock (or other consideration) are issued to the Trust, all stockholders then entitled to receive Common Stock (or other consideration) pursuant to the exchange will be entitled to receive such shares or consideration (and any dividends or distributions made thereon after the date on which such shares or consideration are deposited into the Trust) only from the Trust and solely upon compliance with the relevant terms and provisions of the Trust Agreement.

(c) Insufficient Shares. If there are not sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with Section 24(a), then the Company will, at the option of the Board, either (i) take such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the Rights or (ii) with respect to each Right (A) pay cash in an amount equal to the Current Exchange Value in lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock in exchange therefor; (B) issue debt or equity securities (or a combination thereof) having a value equal to the Current Exchange Value in lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock in exchange for each such Right, where the value of such securities will be determined by the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board, which determination will be described in a written statement filed with the Rights Agent and will be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights; or (C) deliver any combination of cash, property, Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Equivalent Preferred Stock or other securities having a value equal to the Current Exchange Value in exchange for each Right. To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be taken pursuant to this Section 24(c), then the

-47-


 

Board may temporarily suspend (with prompt written notice of any suspension provided to the Rights Agent), from time to time for a period not to exceed 180 days following the date on which the Exchange Determination, the exercisability of the Rights in order to seek any authorization of additional shares of Common Stock or to decide the appropriate form of distribution to be made pursuant to the above provision and to determine the value thereof. Upon any such suspension, the Company will issue a public announcement stating, and notify the Rights Agent in writing, that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as issue a public announcement, and notify the Rights Agent in writing, at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.

(d) Cash in Lieu of Fractional Shares of Common Stock. In connection with an Exchange Determination, the Company will not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Current Per Share Market Price of a share of Common Stock, calculated as of the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of the Exchange Determination.

Section 25. Process to Seek Exemption Prior to Triggering Event.

(a) Waiver Prior to a Stock Acquisition Date. Any Person who desires to effect any acquisition of shares of Common Stock that would, if consummated, result in such Person beneficially owning the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (such Person, a “Requesting Person”) may, prior to the Stock Acquisition Date and in accordance with this Section 25(a), request that the Board grant an exemption with respect to such acquisition under this Plan so that such Person would be deemed to be an Exempt Person pursuant to Section 1(v)(iii) (an “Exemption Request”) for purposes of such acquisition. An Exemption Request must be in proper form and must be sent to the Company in accordance with Section 27. An Exemption Request will be deemed made upon receipt by the Company. To be in proper form, an Exemption Request must set forth (i) the name and address of the Requesting Person; (ii) the number and percentage of shares of Common Stock then Beneficially Owned by such Requesting Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of the Requesting Person; and (iii) a reasonably detailed description of (A) the transaction or transactions by which such Requesting Person would propose to acquire Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock aggregating, with all shares already owned, to the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; and (B) the maximum number and percentage of the shares of Common Stock that such Requesting Person proposes to acquire. The Board will make a determination whether to grant an exemption in response to an Exemption Request as promptly as practicable (and, in any event, within 30 Business Days) after receipt of the Exemption Request by the Company, it being understood that the failure of the Board to make a determination within such period will be deemed to constitute the denial of the Exemption Request by the Board. The Requesting Person must respond promptly to reasonable requests for additional information from the Board and its advisors in order to assist the Board in making its determination. For purposes of considering the Exemption Request, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such shares of Common Stock outstanding of which any

-48-


 

Person is the Beneficial Owner, will be made pursuant to and in accordance with Section 382. The Board will only grant an exemption in response to an Exemption Request if the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock by the Requesting Person (A) will not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits to the Company; or (B) is in the best interests of the Company despite the fact that it may adversely impact in a material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits to the Company. Any exemption granted pursuant to an Exemption Request (and the corresponding determination that the Requesting Person is an Exempt Person for purposes of such acquisition) may be granted in whole or in part, and may be subject to limitations or conditions (including a requirement that the Requesting Person agree that it will not acquire Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock in excess of the maximum number and percentage of shares approved by the Board), in each case as and to the extent that the Board determines necessary or desirable to provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits or to otherwise promote the best interests of the Company. Any Exemption Request may be submitted on a confidential basis and, except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company will maintain the confidentiality of such Exemption Request and the Board’s determination with respect thereto, unless the information contained in the Exemption Request or the Board’s determination with respect thereto otherwise becomes publicly available. Any Exemption Request will be considered and evaluated by directors serving on the Board who are independent of the Company and the Requesting Person and disinterested with respect to such Exemption Request, and the action of a majority of such independent and disinterested directors will be deemed to be the determination of the Board for purposes of such Exemption Request.

(b) Waiver Following a Stock Acquisition Date. Following a Stock Acquisition Date and prior to the Distribution Date, the Board may, of its own accord or upon the request of a stockholder (such request, a “Waiver Request”), and in accordance with this Section 25(b), grant an exemption with respect to any Acquiring Person under this Plan so that such Acquiring Person would be deemed to be an Exempt Person pursuant to Section 1(v)(iii). A Waiver Request must be in proper form and must be sent to the Company in accordance with Section 27. A Waiver Request will be deemed made upon receipt by the Company. To be in proper form, a Waiver Request must set forth (i) the name and address of the Acquiring Person; (ii) the number and percentage of shares of Common Stock then Beneficially Owned by such Acquiring Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Acquiring Person; and (iii) a reasonably detailed description of (A) the transaction or transactions by which such Acquiring Person acquired Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock aggregating to the Triggering Percentage or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding and (B) the maximum number and percentage of shares of Common Stock that such Acquiring Person proposes to acquire. The Board will make a determination whether to grant an exemption in response to a Waiver Request as promptly as practicable (and, in any event, within 30 Business Days) after receipt of the Waiver Request by the Company, it being understood that the failure of the Board to make a determination within such period will be deemed to constitute the denial of the Waiver Request by the Board. The Acquiring Person must respond promptly to reasonable requests for additional information from the Board and its advisors in order to assist the Board in making its determination. For purposes of considering the Waiver Request, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of

-49-


 

determining the particular percentage of such shares of Common Stock outstanding of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, will be made pursuant to and in accordance with Section 382. The Board will only grant an exemption for an Acquiring Person pursuant to this Section 25(b) if the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock by such Acquiring Person (A) will not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability to the Company of the Tax Benefits; or (B) is in the best interests of the Company despite the fact that it may adversely impact in a material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits to the Company. Any exemption granted pursuant to this Section 25(b) (and the corresponding determination that such Acquiring Person is an Exempt Person) may be granted in whole or in part, and may be subject to limitations or conditions (including a requirement that such Acquiring Person agree that it will not acquire Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock in excess of the maximum number and percentage of shares approved by the Board), in each case as and to the extent that the Board determines necessary or desirable to provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits or to otherwise promote the best interests of the Company. The facts and circumstances with respect to the Triggering Event, including whether to grant an exemption, will be considered and evaluated by directors serving on the Board who are independent of the Company and such Acquiring Person and disinterested with respect to the Triggering Event (and, if applicable, the Waiver Request), and the action of a majority of such independent and disinterested directors will be deemed to be the determination of the Board for purposes of any exemption granted pursuant to this Section 25(b).

Section 26. Notice of Certain Events.

(a) Certain Distributions. If the Company proposes, at any time after the Distribution Date, to (i) declare or pay any dividend payable in stock of any class or series to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly or periodic cash dividend out of earnings or retained earnings of the Company); (ii) offer to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or series or any other securities, rights or options; (iii) effect any reclassification of the Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Stock); (iv) effect any share exchange, consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(m)); (v) effect any sale or other transfer (or permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of more than 50 percent of the assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person; (vi) effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company; (vii) declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock; or (viii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of Common Stock), then, in each such case, the Company will give written notice of such proposed action to the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights Certificates in accordance with Section 27, which notice must specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such subdivision, combination, reclassification, share exchange, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take

-50-


 

place and the date of participation therein by the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice must be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 Business Days prior to but not including the record date for determining holders of shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 10 Business Days prior to but not including the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, whichever is earlier.

(b) Certain Events. If a Triggering Event has occurred, then (i) the Company will as soon as practicable thereafter give, or cause to be given, to the Rights Agent and each holder of Rights Certificates a notice in accordance with Section 27 of the occurrence of such Triggering Event, which notice must specify the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13, as applicable; and (ii) all references in this Section 26 to Preferred Stock will thereafter be deemed to be references to Common Stock or, if appropriate, other securities.

Section 27. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Plan to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of any share of Common Stock) to or on the Company will be sufficiently given or made if in writing and sent by a recognized national overnight delivery service, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by email (except that notice given by email will not be effective unless either (a) a duplicate copy of such email notice is promptly given by one of the other methods described in this Section 27 or (b) the receiving party delivers a written confirmation of receipt of such notice either by email or any other method described in this Section 27 (excluding “out of office” or other automated replies)), addressed (in each case, until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent by the Company) as follows:

Seer, Inc.

3800 Bridge Parkway, Suite 102

Redwood City, CA 94065

Attn: Chief Executive Officer

Email: [***]

with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Professional Corporation

650 Page Mill Road

Palo Alto, CA 94304-1050

Attn: Tony Jeffries

Christina Poulsen

Douglas K. Schnell

Email: [***], [***], [***]

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this Plan to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of any Common Stock) to or on the Rights Agent will be sufficiently given or

-51-


 

made if in writing and sent by a recognized national overnight delivery service, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by email (except that notice given by email will not be effective unless either (a) a duplicate copy of such email notice is promptly given by one of the other methods described in this Section 27 or (b) the receiving party delivers a written confirmation of receipt of such notice either by email or any other method described in this Section 27 (excluding “out of office” or other automated replies)), addressed (in each case, until another address is filed in writing with the Company by the Rights Agent) as follows:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

150 Royall Street

Canton, MA 02021

Attn: Client Services

Notices or demands authorized by this Plan to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holders of Rights or Rights Certificates (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to the holders of shares of Common Stock) will be sufficiently given or made if in writing and sent by a recognized national overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the transfer books of the Rights Agent or the Company or the transfer agent for the Common Stock. Any notice that is sent or mailed in the manner provided in this Section 27 will be deemed given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, prior to the Distribution Date, the issuance of a press release or the making of a publicly available filing by the Company with the SEC will constitute sufficient notice by the Rights Agent or the Company to the holders of securities of the Company, including the Rights, for all purposes of this Plan and no other notice need be given.

Section 28. Supplements and Amendments. For so long as the Rights are redeemable, the Company may in its sole discretion supplement or amend this Plan in any respect without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates, Preferred Stock or Common Stock, and the Rights Agent must, if the Company so directs, execute such supplement or amendment. At any time when the Rights are not redeemable, the Company and the Rights Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Plan without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates in order to (i) cure any ambiguity; (ii) correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein or otherwise defective, including any change in order to satisfy any applicable law, rule or regulation; (iii) shorten or lengthen any time period; or (iv) change or supplement the provisions of this Plan in any manner that the Company may deem necessary or desirable and that does not adversely affect the interests of the Rights Agent or the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing), including extending the Final Expiration Date. However, this Plan may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of the previous sentence, a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at a time when the Rights are not then redeemable, it being understood that that the right of the Board to extend the Distribution Date does not require any amendment or supplement. No supplement or amendment to this Plan shall be effective unless duly executed by the Rights Agent and the Company. The Rights Agent will duly execute and deliver any supplement or amendment hereto requested by the Company in writing, provided that the

-52-


 

Company has delivered to the Rights Agent a certificate from an Appropriate Officer that states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 28. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Rights Agent may, but will not be required to, execute any supplement or amendment that adversely affects its rights, duties, obligations or immunities pursuant to this Plan. Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights and Rights Certificates will be deemed to be coincident with the interests of the holders of shares of Common Stock.

Section 29. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Plan by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent will bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board. The Board (or an authorized committee thereof) has the exclusive power and authority to administer this Plan and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board or the Company pursuant to this Plan, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Plan, including the right and power to (a) interpret the provisions of this Plan and (b) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan (including a determination as to whether to redeem the Rights or to amend or supplement this Plan). Without limiting any of the rights and immunities of the Rights Agent, all such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (ii) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that are done or made by the Board (or an authorized committee thereof) in good faith will (i) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of Rights Certificates and all other Persons; and (ii) not subject the Board (or an authorized committee thereof) or any of the directors serving on the Board (or an authorized committee thereof) to any liability to any Person, including the Rights Agent and the holders of Rights Certificates. In administering this Plan and exercising the rights and powers specifically granted to the Board and to the Company, and in interpreting this Plan and making any determination under this Plan, the Board (or an authorized committee thereof) may consider any and all facts, circumstances or information that it deems to be necessary, useful or appropriate. The Rights Agent is always entitled to assume that the Board acted in good faith and will be fully protected and incur no liability in reliance thereon.

Section 31. Benefits of this Plan. Nothing in this Plan may be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim pursuant to this Plan. This Plan is for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock).

Section 32. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Plan is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, then the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Plan will remain in full force and effect and will in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that if such invalidity, voidance or unenforceability shall materially and adversely affect the rights, immunities, liabilities, duties or obligations of the Rights Agent, then the Rights Agent will be

-53-


 

entitled to resign immediately upon written notice to the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid language from this Plan would adversely affect the purpose or effect of this Plan, then the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 will be reinstated and will not expire until the Close of Business on the 10th Business Day following the date of such determination by the Board.

Section 33. Governing Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

(a) Governing Law. This Plan, each Right and each Rights Certificate, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, or whether at law (including at common law or by statute) or in equity) that may be based on, arise out of or relate to this Plan, each Right and each Rights Certificate, or the negotiation, execution, performance or subject matter of this Plan, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

(b) Exclusive Jurisdiction.

(i) The Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) each irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or, if such court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to or concerning this Plan. The Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) each acknowledge that the forum designated by this Section 33(b)(i) has a reasonable relation to this Plan and to such Persons’ relationship with one another.

(ii) The Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) each waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that they now or may in the future have to personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any court referred to in Section 33(b)(i) (or the appellate courts thereof). The Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) each undertake not to commence any action subject to this Plan in any forum other than the forum described in Section 33(b)(i). The Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) each agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a final and non-appealable judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court will be conclusive and binding upon such Persons.

(c) Wavier of Jury Trial. THE COMPANY, THE RIGHTS AGENT AND THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES (AND, PRIOR TO THE DISTRIBUTION DATE, THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF SHARES OF COMMON

-54-


 

STOCK) EACH IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF THIS PLAN.

Section 34. Counterparts. This Plan and any supplements or amendments to this Plan may be executed in any number of counterparts and each such counterpart will for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts will together constitute one and the same instrument, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. A signature to this Plan transmitted electronically (including by fax and .pdf) will have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature. No Party may raise the use of such electronic transmission to deliver a signature, or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through such electronic transmission, as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each Party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.

Section 35. Interpretation.

(a) References to this Plan. Unless the context of this Plan otherwise requires, (i) when a reference is made in this Plan to an Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit, that reference is to an Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit to this Plan, as applicable, and (ii) references to “paragraphs” or “clauses” are to separate paragraphs or clauses of the Section or subsection in which the reference occurs. All Exhibits attached to this Plan or referred to in this Plan are incorporated in and made a part of this Plan.

(b) Hereof, Including, etc. When used in this Plan, (i) the words “hereof,” “herein” and “herewith” and words of similar import will, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Plan as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Plan; and (ii) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” will be deemed in each case to be followed by the words “without limitation.”

(c) Neither, etc. Not Exclusive. Unless the context of this Plan otherwise requires, “neither,” “nor,” “any,” “either” and “or” are not exclusive.

(d) Extent. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” means the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and does not simply mean “if.”

(e) Dollars. When used in this Plan, references to “$” or “Dollars” are references to U.S. dollars.

(f) Gender and Number. The meaning assigned to each capitalized term defined and used in this Plan is equally applicable to both the singular and the plural forms of such term, and words denoting any gender include all genders. Where a word or phrase is defined in this Plan, each of its other grammatical forms has a corresponding meaning. All terms defined in this Plan will have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant to this Plan unless otherwise defined in such certificate or document.

-55-


 

(g) References to Parties. References to any Person include references to such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, and, in the case of any governmental authority, to any Person succeeding to its functions and capacities.

(h) References to Writings. References to “writing” mean the representation or reproduction of words, symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods, whether in electronic form or otherwise. “Written” will be construed in the same manner.

(i) Legislation. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, a reference to any specific legislation or to any provision of any legislation includes any amendment to, and any modification, re-enactment or successor thereof, any legislative provision substituted therefor and all rules, regulations and statutory instruments (and successors or replacements) issued thereunder or pursuant thereto.

(j) Headings. The table of contents and headings set forth in this Plan are for convenience of reference purposes only and will not affect or be deemed to affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Plan or any term or provision of this Plan.

(k) Calculation of Time Periods. Unless otherwise indicated, (i) when calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Plan, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period will be excluded; (ii) if the last day of such period is not a Business Day, then the period in question will end on the next Business Day; (iii) the measure of a period of one month or year for purposes of this Plan will be the day of the following month or year corresponding to the starting date; and (iv) if no corresponding date exists, then the end date of such period being measured will be the next actual day of the following month or year (for example, one month following February 18 is March 18 and one month following March 31 is May 1). References to “from” or “through” any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including such date, respectively.

(l) Nature of Days and Months. Whenever this Plan refers to a number of days, that number will refer to calendar days unless Business Days are specified. Any reference to a “month” means a calendar month.

(m) Summaries. No summary of this Plan or any Exhibit, Schedule or other document delivered with this Plan will affect the meaning or interpretation of this Plan or such Exhibit, Schedule or document.

(n) Calculation of Outstanding Shares. For all purposes of this Plan, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, will include the number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding at the time of such calculation that such Person is otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own for purposes of this Plan, but the number of shares of Common Stock not outstanding that such Person is otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own for purposes of this Plan will not be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of

-56-


 

outstanding shares of Common Stock that are Beneficially Owned by any other Person (unless such other Person is also otherwise deemed to Beneficially Own, for purposes of this Plan, such shares of Common Stock not outstanding).

Section 36. Costs of Enforcement. The Company agrees with each registered holder of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of shares of Common Stock) that if the Company or any other Person the securities of which are purchasable upon exercise of the Rights fails to fulfill any of its obligations pursuant to this Plan, then the Company or such Person must reimburse any registered holder of Rights Certificates for the costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by such holder in any action to enforce such holder’s rights pursuant to any Right or this Plan.

Section 37. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Rights Agent will not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control, including fires, floods, natural disasters, acts of God, epidemics, pandemics, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, legal restrictions, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war or civil unrest.

Section 38. USA PATRIOT Act. The Company acknowledges that the Rights Agent is subject to the customer identification program requirements pursuant to the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, and that the Rights Agent must obtain, verify and record information that allows the Rights Agent to identify the Company. Accordingly, prior to accepting an appointment, the Rights Agent has received information from the Company that will help the Rights Agent to identify the Company, including the Company’s physical address, tax identification number, organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business or such other information that the Rights Agent deems necessary and, pending verification of such received information, the Rights Agent may request additional such information. The Company agrees to provide all reasonably requested information necessary for the Rights Agent to verify the Company’s identity in accordance with such customer identification program requirements.

[Signature page follows.]

-57-


 

The parties are signing this Plan on the date stated in the introductory clause.

 

 

 

SEER, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ David Horn

 

 

 

 

Name: David Horn

 

 

 

 

Title: President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Albert Guinto

 

 

 

 

Name: Albert Guinto

 

 

 

 

Title: Relationship Manager

 

 

[Signature Page to Plan]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF RIGHTS, POWERS AND PREFERENCES
OF SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK OF
SEER, INC.

 

Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

Seer, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof, certifies:

That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, as of February 26, 2026, the Board adopted the following resolution creating a series of preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“Preferred Stock”), of the Corporation designated as Series A Participating Preferred Stock:

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation (the “Charter”), the Board, as of February 26, 2026, provides for the issuance of a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation and fixes, states and expresses the designations, powers, preferences and relative and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of such series of Preferred Stock as follows:

Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series will be designated as “Series A Participating Preferred Stock.” The Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have a par value of $0.00001 per share, and the number of shares constituting such series will be 500,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Corporation’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), except that no decrease will reduce the number of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the exercise of any options, rights or warrants issuable upon conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.

(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or other similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in

A-1


 

each year (each such date being referred to 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 Participating Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 and (ii) subject to any provision for adjustment in this Certificate of Designation, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock. If the Corporation at any time after February 25, 2026 (the “Rights Dividend Declaration Date”) (A) declares and pays any dividend on the Common Stock payable in the form of shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (C) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence will be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such event and the denominator of which will be the total number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of such event.

(b) The Corporation will declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2(a) immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock), except that if no dividend or distribution has been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, then a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock will nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date (it being understood that the actual payment of such dividend may be deferred if prohibited under any of the Corporation’s debt instruments).

(c) Dividends will begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, 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 will begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends will begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends will not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares will be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred

A-2


 

Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date will be no more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have the following voting rights:

(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. If the Corporation at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (i) declares any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event will be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate of Designation, in any other Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, the Charter or the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”), or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights will vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(c) Except as set forth in this Certificate of Designation or as required by law, the holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have no special voting rights and their consent will not be required (except to the extent that holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock are entitled to vote with holders of shares of Common Stock as set forth in this Certificate of Designation) for taking any corporate action.

Section 4. Certain Restrictions.

(a) The Corporation will not declare any dividend on, make any distribution on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Common Stock after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless concurrently therewith it will declare a dividend on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as required by Section 2.

(b) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock outstanding will have been paid in full, the Corporation will not:

(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A

A-3


 

Participating Preferred Stock, other than (A) redemptions or purchases that may be deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or similar rights or the grant, vesting or lapse of restrictions on the grant of any performance shares, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity awards to the extent that such shares represent all or a portion of (1) the exercise or purchase price of such options, warrants or similar rights or other equity awards and (2) the amount of withholding taxes owed by the recipient of such award in respect of such grant, exercise, vesting or lapse of restrictions; or (B) the repurchase, redemption, or other acquisition or retirement for value of any such shares from employees, former employees, directors, former directors, consultants or former consultants of the Corporation, or their respective estate, spouse, former spouse or family member, pursuant to the terms of the agreements pursuant to which such shares were acquired;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Participating Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, it being understood that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock; or

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, will determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(c) The Corporation will not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, pursuant to Section 4(a), purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

Section 5. Reacquired Shares of Preferred Stock. Any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever will be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares will upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth in this Certificate of Designation, in the Charter or in any other Certificate of Designation creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

A-4


 

Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.

(a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, no distribution will be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Participating Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will have received an amount per share (the “Series A Liquidation Preference”) equal to the greater of (i) $1.00 plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment or (ii) the Adjustment Number multiplied by the per share amount of all cash and other property to be distributed in respect of the Common Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation. The “Adjustment Number” will initially be 1,000. If the Corporation at any time after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date (A) declares and pays any dividend on the Common Stock payable in the form of shares of Common Stock, (B) subdivides the outstanding Common Stock or (C) combines or consolidates the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event will be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) If there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of Preferred Stock, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, then the assets available for distribution will be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock and such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.

(c) None of the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another entity or the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or with the Corporation will be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.

Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. If the Corporation enters into any consolidation, merger, combination, conversion, share exchange or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock, securities, cash or any other property (payable in kind), then in any such case the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will 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 the Adjustment Number multiplied by the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged.

Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock will not be redeemable.

A-5


 

Section 9. Ranking. The Series A Participating Preferred Stock will rank junior to all other series of the Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series will provide otherwise, and will rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.

Section 10. Amendment. At any time when any shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock are outstanding, neither the Charter nor this Certificate of Designation will be amended in any manner that would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.

Section 11. Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that will entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Participating Preferred Stock.

* * *

A-6


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of the 26th day of February, 2026.

SEER, INC.

By:

Name:

Title:

A-7


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF
RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

Certificate No. R-[●] [●] Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER FEBRUARY 25, 2029, OR SUCH EARLIER DATE AS THE RIGHTS ARE REDEEMED, EXCHANGED OR TERMINATED. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW), AT $0.001 PER RIGHT, AND EXCHANGE, IN EACH CASE PURSUANT TO THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE PLAN (AS DEFINED BELOW). UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE PLAN) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON. ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS THAT IT REPRESENTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE PLAN.]1

RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

SEER, INC.

This certifies that ______________________________, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, dated as of February 26, 2026 (the “Plan”), between Seer, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust company (the “Rights Agent,” which term will include any successor Rights Agent pursuant to the Plan), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Plan) and prior to the Expiration Date (as such term is defined in the Plan) at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid and nonassessable share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company, at an exercise price of $11.00 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock (the “Exercise Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock that may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Exercise Price per share set forth above, are the number and Exercise Price as of February 26, 2026, based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such


1 The portion of the legend in brackets is to be inserted only if applicable and will replace the preceding sentence.

B-1


 

date. As provided in the Plan, the Exercise Price and the number and kind of Preferred Stock or other securities that may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined in the Plan) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued. Capitalized terms used in this Rights Certificate without definition will have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.

Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing, such Rights will become null and void and no holder hereof will have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Plan, which terms, provisions and conditions are incorporated by reference and made a part of this Rights Certificate and to which reference is made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Plan. Copies of the Plan are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are available without cost upon written request.

Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate may be redeemed by the Company, at its option, at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date. In addition, under certain circumstances after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Rights may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for Common Stock, or cash other securities of the Company having essentially the same value or economic rights as such shares. Immediately upon the action of the Board authorizing any such exchange, and without any further action or any notice, the Rights (other than Rights that are not subject to such exchange) will terminate and the Rights will only enable holders to receive the Common Stock (or cash or other securities or assets of the Company) issuable upon such exchange.

This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered will have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate is exercised in part, then the holder will be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

No fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts) will be issued upon the exercise of any Right. In lieu

B-2


 

thereof, a cash payment will be made as provided in the Plan. The Company, at its election, may require that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.

No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, will be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange hereof, nor will anything contained in herein or in the Plan be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as specifically provided in the Plan), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate will have been exercised or exchange in accordance with the Plan.

This Rights Certificate will not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

B-3


 

WITNESS the signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal.

Dated as of _______________, 20[●].

ATTEST: SEER, INC.

By: By:

Name: Name:

Title: Title:

 

Countersigned:

COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Rights Agent

By:

 

 

Name:

Title:

B-4


 

[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

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

FOR VALUE RECEIVED _____________________ sells, assigns and transfers unto
______________________________________________________________________________

(Please print name and address of transferee)

 

this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and irrevocably constitutes and appoints ______________________________ as attorney-in-fact to transfer this Rights Certificate on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution.

 

Dated: ____________________

Signature

Signature Medallion Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member or participant in the Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.

B-5


 

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned certifies, for the benefit of the Company and all holders of Rights and Common Stock, by checking the appropriate boxes that:

(1) the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not Beneficially Owned and

☐ are

☐ are not

being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing; and

(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it

☐ did

☐ did not

acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing.


Dated: ____________________.

Signature

Signature Medallion Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member or participant in the Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.

B-6


 

[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate – continued]

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)

To: Seer, Inc. (the “Company”)

The undersigned irrevocably elects to exercise _________________________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock (or such other securities of the Company or of any other Person that may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security or other identifying number:


(Please print name and address)

If such number of Rights is not all of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights will 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 Medallion Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member or participant in the Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.

B-7


 

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned certifies, for the benefit of the Company and all holders of Rights and Common Stock, by checking the appropriate boxes that:

(1) the Right(s) evidenced by this Rights Certificate are not Beneficially Owned and

☐ are

☐ are not

being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing; and

(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it

☐ did

☐ did not

acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring Person, an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, a Post-Event Transferee, a Pre-Event Transferee, a Subsequent Transferee or any nominee of any of the foregoing.


Dated: ____________________.

Signature

Signature Medallion Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member or participant in the Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.

B-8


 

[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate – continued]

NOTICE

The signature in the foregoing Forms of Assignment and Election to Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

IF THE CERTIFICATIONS SET FORTH IN THE FOREGOING FORMS OF ASSIGNMENT AND ELECTION TO PURCHASE, AS THE CASE MAY BE, ARE NOT COMPLETED, THEN THE COMPANY AND THE RIGHTS AGENT WILL DEEM THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF THE RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE TO BE AN ACQUIRING PERSON, AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON, A POST-EVENT TRANSFEREE, A PRE-EVENT TRANSFEREE, A SUBSEQUENT TRANSFEREE OR ANY NOMINEE OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND SUCH ASSIGNMENT OR ELECTION TO PURCHASE WILL NOT BE HONORED AND THE RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE WILL BE DEEMED TO BE NULL AND VOID.

B-9


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS

SUMMARY OF

TAX BENEFIT PRESERVATION PLAN
OF

SEER, INC.

As of February 26, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Seer, Inc. (the “Company”) authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 9, 2026 (the “Record Date”). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company at an exercise price of $11.00 (the “Exercise Price”), subject to adjustment. The complete terms of the Rights are set forth in a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan (the “Plan”), dated as of February 26, 2026, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.

By adopting the Plan, the Board is seeking to protect the Company’s ability to use its net operating losses and other tax attributes (collectively, “Tax Benefits”). The Company views its Tax Benefits as highly valuable assets of the Company that are likely to inure to the benefit of the Company and its stockholders. However, if the Company experiences an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), its ability to use the Tax Benefits could be substantially limited, and the timing of the usage of the Tax Benefits could be substantially delayed; these could significantly impair the value of the Tax Benefits. Generally, an “ownership change” occurs if the percentage of the Company’s stock owned by one or more “five percent stockholders” increases by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such stockholders at any time during the prior three-year period or, if sooner, since the last “ownership change” experienced by the Company. The Plan is intended to deter acquisitions of 4.9 percent or more of the outstanding Common Stock by any person without the approval of the Board. This would protect the Tax Benefits because changes in ownership by a person owning less than 4.9 percent of the Common Stock are not included in the calculation of “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382 of the Code. The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits by adopting the Plan.

For those interested in the specific terms of the Plan, the following is a summary description. Please note, however, that this description is only a summary and is not complete, and should be read together with the entire Plan, which has been filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A and a Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the Plan is available free of charge from the Company.

C-1


 

Distribution and Transfer of Rights; Rights Certificates:

The Board has declared a dividend of one Right for each outstanding share of Common Stock. Prior to the Distribution Date referred to below:

the Rights will be evidenced by and trade with the certificates for the Common Stock (or, with respect to any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, by notation in book entry), and no separate rights certificates will be distributed;

new Common Stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a legend incorporating the Plan by reference (for uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form, this legend will be contained in a notation in book entry); and

the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock (or the surrender for transfer of any uncertificated Common Stock registered in book entry form) will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with such Common Stock.

Rights will accompany any new shares of Common Stock that are issued after the Record Date.

Distribution Date:

Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Plan, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable following (1) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (such person or group, an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock or (2) the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after a person or group announces a tender or exchange offer that would result in ownership by a person or group of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock. For purposes of the Plan, beneficial ownership is defined to include the ownership of derivative securities as well as ownership of securities pursuant to Section 382 of the Code.

The date on which the Rights separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable is referred to as the “Distribution Date.”

After the Distribution Date, the Company will mail Rights certificates to the Company’s stockholders as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and the Rights will become transferable apart from the Common Stock. Thereafter, such Rights certificates alone will represent the Rights.

C-2


 

Preferred Stock Purchasable Upon Exercise of Rights:

After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for the Exercise Price, one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock having economic and other terms similar to that of one share of Common Stock. This portion of a share of Preferred Stock is intended to give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one share of Common Stock, and should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.

More specifically, each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, if issued, will:

not be redeemable;

entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $0.001 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, or an amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater;

entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1 per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock or an amount equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater;

have the same voting power as one share of Common Stock; and

entitle holders to a payment per one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock if the Common Stock is exchanged via merger, consolidation or a similar transaction.

Flip-In Trigger:

If an Acquiring Person obtains beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock, then each Right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of shares of Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price. However, the Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the foregoing event until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company, as further described below.

Following the occurrence of an event set forth in preceding paragraph, all Rights that are or, under certain circumstances specified in the Plan, were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or certain of its transferees will be void.

Flip-Over Trigger:

If, after an Acquiring Person obtains 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock, (1) the Company merges into another entity, (2) an acquiring entity merges into the Company or (3) the Company sells

C-3


 

 

or transfers 50 percent or more of its assets, cash flow or earning power, then each Right (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above) will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the Exercise Price, a number of shares of common stock of the person engaging in the transaction having a then-current market value of twice the Exercise Price.

Redemption of the Rights:

The Rights will be redeemable at the Company’s option for $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board) at any time on or prior to the 10th business day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board) after the public announcement that an Acquiring Person has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock. Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of the Rights will be to receive the $0.001 redemption price. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company undertakes a stock dividend or a stock split.

Exchange Provision:

At any time after the date on which an Acquiring Person beneficially owns 4.9 percent or more of the Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50 percent of the Common Stock, the Board may exchange the Rights (except for Rights that have previously been voided as set forth above), in whole or in part, for Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right (subject to adjustment). In certain circumstances, the Company may elect to exchange the Rights for cash or other securities of the Company having a value approximately equal to one share of Common Stock.

Expiration of the Rights:

The Rights expire on the earliest of (1) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 25, 2029 (unless such date is extended); (2) the redemption or exchange of the Rights as described above; (3) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 25, 2027, if the Company’s stockholders do not ratify the Plan; or (4) when the Board, its sole discretion, determines that (a) the Plan is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Tax Benefits, (b) the Tax Benefits are fully utilized or no longer available pursuant to Section 382 or Section 383 of the Code, (c) no Tax Benefits may be carried forward or (d) the Plan and the Rights are no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

Amendment of Terms of the Plan and Rights:

The terms of the Rights and the Plan may be amended in any respect without the consent of the holders of the Rights on or prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Plan may be amended without the consent of the holders of Rights in order to (1) cure any ambiguities, (2) shorten or lengthen any time period

C-4


 

 

pursuant to the Plan or (3) make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

Voting Rights; Other Stockholder Rights:

The Rights will not have any voting rights. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no separate rights as stockholder of the Company.

Anti-Dilution Provisions:

The Board may adjust the Exercise Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock.

With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Exercise Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent of the Exercise Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Stock.

Taxes:

The distribution of Rights should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes. However, following an event that renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights, stockholders may recognize taxable income.

C-5


EX-9.1

 

Seer Adopts Limited Duration Tax Benefit Preservation Plan to Protect its Valuable Tax Assets

 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – February 26, 2026 – Seer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEER), the pioneer and trusted partner for deep, unbiased proteomic insights, today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously adopted a tax benefit preservation plan (“NOL Plan”) designed to help preserve and protect Seer’s valuable income tax net operating loss carryforwards and other tax assets (“NOLs”).

 

As of December 31, 2025, Seer had approximately $262 million of NOLs. These NOLs, most of which are not currently subject to any expiration date, represent a valuable asset of Seer and are available to reduce Seer’s future federal income tax expense.

 

The NOL Plan is similar to those adopted by numerous other public companies with significant NOLs. The NOL Plan helps to reduce the risk of substantial impairment to the NOLs that could result from an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. In general, an “ownership change” would occur if the Company’s “5% stockholders” (within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code) increase their aggregate ownership in Seer over a rolling three-year period by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest aggregate ownership percentage. The Board of Directors adopted the NOL Plan to help to ensure that the NOLs are not impaired, particularly given recent rapid accumulations of Seer’s Class A common stock.

 

Seer intends to submit the NOL Plan to its shareholders for ratification at Seer’s 2026 annual meeting. The NOL Plan is not designed to prevent any action that the Board of Directors determines to be in the best interest of Seer and all of its shareholders.

 

The NOL Plan aims to preserve the NOLs by creating a disincentive for any shareholder to accumulate beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of Seer’s Class A common stock, or further accumulate Seer’s Class A common stock if the shareholder’s beneficial ownership already exceeds 4.9%, in each case without the approval of the Board of Directors. If a shareholder beneficially owns 4.9% or more of Seer’s Class A common stock prior to today’s announcement, then that shareholder can maintain its current ownership but will not be permitted under the NOL Plan to acquire any additional shares without the approval of the Board of Directors.

 

In connection with its adoption of the NOL Plan, the Board of Directors declared a dividend of one “right” for each outstanding share of Seer’s Class A common stock. The dividend will be made to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 9, 2026. Any shares of Seer’s Class A common stock that are issued after the record date will be issued together with a right. The distribution of the rights is not taxable to Seer or its shareholders.

 

The NOL Plan expires on February 25, 2029. However, if shareholders do not ratify the NOL Plan at Seer’s 2026 annual meeting, the NOL Plan will expire on February 25, 2027.

 

Additional information about the NOL Plan will be available on a Form 8-K to be filed by Seer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.


About Seer, Inc.

 

Seer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEER) sets the standard in deep, unbiased proteomics, delivering insights with scale, speed, precision, and reproducibility previously unattainable by other proteomic methods. Seer’s Proteograph Product Suite uniquely integrates proprietary engineered nanoparticles, streamlined automation instrumentation, optimized consumables, and advanced analytical software to solve challenges conventional methods have failed to overcome. Traditional proteomic technologies have struggled with inconsistent data, limited throughput, and prohibitive complexity, but Seer’s robust and scalable workflow consistently reveals biological insights that others do not. Seer’s products are for research use only and are not intended for diagnostic procedures. For more information about Seer’s differentiated approach and ongoing leadership in proteomics, visit www.seer.bio.

 

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on Seer’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to it on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Seer’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the protection of the NOLs and their value to Seer. These and other risks are described more fully in Seer’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and other documents that Seer subsequently files with the SEC from time to time. Except to the extent required by law, Seer undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

 

 

Media Contact:

Patrick Schmidt

pr@seer.bio

 

 

Investor Contact:

Kelly Gura

investor@seer.bio