EXHIBIT 3.2
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF SERIES A
PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
DEERE & COMPANY
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
We, Robert A. Hanson, Chairman of the Board, and Frank S. Cottrell,
Secretary, of Deere & Company, a corporation organized and existing under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the said Corporation, the said
Board of Directors on December 9, 1987, adopted the following resolution
creating a series of 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A
Participating Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of this Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation be
and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the
voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations
or restrictions thereof are as follows:
Section 1. DESIGNATION AND AMOUNT. The shares of such series shall
be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Stock" and the number of
shares constituting such series shall be 1,000,000.
Section 2. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.
(A) The dividend rate on the shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock for each quarterly dividend period (Hereinafter referred to as a
"quarterly dividend period"), which quarterly dividend periods shall commence on
February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date") (or in the case of
original issuance, from the date of original issuance) and shall end on and
include the day next preceding the first date of the next quarterly dividend
period,
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shall be equal (rounded to the nearest cent) to the greater of (a) $5 or (b)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in cash, based upon the fair market value at the
time the non-cash dividend or other distribution is declared as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors) 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 (but not withdrawn) on the Common Stock, $1.00 par
value, of this Corporation (the "Common Stock") during the immediately
preceding quarterly dividend period, or, with respect to the first quarterly
dividend period, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share
of Series A Participating Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after December 9, 1987 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i)
declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine 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 (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Dividends shall 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 shall begin to accrue
from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock
entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue
and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but
unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall
be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the
time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
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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 shall be no more than 45 days prior to the date fixed for the
payment thereof.
Section 3. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of
the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the
Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine 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 shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after
such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, by the Restated Certificate
of Incorporation or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as
one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.
(C) The provisions of Section 2.7 of the Corporation's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation are hereby expressly made applicable to the Series
A Participating Preferred Stock.
Section 4. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series A Participating
Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition
thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but
unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series
of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
Section 5. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP. In the event of
any voluntary or involuntary liquidation,
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dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the Series A
Participating Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive the greater of (a)
$100 per share, plus accrued dividends to the date of distribution, whether
or not earned or declared, or (b) an amount per share, subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date
(i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine 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 pursuant to clause (b) of the
preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction
of the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
Section 6. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction
in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other
stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case
the shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock shall at the same time
be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property
(payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of
Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at
any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common
Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding
Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares, then in each such case the amount set forth in the
preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series
A Participating Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount
by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to
such event.
Section 7. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION. (A) The Corporation shall have
the option to redeem the whole or any part of the Series A Participating
Preferred Stock at any time in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.5
of the
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Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation at a redemption price equal
to, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
"current per share market price" of the Common Stock on the date of the mailing
of the notice of redemption, together with unpaid accumulated dividends to the
date of such redemption. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after
the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii)
combine 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 otherwise entitled immediately prior to such event under
the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event. The "current per share market price" on any date shall be deemed to be
the average of the closing price per share of such Common Stock for the 10
consecutive Trading Days (as such terms is hereinafter defined) immediately
prior to such date. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or,
if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the principal
national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to
trading or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use or, if on any such
date the Common Stock 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 Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation. If on such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Common Stock, the fair value of the Common Stock on such date as determined in
good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be used. The term
"Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading is open for
the transaction of business or, if the
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Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange, a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking
institutions in the State of New York are not authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
(B) The provisions of Section 2.5 of the Corporation's Restated
Certificate of Incorporation are hereby expressly made applicable to the Series
A Preferred Stock.
Section 8. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series A Participating Preferred Stock may
be issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion
to such holders 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have executed and subscribed this Certificate and do
affirm the foregoing as true under the penalties of perjury this 18th day of
December 1987.
/s/ Robert A. Hanson
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Chairman of the Board
Attest:
/s/ Frank S. Cottrell
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Secretary