[PRE 14A] Bausch Health Companies Inc Preliminary Proxy Statement
Bausch Health is asking shareholders to ratify a shareholder rights plan at a Special Meeting to be held via webcast on October 7, 2025 (record shareholders as of August 18, 2025 may vote). The Board adopted the Rights Plan on April 14, 2025 and issued one Right for each Voting Share outstanding at the Record Time. The Rights are intended to ensure all shareholders are treated equally in any unsolicited take-over bid and to discourage creeping acquisitions.
The Rights convert into purchase rights after a defined Separation Time if a person becomes an Acquiring Person (generally at a 20% Beneficial Ownership threshold). The Exercise Price is set at three times the 20-day average Market Price, and a Flip‑In Event can lead to significant dilution for an acquiror. The TSX has given conditional acceptance, and the Rights Plan requires reconfirmation by shareholders every third annual meeting to remain effective.
Bausch Health chiede agli azionisti di ratificare un piano di diritti per gli azionisti in occasione di una Assemblea Straordinaria trasmessa via webcast il 7 ottobre 2025 (possono votare gli azionisti iscritti al libro soci al 18 agosto 2025). Il Consiglio ha adottato il Piano dei Diritti il 14 aprile 2025 e ha emesso un Right per ogni azione con diritto di voto esistente al momento del Record Time. I diritti sono pensati per garantire pari trattamento a tutti gli azionisti in caso di offerte di acquisizione non sollecitate e per scoraggiare acquisti progressivi di partecipazioni.
I Rights si trasformano in diritti d'acquisto dopo una determinata Separation Time se una persona diventa un Acquiring Person (generalmente al superamento del 20% di partecipazione effettiva). Il prezzo di esercizio è fissato al triplo della media dei prezzi di mercato su 20 giorni, e un evento di tipo Flip‑In può causare una significativa diluizione per l'acquirente. La TSX ha concesso un'accettazione condizionata, e il Piano richiede la riconferma da parte degli azionisti ogni terza assemblea annuale per rimanere in vigore.
Bausch Health solicita a los accionistas que ratifiquen un plan de derechos de los accionistas en una Junta Especial retransmitida por webcast el 7 de octubre de 2025 (podrán votar los accionistas registrados a fecha de 18 de agosto de 2025). El Consejo aprobó el Plan de Derechos el 14 de abril de 2025 y emitió un Right por cada acción con voto en el momento del registro. Los derechos están diseñados para asegurar un trato igualitario a todos los accionistas ante ofertas de adquisición no solicitadas y para desalentar adquisiciones encubiertas.
Los Rights se convierten en derechos de compra tras un período de separación si una persona se convierte en Acquiring Person (por lo general al umbral del 20% de propiedad beneficiaria). El precio de ejercicio se fija en el triple de la media del precio de mercado de 20 días, y un Evento Flip‑In puede provocar una dilución significativa para el adquirente. La TSX ha otorgado aceptación condicional, y el Plan exige la reconfirmación por parte de los accionistas cada tres juntas anuales para seguir vigente.
Bausch Health는 주주들에게 2025년 10월 7일에 웹캐스트로 열리는 특별총회에서 주주권리계획을 승인해 줄 것을 요청하고 있습니다(의결권이 있는 주주로서 2025년 8월 18일 기준 등록된 주주가 투표할 수 있음). 이사회는 2025년 4월 14일 권리계획을 채택하고, 기록시점에 존재하는 의결권 주식 1주당 1개의 권리를 발행했습니다. 이 권리들은 원치 않는 인수 제안 시 모든 주주가 동등하게 취급되도록 하고, 점진적 지분 취득을 억제하기 위한 것입니다.
권리는 정의된 Separation Time 이후 어떤 사람이 Acquiring Person이 되는 경우(일반적으로 20% 실질 소유 기준을 초과할 때) 매수권으로 전환됩니다. 행사가격은 20일 평균 시장가격의 3배로 정해져 있으며, Flip‑In 이벤트는 인수자에게 큰 희석을 초래할 수 있습니다. TSX는 조건부 승인을 했고, 본 권리계획이 유효하려면 주주들이 매 3번째 연례총회마다 재확인해야 합니다.
Bausch Health demande aux actionnaires de ratifier un plan de droits des actionnaires lors d'une assemblée extraordinaire diffusée par webcast le 7 octobre 2025 (les actionnaires inscrits au registre au 18 août 2025 peuvent voter). Le conseil d'administration a adopté le plan le 14 avril 2025 et a émis un droit pour chaque action avec droit de vote à la date d'enregistrement. Ces droits visent à garantir un traitement égal de tous les actionnaires en cas d'offre publique d'acquisition non sollicitée et à décourager les acquisitions progressives.
Les droits se convertissent en droits d'achat après une période de séparation définie si une personne devient une Acquiring Person (généralement au seuil de 20 % de participation bénéficiaire). Le prix d'exercice est fixé à trois fois la moyenne du cours du marché sur 20 jours, et un événement de type Flip‑In peut entraîner une dilution importante pour l'acquéreur. La TSX a donné une acceptation conditionnelle, et le plan doit être reconfirmé par les actionnaires tous les trois assemblées annuelles pour rester en vigueur.
Bausch Health bittet die Aktionäre, einen Aktionärsrechteplan auf einer per Webcast abgehaltenen außerordentlichen Hauptversammlung am 7. Oktober 2025 zu ratifizieren (stimmberechtigte Aktionäre mit Stichtag 18. August 2025 dürfen abstimmen). Der Vorstand hat den Rights Plan am 14. April 2025 beschlossen und zum Stichtag für jede stimmberechtigte Aktie ein Recht ausgegeben. Die Rechte sollen sicherstellen, dass alle Aktionäre bei unaufgeforderten Übernahmeangeboten gleich behandelt werden, und schrittweise Beteiligungserwerbe (creeping acquisitions) verhindern.
Werden die Rechte nach einer definierten Separation Time in Kaufrechte umgewandelt, falls eine Person zum Acquiring Person wird (in der Regel beim Überschreiten einer 20%igen wirtschaftlichen Beteiligung), beträgt der Ausübungspreis das Dreifache des 20-Tage-Durchschnitts des Marktpreises. Ein Flip‑In-Ereignis kann beim Erwerber zu erheblicher Verwässerung führen. Die TSX hat eine bedingte Zustimmung erteilt, und der Rights Plan muss bei jeder dritten ordentlichen Hauptversammlung von den Aktionären bestätigt werden, damit er wirksam bleibt.
- Rights Plan adopted to ensure equal treatment of shareholders in unsolicited bids, with clear mechanics for Permitted Bids
- TSX conditional acceptance of the Rights Plan, subject to shareholder ratification
- One Right issued per Voting Share at the Record Time, creating a straightforward, share‑based protection mechanism
- Reconfirmation provision requires shareholder approval every third annual meeting, providing periodic shareholder review
- Flip‑In dilution can occur if an Acquiring Person crosses the 20% threshold, potentially diluting an acquiror and changing control dynamics
- Exercise Price set at three times Market Price could make redemption/exercise mechanics costly and complex to evaluate
- Approval dependencies: the Rights Plan requires multiple voting majorities (all shareholders, excluding any Grandfathered Person, and Independent Shareholders) to remain effective
- Proposal likely non‑routine so brokers may not have discretionary authority to vote, increasing risk of broker non‑votes
Insights
TL;DR: Board adopted a standard Canadian-style shareholder rights plan to promote equal treatment of shareholders and require reconfirmation every three years.
The Rights Plan follows common Canadian practice: one Right per Voting Share issued at the Record Time, a 20% Acquiring Person threshold, and reconfirmation at every third annual meeting. It conditions Permitted Bids (minimum deposit period typically 105 days) to allow shareholders to decide collectively, and the TSX has given conditional acceptance. From a governance perspective, the plan formalizes procedures to deter creeping takeovers while preserving the Board’s fiduciary duties. The requirement that Independent Shareholders separately confirm the plan is a shareholder-protective mechanism embedded in the Rights Agreement.
TL;DR: The plan creates a defensive dilution mechanism (Flip‑In) at a 20% threshold and sets an Exercise Price equal to three times market-based price.
The Rights create potential dilution upon a Flip‑In Event by allowing non‑acquiring shareholders to acquire Common Shares at a discount relative to market, which can materially dilute an acquiror who has crossed the 20% Beneficial Ownership threshold. The Exercise Price formula (three times the 20‑day Market Price) and the Permitted Bid rules (including the >50% Independent Shareholders deposit condition to take up shares) define clear mechanics for takeover contests. The plan is not adopted in response to any known bid, per the Proxy Statement, and final effectiveness is contingent on shareholder ratification and TSX acceptance.
Bausch Health chiede agli azionisti di ratificare un piano di diritti per gli azionisti in occasione di una Assemblea Straordinaria trasmessa via webcast il 7 ottobre 2025 (possono votare gli azionisti iscritti al libro soci al 18 agosto 2025). Il Consiglio ha adottato il Piano dei Diritti il 14 aprile 2025 e ha emesso un Right per ogni azione con diritto di voto esistente al momento del Record Time. I diritti sono pensati per garantire pari trattamento a tutti gli azionisti in caso di offerte di acquisizione non sollecitate e per scoraggiare acquisti progressivi di partecipazioni.
I Rights si trasformano in diritti d'acquisto dopo una determinata Separation Time se una persona diventa un Acquiring Person (generalmente al superamento del 20% di partecipazione effettiva). Il prezzo di esercizio è fissato al triplo della media dei prezzi di mercato su 20 giorni, e un evento di tipo Flip‑In può causare una significativa diluizione per l'acquirente. La TSX ha concesso un'accettazione condizionata, e il Piano richiede la riconferma da parte degli azionisti ogni terza assemblea annuale per rimanere in vigore.
Bausch Health solicita a los accionistas que ratifiquen un plan de derechos de los accionistas en una Junta Especial retransmitida por webcast el 7 de octubre de 2025 (podrán votar los accionistas registrados a fecha de 18 de agosto de 2025). El Consejo aprobó el Plan de Derechos el 14 de abril de 2025 y emitió un Right por cada acción con voto en el momento del registro. Los derechos están diseñados para asegurar un trato igualitario a todos los accionistas ante ofertas de adquisición no solicitadas y para desalentar adquisiciones encubiertas.
Los Rights se convierten en derechos de compra tras un período de separación si una persona se convierte en Acquiring Person (por lo general al umbral del 20% de propiedad beneficiaria). El precio de ejercicio se fija en el triple de la media del precio de mercado de 20 días, y un Evento Flip‑In puede provocar una dilución significativa para el adquirente. La TSX ha otorgado aceptación condicional, y el Plan exige la reconfirmación por parte de los accionistas cada tres juntas anuales para seguir vigente.
Bausch Health는 주주들에게 2025년 10월 7일에 웹캐스트로 열리는 특별총회에서 주주권리계획을 승인해 줄 것을 요청하고 있습니다(의결권이 있는 주주로서 2025년 8월 18일 기준 등록된 주주가 투표할 수 있음). 이사회는 2025년 4월 14일 권리계획을 채택하고, 기록시점에 존재하는 의결권 주식 1주당 1개의 권리를 발행했습니다. 이 권리들은 원치 않는 인수 제안 시 모든 주주가 동등하게 취급되도록 하고, 점진적 지분 취득을 억제하기 위한 것입니다.
권리는 정의된 Separation Time 이후 어떤 사람이 Acquiring Person이 되는 경우(일반적으로 20% 실질 소유 기준을 초과할 때) 매수권으로 전환됩니다. 행사가격은 20일 평균 시장가격의 3배로 정해져 있으며, Flip‑In 이벤트는 인수자에게 큰 희석을 초래할 수 있습니다. TSX는 조건부 승인을 했고, 본 권리계획이 유효하려면 주주들이 매 3번째 연례총회마다 재확인해야 합니다.
Bausch Health demande aux actionnaires de ratifier un plan de droits des actionnaires lors d'une assemblée extraordinaire diffusée par webcast le 7 octobre 2025 (les actionnaires inscrits au registre au 18 août 2025 peuvent voter). Le conseil d'administration a adopté le plan le 14 avril 2025 et a émis un droit pour chaque action avec droit de vote à la date d'enregistrement. Ces droits visent à garantir un traitement égal de tous les actionnaires en cas d'offre publique d'acquisition non sollicitée et à décourager les acquisitions progressives.
Les droits se convertissent en droits d'achat après une période de séparation définie si une personne devient une Acquiring Person (généralement au seuil de 20 % de participation bénéficiaire). Le prix d'exercice est fixé à trois fois la moyenne du cours du marché sur 20 jours, et un événement de type Flip‑In peut entraîner une dilution importante pour l'acquéreur. La TSX a donné une acceptation conditionnelle, et le plan doit être reconfirmé par les actionnaires tous les trois assemblées annuelles pour rester en vigueur.
Bausch Health bittet die Aktionäre, einen Aktionärsrechteplan auf einer per Webcast abgehaltenen außerordentlichen Hauptversammlung am 7. Oktober 2025 zu ratifizieren (stimmberechtigte Aktionäre mit Stichtag 18. August 2025 dürfen abstimmen). Der Vorstand hat den Rights Plan am 14. April 2025 beschlossen und zum Stichtag für jede stimmberechtigte Aktie ein Recht ausgegeben. Die Rechte sollen sicherstellen, dass alle Aktionäre bei unaufgeforderten Übernahmeangeboten gleich behandelt werden, und schrittweise Beteiligungserwerbe (creeping acquisitions) verhindern.
Werden die Rechte nach einer definierten Separation Time in Kaufrechte umgewandelt, falls eine Person zum Acquiring Person wird (in der Regel beim Überschreiten einer 20%igen wirtschaftlichen Beteiligung), beträgt der Ausübungspreis das Dreifache des 20-Tage-Durchschnitts des Marktpreises. Ein Flip‑In-Ereignis kann beim Erwerber zu erheblicher Verwässerung führen. Die TSX hat eine bedingte Zustimmung erteilt, und der Rights Plan muss bei jeder dritten ordentlichen Hauptversammlung von den Aktionären bestätigt werden, damit er wirksam bleibt.
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☒ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
☐ | Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12 |
BAUSCH HEALTH COMPANIES INC. |
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other Than the Registrant) |
☒ | No fee required. | ||
☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | ||
☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | ||
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![]() | Approve an ordinary resolution ratifying the adoption of the Company’s Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025 (the “Rights Agreement”). | ||||
![]() | Transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. | ||||
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• | the date and time of the Meeting; |
• | instructions for accessing the live internet webcast of the Meeting; |
• | a list of the proposals being submitted to shareholders for approval; and |
• | information concerning voting. |
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FOR | the approval of the ordinary resolution ratifying the adoption of the Rights Agreement | ||||
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MANAGEMENT PROXY CIRCULAR AND PROXY STATEMENT | 1 | ||
PROPOSAL NO. 1 RATIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT | 4 | ||
INTEREST OF CERTAIN PERSONS | 10 | ||
OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY’S SECURITIES | 11 | ||
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS | 11 | ||
OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT | 13 | ||
VOTING & OTHER INFORMATION | 14 | ||
COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS | 14 | ||
PROXY SOLICITATION | 14 | ||
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS | 14 | ||
ATTENDING THE MEETING | 15 | ||
QUESTIONS ABOUT VOTING | 16 | ||
MISCELLANEOUS | 19 | ||
APPENDIX A – SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN AGREEMENT | A-1 | ||
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(i) | prevent, to the extent possible, an unsolicited or hostile acquiror from obtaining control through a creeping take-over of the Company (i.e., the acquisition of effective control through a number of purchases exempt from the Canadian take-over bid rules over time), including by way of private acquisitions using the private agreement exemption from the Canadian take-over bid rules or other transactions exempt from the take-over bid rules under applicable Canadian securities laws; and |
(ii) | protect against unsolicited or hostile acquirors entering into auction-preventing “hard” lock-up agreements whereby existing shareholders commit to tender their shares to a take-over bid, that are either irrevocable or revocable but subject to limited termination conditions. |
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1. | the Shareholder Rights Plan Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025, between the Company and TSX Trust Company, attached as Appendix A to the Proxy Statement of the Company dated August [•], 2025, is hereby confirmed and approved; and |
2. | any one director or officer of the Company is hereby authorized and directed for and in the name of and on behalf of the Company to execute or cause to be executed and to deliver or cause to be delivered all such documents, and to do or cause to be done all such acts and things, as in the opinion of such director or officer may be necessary or desirable in order to carry out the terms of this resolution, such determination to be conclusively evidenced by the execution and delivery of such documents or the doing of any such act or thing.” |
(i) | any securities as to which such Person (or any of such Person’s associates or affiliates) is the owner at law or in equity; |
(ii) | certain securities as to which such Persons has the right to become the owner at law or in equity, whether such right is exercisable immediately or within a period of 60 days thereafter, and |
(iii) | any securities that are subject to a lock-up agreement. |
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• | until the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the average of the daily closing prices per Common Share over the 20 consecutive trading days before the date of determination, per Common Share (the “Market Price”); and |
• | from and after the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, as at the Separation Time, per Common Share. |
• | the first date of public announcement or disclosure by the Company or an “Acquiring Person”, which is defined a Person (and including such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) who legally or equitably owns, or has the right to become the owner within 60 days, of 20% or more of the then-outstanding Voting Shares (subject to certain exceptions, including those described below), of facts indicating that a Person has become an Acquiring Person (the “Share Acquisition Date”); |
• | the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement or disclosure of the intent of any Person (other than the Company or any subsidiary thereof) to commence, a Take-over Bid (other than other than a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid, so long as such Take-over Bid continues to satisfy the requirements of a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid); and |
• | the date on which a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid ceases to qualify as a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid, as applicable, or such later date as may be determined by the Board in good faith. |
• | the Company or any subsidiary thereof; |
• | any Person (subject to certain limitations) who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding Voting Shares as a result of any one or a combination of: |
• | an acquisition or redemption by the Company of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities which, by reducing the then-total number of outstanding Voting Shares or Convertible Securities, increases the proportionate percentage of Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by any Person; |
• | the purchase of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities under a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid (a “Permitted Bid Acquisition”); |
• | an acquisition by a Person of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities (i) in respect of which the Board has waived the application and consequences of a transaction pursuant to which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person (a “Flip-in Event”); (ii) made as an intermediate step in a series of related transactions in connection with an acquisition by the Company or one of its subsidiaries of a Person or assets (subject to certain requirements); or (iii) through an amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination or other similar transaction that has been approved by the Board and that is conditional upon shareholder approval (each such acquisition, an “Exempt Acquisition”); |
• | an acquisition by a Person of Voting Shares through the purchase, exercise, conversion or exchange of Convertible Securities that were acquired or received by such Person pursuant to a Permitted Bid Acquisition, an Exempt Acquisition or a Pro Rata Acquisition (as defined below); or |
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• | an acquisition by a Person of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities pursuant to: (i) a prescribed dividend reinvestment plan; (ii) a stock dividend, stock split or other event pursuant to which such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities on the same pro rata basis as all other holders of Voting Shares of the same class or series; (iii) the acquisition or exercise of rights to purchase Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities that are distributed directly by the Company to such Person as part of a rights offering to all holders of a specific class or series of securities; or (iv) a distribution of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a prospectus or by way of a private placement or a conversion or exchange of any Convertible Security; provided, however, in each case, that such Person does not thereby acquire a greater percentage of Voting Shares or Convertible Securities than they owned prior to the acquisition (each such acquisition, a “Pro Rata Acquisition”); |
• | for a period of 10 days following the Disqualification Date (as defined below), any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares due to disqualification from relying on certain Beneficial Owner exceptions solely because such Person is making or has announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid (the “Disqualification Date”), unless such disqualified Person, during such 10-day period, acquires an additional 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting Shares; |
• | an underwriter or a member of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Voting Shares in connection with a distribution of securities of the Company pursuant to a prospectus or by way of a private placement; or |
• | a Person who owns more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares at the Record Time; provided, however, that this exception ceases if such Person, after the Record Time, (i) ceases to own more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares or (ii) becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional Voting Shares that increases its Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares by more than 1% of the number of Voting Shares outstanding as at the Record Time (subject to certain exceptions). |
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• | the time at which the right to exercise Rights terminates as a result of the Board redeeming all outstanding Rights or waiving the application and consequences of a Flip-in Event, subject to certain consent requirements and conditions; and |
• | the Close of Business on that date on which a “Reconfirmation Meeting” occurs and at which the Rights Agreement is not reconfirmed or presented for reconfirmation. A Reconfirmation Meeting is defined as every third annual meeting of the Company during which the Rights Agreement must be reconfirmed by a majority vote of the Company’s Independent Shareholders. |
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Identity of Owner or Group | Number of Shares and Nature of Beneficial Ownership | Percentage of Class(1) | ||||||
Mr. Alex Meruelo 2500 E. Second Street, Reno, Nevada 89595, Attention: Management Office | 36,613,058(2) | 9.91% | ||||||
Mr. Carl C. Icahn c/o Icahn Associates Holding LLC, 16690 Collins Ave., Suite PH-1, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160 | 34,721,118(3) | 9.39% | ||||||
Paulson & Co. Inc. 15 Exchange Place Jersey City, NJ 07302 | 32,791,702(4) | 8.87% | ||||||
GoldenTree Asset Management, L.P. 300 Park Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10022 | 27,644,959(5) | 7.48% | ||||||
Nomura Holdings, Inc. 13-1, Nihonbashi 1-chome, Chuo, Ku Tokyo, 103-8645, Japan | 23,395,000(6) | 6.33% | ||||||
(1) | Based on [369,790,319] Common Shares outstanding on August [•], 2025. |
(2) | Based on the information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by Mr. Alex Meruelo with the SEC on August 30, 2024. Mr. Meruelo may be deemed to beneficially own 36,613,058 Common Shares, consisting of (i) 35,637,089 shares held for the account of the Alex Meruelo Living Trust dated August 6, 1996, of which Mr. Meruelo is the sole trustee, (ii) 728,900 shares held for the account of Monterey Insurance Company, Inc., of which Mr. Meruelo is the sole shareholder, (iii) 175,000 shares in the account of Liset Meruelo, the spouse of Mr. Meruelo, (iv) 5,000 shares in the joint account of Liset Meruelo and her mother, (v) 20,974 shares in the account of Alexander Meruelo, an adult child of Mr. Meruelo, (vi) 31,095 shares in the account of Alexis Meruelo, an adult child of Mr. Meruelo and (vii) 15,000 shares in the account of Lisette Meruelo, an adult child of Mr. Meruelo. Mr. Meruelo disclaims ownership of the Common Shares held in the accounts of Liset Meruelo and her mother, and his adult children. |
(3) | Based on information contained in a Schedule 13D/A filed by Mr. Carl C. Icahn with the SEC on May 21, 2025 (“the Schedule 13D/A”), Mr. Icahn and the following entities associated with Mr. Icahn may be deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, 34,721,118 Common Shares: Icahn Partners Master Fund LP (“Icahn Master”), |
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(4) | Based on a Schedule 13D filed on behalf of Paulson & Co., Inc., an entity affiliated with Mr. Paulson, on June 17, 2025, it has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to 32,791,702 Common Shares. According to information provided to the Company by Paulson & Co., Inc., Mr. Paulson may be deemed an indirect beneficial owner of these Common Shares, which are directly owned by investment funds which he manages. Mr. Paulson disclaims beneficial ownership of these Common Shares, except to the extent he has a pecuniary interest therein. |
(5) | Based on information contained in an amendment to Schedule 13G filed by GoldenTree Asset Management LP (“GT LP”), GoldenTree Asset Management LLC (“GT LLC”) and Steven A. Tananbaum on February 13, 2024, as of that date each of GT LP and GT LLC may be deemed to beneficially own an aggregate of 27,644,959 Common Shares and Mr. Tananbaum may be deemed to beneficially own an aggregate of 28,447,644 Common Shares (including 802,685 Ordinary Shares as to which Mr. Tananbaum is the holder of record). According to the Schedule 13G, the Common Shares reported include 27,644,959 Common Shares held of record by certain managed accounts (collectively, the “Accounts”) for which GT LP serves as investment manager. In addition, Mr. Tananbaum is the managing member of GT LLC, which is the general partner of GT LP. As a result of these relationships, each of GT LP, GT LLC and Mr. Tananbaum may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the securities held of record by the Accounts. |
(6) | Based on information in a Schedule 13G filed by Nomura Holdings, Inc. and Nomura Global Financial Products, Inc. with the SEC on May 15, 2025, such entities share voting power and dispositive power with respect to an aggregate of 23,395,000 Common Shares. |
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Name of Director / Officer | Shares Owned | Right to Acquire | Total Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned(6) | Percentage of Class (7) | ||||||||||
Thomas J. Appio | 627,220 | 852,455(3) | 1,479,675 | * | ||||||||||
Seana Carson | 157,806 | 312,735(3)(4) | 470,541 | * | ||||||||||
Jean-Jacques Charhon | 0 | 99,613(4) | 99,613 | * | ||||||||||
Christian A. Garcia | 0 | 35,360(5) | 35,360 | * | ||||||||||
Michael Goettler | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | ||||||||||
Brett M. Icahn | 107,341 | 58,592(5) | 165,933 | * | ||||||||||
Sarah B. Kavanagh | 0 | 146,652(5) | 146,652 | * | ||||||||||
Frank D. Lee | 35,360 | 0 | 35,360 | * | ||||||||||
Sandra Leung | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | ||||||||||
Aimee J. Lenar | 25,381 | 0 | 25,381 | * | ||||||||||
Steven D. Miller | 138,236(1) | 46,641(5) | 184,877 | * | ||||||||||
Richard C. Mulligan, Ph.D. | 101,269 | 0 | 101,269 | * | ||||||||||
John A. Paulson | 32,791,922(2) | 287,092(5) | 33,079,014 | 8.95% | ||||||||||
Robert N. Power | 6,601 | 193,775(5) | 200,376 | * | ||||||||||
Amy B. Wechsler, M.D. | 106,597 | 103,443(5) | 210,040 | * | ||||||||||
Directors and current executive officers of the Company as a group (15 persons) | 36,234,091 | 9.80% | ||||||||||||
* | Less than 1% of the outstanding Common Shares. |
(1) | The amount reported includes 10,000 Common Shares owned indirectly by Mr. Miller through an individual retirement arrangement. |
(2) | Mr. Paulson may be deemed an indirect beneficial owner of these Common Shares, which are directly owned by investment funds which he manages. Mr. Paulson disclaims beneficial ownership of these Common Shares, except to the extent he has a pecuniary interest therein. The amount reported also includes 220 Common Shares owned indirectly as a Uniform Gift to Minors Act custodian for minor children. |
(3) | The amounts reported include the following stock options that are currently exercisable: Mr. Appio, 852,455; and Ms. Carson, 216,833. Mr. Appio’s currently exercisable stock options consist of the following: 565,330 options with an exercise price of $24.17 per share; 81,873 options at $24.77 per share; 65,923 options at $15.32 per share; 62,004 options at $23.16 per share; 47,151 options at $32.56 per share; and 30,174 options at $14.38 per share. Ms. Carson’s currently exercisable stock options consist of: 124,372 options with an exercise price of $24.17 per share; 82,117 options at $9.25 per share; 18,115 options at $24.77 per share; 11,360 options at $32.56 per share; 4,246 options at $23.16 per share; and 3,996 options at $23.92 per share. |
(4) | The amounts reported include Common Shares scheduled to vest within 60 days of August [•], 2025, pursuant to Restricted Share Units (RSUs) awards, without giving effect to any shares that may be withheld to satisfy applicable tax withholding obligations, as follows: Ms. Carson, 95,902; Mr. Charhon, 99,613. |
(5) | The amounts reported represent either or both of the following: (i) director fees paid in RSUs, pursuant to the election of the applicable director to defer such fees; and (ii) annual grants of RSUs, for which delivery of Common Shares underlying the RSUs was deferred pursuant to the election of the applicable director. |
(6) | This table is based on information supplied by the individuals identified above. We believe that Common Shares shown as beneficially owned are those as to which the named persons possess sole voting and investment power. However, under the laws of California and certain other states, personal property owned by a married person may be community property, which either spouse may manage and control, and we have no information as to whether any Common Shares shown in this table are subject to community property laws. |
(7) | Applicable percentage ownership is based on [369,790,319] Common Shares outstanding on August [•], 2025. In computing the number of Common Shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, we deemed outstanding all Common Shares subject to options, warrants, rights or conversion privileges held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of August [•], 2025. We did not deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Under Rule 13d-3 of the SEC, certain Common Shares may be deemed to be beneficially owned by more than one person (if, for example, a person shares the power to vote or the power to dispose of the Common Shares). |
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1. | Log into www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BHC2025SM at least 15 minutes before the Meeting starts. You should allow ample time to check into the virtual Meeting and to complete the related procedures. |
2. | Enter your 16-digit control number into the Shareholder Login section (your control number is located on your proxy card) and click on “Enter Here.” |
3. | Follow the instructions to access the Meeting and vote when prompted. |
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• | With respect to the approval of the resolution ratifying the adoption of the Rights Agreement (Proposal No. 1), you may vote “For”, or “Against,” with respect to such proposal. |
• | You are a non-record shareholder if your Common Shares are held on your behalf by a bank, trust company, securities broker, trustee or other intermediary. This means the Common Shares are registered in your intermediary’s name, and you are the beneficial owner. Most shareholders are non-record shareholders. |
• | You are a record shareholder if your name appears in our share register. |
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• | FOR the approval of the resolution ratifying the adoption of the Rights Agreement |
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By Order of the Board of Directors, John A. Paulson Chairperson of the Board | |||||
Laval, Québec, Canada August [•], 2025 | |||||
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Toll Free Facsimile: 1.866.545.5580 | |||
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Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-1 |
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ARTICLE 1 INTERPRETATION | ||||||
1.1 | Certain Definitions | A-5 | ||||
1.2 | Currency | A-16 | ||||
1.3 | Number and Gender | A-16 | ||||
1.4 | Sections | A-16 | ||||
1.5 | Statutory References | A-17 | ||||
1.6 | Calculation of Voting Shares Beneficially Owned | A-17 | ||||
1.7 | Acting Jointly or in Concert | A-17 | ||||
1.8 | Generally Accepted Accounting Principles | A-17 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 THE RIGHTS | ||||||
2.1 | Issuance of Rights; Legend on Share Certificates | A-18 | ||||
2.2 | Initial Exercise Price; Exercise of Rights; Detachment of Rights | A-18 | ||||
2.3 | Adjustments to Exercise Price; Number of Rights | A-21 | ||||
2.4 | Date on Which Exercise is Effective | A-25 | ||||
2.5 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating of Rights Certificates | A-25 | ||||
2.6 | Registration, Transfer and Exchange | A-25 | ||||
2.7 | Mutilated, Lost, Stolen and Destroyed Rights Certificates | A-26 | ||||
2.8 | Persons Deemed Owners | A-26 | ||||
2.9 | Delivery and Cancellation of Certificates | A-27 | ||||
2.10 | Agreement of Rights Holders | A-27 | ||||
2.11 | Exclusion of Warranty by Rights Agent | A-28 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RIGHTS | ||||||
3.1 | Flip-in Event | A-28 | ||||
3.2 | Fiduciary Duties of the Board of Directors | A-29 | ||||
ARTICLE 4 THE RIGHTS AGENT | ||||||
4.1 | General | A-29 | ||||
4.2 | Merger, Amalgamation, Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent | A-30 | ||||
4.3 | Duties of Rights Agent | A-30 | ||||
4.4 | Liability | A-32 | ||||
4.5 | Change of Rights Agent | A-32 | ||||
4.6 | Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Legislation | A-32 | ||||
4.7 | Privacy Legislation | A-33 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 MISCELLANEOUS | ||||||
5.1 | Redemption, Waiver, Extension and Termination | A-33 | ||||
5.2 | Expiration | A-34 | ||||
5.3 | Issuance of New Rights Certificates | A-35 | ||||
5.4 | Supplements and Amendments | A-35 | ||||
5.5 | Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares | A-36 | ||||
5.6 | Rights of Action | A-37 | ||||
5.7 | Holder of Rights Not Deemed a Shareholder | A-37 | ||||
5.8 | Notice of Proposed Actions | A-37 | ||||
5.9 | Notices | A-37 | ||||
5.10 | Costs of Enforcement | A-38 | ||||
5.11 | Regulatory Approvals | A-38 | ||||
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5.12 | Declaration as to Non-Canadian and Non-United States Holders | A-38 | ||||
5.13 | Successors | A-38 | ||||
5.14 | Benefits of this Agreement | A-39 | ||||
5.15 | Shareholder Reconfirmation | A-39 | ||||
5.16 | Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors | A-39 | ||||
5.17 | Governing Law and Jurisdiction | A-39 | ||||
5.18 | Language | A-39 | ||||
5.19 | Severability | A-39 | ||||
5.20 | Effective Date | A-40 | ||||
5.21 | Force Majeure | A-40 | ||||
5.22 | Time of the Essence | A-40 | ||||
5.23 | Counterparts | A-40 | ||||
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-3 |
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(a) | one Right (as defined herein) effective at the Record Time (as defined herein) in respect of each Voting Share outstanding at the Record Time; and |
(b) | one Right in respect of each Voting Share issued after the Record Time and prior to the earlier of the Separation Time (as defined herein) and the Expiration Time (as defined herein); |
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-4 |
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(a) | “Acquiring Person” means any Person who is the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding Voting Shares, but does not include: |
(i) | the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation; |
(ii) | any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the then outstanding Voting Shares as a result of any one or a combination of: |
(A) | a Voting Share Reduction; |
(B) | a Permitted Bid Acquisition; |
(C) | an Exempt Acquisition; |
(D) | a Convertible Security Acquisition; or |
(E) | a Pro Rata Acquisition; |
(iii) | for a period of 10 days after the Disqualification Date, any Person who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares as a result of such Person becoming disqualified from relying on Subsection 1.1(f)(ii)(B) where such disqualification results solely because such Person is making or has announced a current intention to make a Take-over Bid, either alone or by acting jointly or in concert with any other Person, unless such disqualified Person during such 10 day period acquires an additional 1% or more of the then outstanding Voting Shares. For the purposes of this definition, “Disqualification Date” means the first date of a public announcement that such Person is making or intends to make a Take-over Bid, either alone or by acting jointly or in concert with another Person; |
(iv) | an underwriter or a member of a banking or selling group that becomes the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Voting Shares in connection with a distribution of securities of the Corporation pursuant to a prospectus or by way of a private placement; or |
(v) | a Person (a “Grandfathered Person”) who is the Beneficial Owner of more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares determined as at the Record Time; provided, however, that this exception shall not be, and shall cease to be, applicable to a Grandfathered Person in the event that such Grandfathered Person shall, after the Record Time: (1) cease to own more than 20% of the outstanding Voting Shares or (2) become the Beneficial Owner of any |
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-5 |
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(b) | “Actions” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 5.17. |
(c) | “Affiliate”, when used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person,. |
(d) | “Agreement” means this shareholder rights plan agreement between the Corporation and the Rights Agent, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time. |
(e) | “Associate” when used to indicate a relationship with a specified Person, means any relative of such specified Person who has the same home as such specified Person, or any person to whom such specified Person is married, or any person with whom such specified Person is living in a conjugal relationship outside marriage, or any relative of such spouse or other Person who has the same home as such specified Person. |
(f) (i) | A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, and to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, and to “Beneficially Own”: |
(A) | any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates is the owner at law or in equity; |
(B) | any securities as to which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has the right to become the owner at law or in equity, whether such right is exercisable immediately or within a period of 60 days thereafter and whether or not on the condition or occurrence of a contingency or the making of one or more payments, upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of any Convertible Security or pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, pledge or understanding, whether or not in writing, other than: |
(1) | customary agreements with and between underwriters and banking group or selling group members with respect to a distribution of securities; |
(2) | pledges of securities in the ordinary course of the pledgee’s business; or |
(3) | agreements between the Corporation and any Person pursuant to an amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination or other similar transaction (statutory or otherwise, but for greater certainty not including a Take-over Bid) that is conditional upon the approval of the shareholders of the Corporation to be obtained prior to such Person acquiring such securities; |
(C) | any securities which are subject to a lock-up agreement or similar commitment to deposit or tender such securities to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person acting jointly or in concert with such Person; and |
(D) | any securities that are Beneficially Owned within the meaning of Subsections 1.1(f)(i)(A), 1.1(f)(i)(B) or 1.1(f)(i)(C) by any other Person with whom such Person is acting jointly or in concert. |
(ii) | Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection 1.1(f)(i) a Person shall not be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of, or to have “Beneficial Ownership” of, or to “Beneficially Own”, any security solely by reason of any one or more of the following circumstances: |
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(A) (1) | the holder of such security having agreed to deposit or tender such security to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person with which such Person is acting jointly or in concert pursuant to a Permitted Lock-Up Agreement; or |
(2) | such security having been deposited or tendered pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or made by any other Person acting jointly or in concert with such Person until such deposited or tendered security has been taken up or paid for, whichever shall first occur; |
(B) | such Person, any Affiliate or Associate of such Person or any other Person acting jointly or in concert with such Person holding such security; provided that: |
(1) | the ordinary business of such Person (the “Portfolio Manager”) includes the management or administration of investment funds for other Persons (which, for greater certainty, may include or be limited to one or more employee benefit plans or pension plans) and such security is held by the Portfolio Manager in the ordinary course of such business in the performance of the Portfolio Manager’s duties for the account of any other Person (a “Client”), including non-discretionary accounts held on behalf of a Client by a registered broker or dealer; |
(2) | the ordinary business of such Person (the “Fund Manager”) is manager or trustee of one or more mutual funds registered or qualified to issue its securities under the laws of Canada or the United States of America or any province or state thereof (each, a “Mutual Fund”), or such Person is a Mutual Fund, and holds such security for the purposes of its activity as such Fund Manager or Mutual Fund; |
(3) | such Person (the “Trust Company”) is licensed to carry on the business of a trust company under applicable laws and, as such, acts as trustee or administrator or in a similar capacity in relation to the estates of deceased or incompetent Persons (each, an “Estate Account”) or in relation to other accounts (each, an “Other Account”) and holds such security in the ordinary course of such duties for such Estate Accounts or for such Other Accounts; |
(4) | such Person (the “Crown Agent”) is established by statute for purposes that include, and the ordinary business or activity of such Person includes, the management of investment funds for employee benefit plans, pension plans and insurance plans of various public bodies; or |
(5) | such Person (the “Plan Administrator”) is the administrator or the trustee of one or more pension funds or plans registered under the laws of Canada, the United States of America, the European Union or any province, state or other political subdivision thereof (each, a “Plan”), or is a Plan, and holds such security for the purposes of its activity as such Plan Administrator or Plan; |
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(C) | such Person is a Client of the same Portfolio Manager as another Person on whose account the Portfolio Manager holds such security, or because such Person is an Estate Account or an Other Account of the same Trust Company as another Person on whose account the Trust Company holds such security or because such Person is a Plan with the same Plan Administrator as another Plan on whose account the Plan Administrator holds such security; |
(D) | such Person is a Client of a Portfolio Manager and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Portfolio Manager or because such Person is an Estate Account or an Other Account of a Trust Company and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Trust Company or such Person is a Plan and such security is owned at law or in equity by the Plan Administrator of such Plan; |
(E) | such Person is the registered holder of securities as a result of carrying on the business, or acting as a nominee, of a securities depositary; or |
(F) | such Person is not the beneficial owner of such securities for the purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the U.S. Exchange Act. |
(g) | “BCBCA” means the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), SBC 2002, c 57, and the regulations made thereunder, each as may be amended and in force from time to time, and any comparable successor laws or regulations thereto. |
(h) | “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Corporation or any duly constituted and empowered committee thereof. |
(i) | “Book Entry Form” means, in reference to securities, securities that have been issued and registered in uncertificated form and includes securities evidenced by an advice or other statement and securities which are maintained electronically on the records of the Corporation’s transfer agent but for which no certificate has been issued. |
(j) | “Book Entry Rights Exercise Procedures” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 2.2(c). |
(k) | “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in Toronto, Ontario or New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law to close. |
(l) | “Canadian Dollar Equivalent” of any amount which is expressed in United States dollars means on any date the Canadian dollar equivalent of such amount determined by reference to the U.S.-Canadian Exchange Rate in effect on such date. |
(m) | “Close of Business” on any given date means the time on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the time on the next succeeding Business Day) at which the principal office of the transfer agent for the Common Shares in Toronto, Ontario (or after the Separation Time, the principal office of the Rights Agent in Toronto, Ontario) is closed to the public; provided, however, that for the purposes of the definitions of “Competing Permitted Bid” and “Permitted Bid”, “Close of Business” on any date means 11:59 p.m. (local time at the place of deposit) on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, 11:59 p.m. (local time at the place of deposit) on the next succeeding Business Day). |
(n) | “Closing Price” per security of any securities on any date of determination means: |
(i) | the closing board lot sale price or, if such price is not available, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, for each of such securities as reported by the principal stock exchange or national securities quotation system on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading (provided that, if at the date of determination such securities are listed or admitted to trading on more than one stock exchange or national securities quotation system, then such price or prices shall be determined based upon the stock exchange or quotation system on which such securities are then listed or admitted to trading on which the largest number of such securities were traded during the most recently completed calendar year); |
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(ii) | if for any reason none of such prices is available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a stock exchange or a national securities quotation system, then the last sale price, or in case no sale takes place on such date, the average of the high bid and low asked prices for each of such securities in the over-the-counter market, as quoted by any reporting system then in use; |
(iii) | if for any reason none of such prices is available on such day or the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on a stock exchange or a national securities quotation system or quoted by any such reporting system, then the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the securities selected in good faith by the Board of Directors; or |
(iv) | if for any reason none of such prices are available on such date, then the “Closing Price” per security of such securities on such date shall mean the fair value per security of the securities on such date as determined by a nationally or internationally recognized investment dealer or investment banker with respect to the fair value per security of such securities and, if the Closing Price so determined is expressed in United States dollars, then such amount shall be converted to the Canadian Dollar Equivalent. |
(o) | “Common Shares” means the common shares in the share capital of the Corporation as presently constituted, as such shares may be subdivided, consolidated, reclassified or otherwise changed from time to time. |
(p) | “Competing Permitted Bid” means a Take-over Bid that: |
(i) | is made after a Permitted Bid or another Competing Permitted Bid has been made and prior to the expiry, termination or withdrawal of such Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid; |
(ii) | satisfies all components of the definition of a Permitted Bid other than the requirement set forth in Subsection 1.1(oo)(ii)(A) of the definition of a Permitted Bid; and |
(iii) | contains, and the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited thereunder is subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified condition that no Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities will be taken up or paid for pursuant to such Take-over Bid prior to the Close of Business on the last day of the minimum initial deposit period that such Take-over Bid must remain open for deposits of securities thereunder pursuant to NI 62-104 after the date of the Take-over Bid constituting the Competing Permitted Bid; |
(q) | “controlled” means as follows: |
(i) | a body corporate is “controlled” by another Person or two or more other Persons acting jointly or in concert if: |
(A) | securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of such body corporate carrying more than 50% of the votes for the election of directors are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons; and |
(B) | the votes carried by such securities are entitled, if exercised, to elect a majority of the board of directors of such body corporate; and |
(ii) | a Person which is not a body corporate is “controlled” by another Person or two or more other Persons acting jointly or in concert if more than 50% of the voting or equity interests of such Person are held, directly or indirectly, by or for the benefit of the other Person or Persons; |
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-9 |
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(r) | “Convertible Security” means a security issued by the Corporation from time to time (other than the Rights) carrying any purchase, exercise, conversion or exchange right pursuant to which the holder thereof may acquire Voting Shares or other securities carrying any purchase, exercise, conversion or exchange right pursuant to which the holder thereof may acquire Voting Shares, directly or indirectly, (in each case, whether such right is exercisable immediately or within or after a specified period and whether or not on condition or the happening of any contingency). |
(s) | “Convertible Security Acquisition” means the acquisition of Voting Shares by a Person upon the purchase, exercise, conversion or exchange of Convertible Securities acquired or received by such Person pursuant to a Permitted Bid Acquisition, an Exempt Acquisition or a Pro Rata Acquisition. |
(t) | “Co-Rights Agent” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 4.1(a). |
(u) | “Disposition Date” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 5.1(b). |
(v) | “Dividend Reinvestment Acquisition” means an acquisition of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities of any class or series pursuant to a Dividend Reinvestment Plan. |
(w) | “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” means a regular dividend reinvestment or other plan of the Corporation made available by the Corporation to holders of its securities where such plan permits the holder to direct that some or all of: |
(i) | dividends paid in respect of shares of any class of the Corporation; |
(ii) | proceeds of redemption of shares of the Corporation; |
(iii) | interest paid on evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation; or |
(iv) | optional cash payments; |
(x) | “Effective Date” means the date hereof. |
(y) | “Election to Exercise” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 2.2(e)(ii). |
(z) | “Exchange” means the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and any other exchange on which the Common Shares may, from time to time, be listed for trading. |
(aa) | “Exempt Acquisition” means an acquisition by a Person of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities: |
(i) | in respect of which the Board of Directors has waived the application of Section 3.1 pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1; |
(ii) | made as an intermediate step in a series of related transactions in connection with an acquisition by the Corporation or its Subsidiaries of a Person or assets; provided that the Person who acquires such Voting Shares distributes or is deemed to distribute such Voting Shares to its securityholders within 10 Business Days of the completion of such acquisition, and following such distribution no Person has become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Corporation’s then outstanding Voting Shares; or |
(iii) | pursuant to an amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination or other similar transaction (statutory or otherwise, but for greater certainty not including a Take-over Bid) which has been approved by the Board of Directors and that is conditional upon the approval of the shareholders of the Corporation to be obtained at a meeting duly called and held for such purpose in accordance with applicable legal requirements prior to such Person acquiring such securities. |
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | A-10 |
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(bb) | “Exercise Price” means, as of any date, the price at which a holder of a Right may purchase the securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right in accordance with the terms hereof. Subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms hereof, the Exercise Price shall be: |
(i) | until the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, from time to time, per Common Share; and |
(ii) | from and after the Separation Time, an amount equal to three times the Market Price, as at the Separation Time, per Common Share. |
(cc) | “Expansion Factor” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 2.3(b)(v)(A). |
(dd) | “Expiration Time” means the earlier of: |
(i) | the time at which the right to exercise Rights shall terminate pursuant to Section 5.1; and |
(ii) | the Close of Business on that date on which a Reconfirmation Meeting occurs and at which this Agreement is not reconfirmed or presented for reconfirmation as contemplated in Section 5.15. |
(ee) | “Fiduciary” means a trust company registered under the trust company legislation of Canada or any province thereof, a trust company organized under the laws of any state of the United States, a portfolio manager registered under the securities legislation of one or more provinces of Canada or an investment adviser registered under the United States Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or any other securities legislation of the United States or any state of the United States. |
(ff) | “Flip-in Event” means a transaction or event in or pursuant to which any Person becomes an Acquiring Person. |
(gg) | “holder” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.8. |
(hh) | “Independent Shareholders” means holders of outstanding Voting Shares, other than any: |
(i) | Acquiring Person; |
(ii) | Offeror other than a Person who at the relevant time is deemed not to Beneficially Own such Voting Shares by reason of Subsection 1.1(f)(ii)(B); |
(iii) | Affiliate or Associate of such Acquiring Person or Offeror; |
(iv) | Person acting jointly or in concert with such Acquiring Person or Offeror; or |
(v) | employee benefit plan, stock purchase plan, deferred profit sharing plan or any similar plan or trust for the benefit of employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary of the Corporation, unless the beneficiaries of such plan or trust direct the manner in which the Voting Shares are to be voted or withheld from voting or direct whether or not the Voting Shares are to be deposited or tendered to a Take-over Bid. |
(ii) | “Market Price” per security of any securities on any date of determination means the average of the daily Closing Prices per security of such securities on each of the 20 consecutive Trading Days through to and including the Trading Day immediately preceding such date of determination; provided, however, that if an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have caused any Closing Price used to determine the Market Price on any Trading Day not to be fully comparable with the Closing Price on the Trading Day immediately preceding such date of determination, each such Closing Price so used shall be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 in order to make it fully comparable with the Closing Price on the Trading Day immediately preceding such date of determination. |
(jj) | “NI 62-104” means National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids adopted by the Securities Regulatory Authorities, as now in effect or as the same may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or replaced. |
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(kk) | “Nominee” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Subsection 2.2(d). |
(ll) | “Offer to Acquire” shall include: |
(i) | an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Voting Shares, or a public announcement of an intention to make such an offer or solicitation; and |
(ii) | an acceptance of an offer to sell Voting Shares, whether or not such offer to sell has been solicited, |
(mm) | “Offeror” means a Person who has made a public announcement of a current intention to make, or who is making, a Take-over Bid (including a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid). |
(nn) | “Offeror’s Securities” means the aggregate of the Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by an Offeror on the date of an Offer to Acquire. |
(oo) | “Permitted Bid” means a Take-over Bid made by an Offeror by way of take-over bid circular which also complies with the following additional provisions: |
(i) | the Take-over Bid is made to all holders of record of Voting Shares, other than the Offeror; |
(ii) | the Take-over Bid contains, and the take-up and payment for securities tendered or deposited is subject to, an irrevocable and unqualified provision that no Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities will be taken up or paid for pursuant to the Take-over Bid: |
(A) | prior to the Close of Business on a date that is not less than 105 days following the date of the Take-over Bid or such shorter minimum period that a take-over bid that is not exempt from any of the requirements of Division 5 (Bid Mechanics) of NI 62-104 must remain open for deposits of securities thereunder, in the applicable circumstances at such time, pursuant to NI 62-104; and |
(B) | then only if, at the Close of Business on the date Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities are first taken up or paid for under such Take-over Bid, more than 50% of the then Voting Shares held by Independent Shareholders have been deposited or tendered pursuant to the Take-over Bid and not withdrawn; |
(iii) | the Take-over Bid contains an irrevocable and unqualified provision that Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities may be deposited or tendered pursuant to such Take-over Bid, unless such Take-over Bid is withdrawn, at any time prior to the Close of Business on the date Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities are first taken up or paid for under the Take-over Bid; |
(iv) | the Take-over Bid contains an irrevocable and unqualified provision that any Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities deposited or tendered pursuant to the Take-over Bid may be withdrawn until taken up and paid for; and |
(v) | the Take-over Bid contains an irrevocable and unqualified provision that in the event that the deposit condition set forth in Subsection 1.1(oo)(ii)(B) is satisfied, the Offeror will make a public announcement of that fact and the Take-over Bid will remain open for deposits and tenders of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities for not less than 10 days from the date of such public announcement; |
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(pp) | “Permitted Bid Acquisition” means an acquisition of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a Permitted Bid or a Competing Permitted Bid; provided that, for greater certainty, any acquisition of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a Competing Permitted Bid or a Permitted Bid that ceased to be a Competing Permitted Bid or a Permitted Bid by reason of such acquisition ceasing to meet any or all of the provisions of the definition of “Competing Permitted Bid” or “Permitted Bid”, as applicable, including before such acquisition ceased to be a Competing Permitted Bid or Permitted Bid, as applicable, will not be a Permitted Bid Acquisition. |
(qq) | “Permitted Lock-Up Agreement” means an agreement between a Person and one or more holders of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities (each a “Locked-Up Person”) pursuant to which such Locked-Up Person agrees to deposit or tender Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities to a Take-over Bid (the “Lock-Up Bid”) made or to be made by such Person, any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates or any other Person with which, and in respect of which security, such Person is acting jointly or in concert; provided that: |
(i) | the terms of such agreement are publicly disclosed and a copy is made available to the public (including the Corporation) not later than the date of the Lock-Up Bid or, if the Lock-Up Bid has been made prior to the date on which such agreement is entered into, not later than the date of such agreement (or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the Business Day next following such date); |
(ii) | the agreement permits such Locked-Up Person to terminate its obligation to deposit or tender to or not to withdraw Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities from the Lock-Up Bid, and to terminate any obligation with respect to the voting of such securities, in order to deposit or tender such securities to another Take-over Bid or to support another transaction: |
(A) | where the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share or Convertible Security offered under such other Take-over Bid or transaction: |
(1) | exceeds the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share and/or Convertible Security offered under the Lock-Up Bid; or |
(2) | exceeds by as much as or more than a specified amount (the “Specified Amount”) the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share or Convertible Security at which the Locked-Up Person has agreed to deposit or tender Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities to the Lock-Up Bid; provided that such Specified Amount is not greater than 7% of the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share or Convertible Security offered under the Lock-Up Bid; and |
(B) | if the number of Voting Shares or Convertible Securities offered to be purchased under the Lock-Up Bid is less than 100% of the Voting Shares or Convertible Securities held by Independent Shareholders, where the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share or Convertible Security offered under such other Take-over Bid or transaction is not less than the price or value of the consideration per Voting Share or Convertible Security offered under the Lock-Up Bid and the number of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities to be purchased under such other Take-over Bid or transaction: |
(1) | exceeds the number of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities that the Offeror has offered to purchase under the Lock-Up Bid; or |
(2) | exceeds by as much as or more than a specified number (the “Specified Number”) the number of Voting Shares or Convertible Securities that the Offeror has offered to purchase under the Lock-Up Bid; provided that the Specified Number is not greater than 7% of the number of Voting Shares or Convertible Securities offered to be purchased under the Lock-Up Bid; |
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(iii) | no “break-up” fees, “top-up” fees, penalties, expenses or other amounts that exceed in the aggregate the greater of: |
(A) | the cash equivalent of 2.5% of the price or value of the consideration payable under the Lock-Up Bid to a Locked-Up Person; and |
(B) | 50% of the amount by which the price or value of the consideration payable under another Take-over Bid or other transaction to a Locked-Up Person exceeds the price or value of the consideration that such Locked-Up Person would have received under the Lock-Up Bid, |
(rr) | “Person” includes any individual, firm, partnership, association, trust, trustee, executor, administrator, legal personal representative, government, governmental body or authority, corporation, or other incorporated or unincorporated organization, syndicate or other entity. |
(ss) | “Privacy Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7. |
(tt) | “Pro Rata Acquisition” means an acquisition by a Person of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities pursuant to: |
(i) | a Dividend Reinvestment Acquisition; |
(ii) | a stock dividend, a stock split or other event pursuant to which such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities on the same pro rata basis as all other holders of Voting Shares of the same class or series; |
(iii) | the acquisition or exercise by the Person of only those rights to purchase Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities distributed directly by the Corporation to that Person (and not acquired from any other Person) in the course of a distribution to all holders of securities of the Corporation of one or more particular classes or series pursuant to a rights offering; or |
(iv) | a distribution of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities made pursuant to a prospectus or by way of a private placement or a conversion or exchange of any Convertible Security; |
(uu) | “Reconfirmation Meeting” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15. |
(vv) | “Record Time” means 12:01 a.m. (Toronto time) on the Effective Date. |
(ww) | “Redemption Price” has the meaning set forth in Subsection 5.1(a). |
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(xx) | “Regular Periodic Cash Dividend” means cash dividends paid on the Common Shares at regular intervals in any fiscal year of the Corporation to the extent that such cash dividends do not exceed in the aggregate in any fiscal year, on a per share basis, the greatest of: |
(i) | 200% of the aggregate amount of cash dividends declared payable by the Corporation on its Common Shares in its immediately preceding fiscal year divided by the number of Common Shares outstanding as at the end of such fiscal year; |
(ii) | 250% of the arithmetic mean of the aggregate amounts of cash dividends declared payable by the Corporation on its Common Shares in its three immediately preceding fiscal years divided by the arithmetic mean of the number of Common Shares outstanding as at the end of each of such fiscal years; and |
(iii) | 100% of the aggregate consolidated net income of the Corporation, before extraordinary items, for its immediately preceding fiscal year divided by the number of Common Shares outstanding as at the end of such fiscal year. |
(yy) | “Right” means a right to purchase securities upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement. |
(zz) | “Rights Certificates” means the certificates representing the Rights after the Separation Time, which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule “A” or such other form as the Corporation and the Rights Agent may agree. |
(aaa) | “Rights Register” and “Rights Registrar” have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in Subsection 2.6(a). |
(bbb) | “Securities Act (Ontario)” means the Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c S.5, as amended, and the rules and regulations made thereunder, as now in effect or as the same may from time to time be amended, re-enacted or replaced. |
(ccc) | “Securities Regulatory Authorities” means each applicable body created by statute in any Canadian jurisdiction to administer the securities laws of such jurisdiction, including (without limitation) a Canadian provincial or territorial securities commission. |
(ddd) | “Separation Time” means the Close of Business on the tenth Trading Day after the earlier of: |
(i) | the Share Acquisition Date; |
(ii) | the date of the commencement of, or first public announcement or disclosure of the intent of any Person (other than the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation) to commence, a Take-over Bid (other than a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid, so long as such Take-over Bid continues to satisfy the requirements of a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid); and |
(iii) | the date on which a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid ceases to qualify as a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid, as applicable, |
(eee) | “Share Acquisition Date” means the first date of public announcement or disclosure by the Corporation or an Acquiring Person of facts indicating that a Person has become an Acquiring Person, which, for the purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 5.2 of NI 62-104 or Subsection 13(d) of the U.S. Exchange Act, announcing or disclosing such information. |
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(fff) | “Subsidiary” of a Person means any other Person that is controlled by such first Person. |
(ggg) | “Take-over Bid” means an Offer to Acquire Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities if, assuming that the Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities subject to the Offer to Acquire are acquired and assuming they are Beneficially Owned at the date of such Offer to Acquire by the Person making such Offer to Acquire, such Voting Shares (including Voting Shares that may be acquired upon conversion of the Convertible Securities), together with the Offeror’s Securities, constitute in the aggregate 20% or more of the then outstanding Voting Shares at the date of the Offer to Acquire. |
(hhh) | “Trading Day”, when used with respect to any securities, means a day on which the principal Canadian or United States securities exchange (as determined by the Board of Directors) on which such securities are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any Canadian or United States securities exchange, a Business Day. |
(iii) | “U.S. - Canadian Exchange Rate” on any date means: |
(i) | if on such date the Bank of Canada sets a daily average rate of exchange for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars, such rate; and |
(ii) | in any other case, the rate on such date for the conversion of one United States dollar into Canadian dollars which is calculated in the manner which shall be determined by the Board of Directors from time to time acting in good faith. |
(jjj) | “U.S. Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder as from time to time in effect, and any comparable or successor laws, rules or regulations thereto. |
(kkk) | “U.S. Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any comparable or successor laws, rules or regulations thereto. |
(lll) | “Voting Share Reduction” means an acquisition or a redemption by the Corporation of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities which, by reducing the number of then outstanding Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities of a class or series, increases the proportionate percentage of Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by any Person. |
(mmm) | “Voting Shares” means, collectively, the Common Shares and any other securities in the capital of the Corporation, the holders of which are entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Board of Directors and “Voting Shares”, when used with reference to any Person other than the Corporation, means common shares (or equivalent) of such other Person and any other securities the holders of which are entitled to vote generally in the election of the directors or to otherwise affect control of such other Person. |
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100 | x | A | ||||||||||
B | ||||||||||||
A = | the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to the Voting Shares Beneficially Owned by such Person; and |
B = | the number of votes for the election of all directors generally attaching to all outstanding Voting Shares. |
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(a) | One Right shall be issued at the Record Time in respect of each Voting Share issued and outstanding at the Record Time and one Right shall be issued in respect of each Voting Share issued after the Record Time and prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time. |
(b) | Certificates representing Voting Shares which are issued prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time shall also evidence one Right for each Voting Share represented thereby and shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them, after the Effective Date a legend in a form substantially to the following effect: |
(c) | Any Voting Shares issued and registered in Book Entry Form prior to the earlier of the Separation Time and the Expiration Time shall evidence, in addition to the Voting Shares, one Right for each Voting Share represented thereby and the registration record of such Voting Shares shall include the foregoing legend, adapted accordingly as the Rights Agent may reasonably require. |
(a) | Subject to adjustment as herein set forth, including without limitation as set forth in Article 3, each Right will entitle the holder thereof, from and after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, to purchase one Common Share for the Exercise Price (which Exercise Price and number of Common Shares are subject to adjustment as set forth below). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Rights held by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall be null and void. |
(b) | Until the Separation Time: |
(i) | the Rights shall not be exercisable and no Right may be exercised; and |
(ii) | for administrative purposes, each Right will be evidenced by the certificate for the associated Voting Share registered in the name of the holder thereof (which certificate shall be deemed to represent a Rights Certificate) or by Book Entry Form registration for the associated Voting Share and will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, such associated Voting Share. |
(c) | From and after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Rights may be exercised, and the registration and transfer of the Rights shall be separate from and independent of Voting Shares. Promptly following the Separation Time, the Corporation will determine whether it wishes to issue Rights Certificates or whether it will maintain the Rights in Book Entry Form. In the event that the Corporation determines to maintain Rights in Book Entry Form, it will put in place such alternative |
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(d) | In the event that the Corporation determines to issue Rights Certificates, then promptly following the Separation Time, the Corporation will prepare or cause to be prepared and the Rights Agent will mail to each holder of record of Voting Shares as of the Separation Time and, in respect of each Convertible Security converted into Voting Shares after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, promptly after such conversion, the Corporation will prepare or cause to be prepared and the Rights Agent will mail to the holder so converting (other than a Person indicated by the Corporation in writing to be an Acquiring Person and, in respect of any Rights Beneficially Owned by such Acquiring Person which are not held of record by such Acquiring Person, the holder of record of such Rights as indicated by the Corporation in writing (a “Nominee”)) at such holder’s address as shown by the records of the Corporation (the Corporation hereby agreeing to furnish copies of such records to the Rights Agent for this purpose): |
(i) | a Rights Certificate in substantially the form of Schedule “A” appropriately completed, representing the number of Rights held by such holder at the Separation Time and having such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Corporation may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any law, rule or regulation or judicial or administrative order, or with any article or regulation of any self-regulatory organization, stock exchange or securities quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or traded, or to conform to usage; and |
(ii) | a disclosure statement prepared by the Corporation describing the Rights; |
(e) | In the event that the Corporation determines to issue Rights Certificates, Rights may be exercised in whole or in part on any Business Day after the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time by submitting to the Rights Agent, at its principal office in Toronto, Ontario: |
(i) | the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights; |
(ii) | an election to exercise (an “Election to Exercise”), substantially in the form attached to the Rights Certificate duly completed, and executed by the holder or his executors or administrators or other personal representatives or his or their legal attorney duly appointed by an instrument in writing, and in a manner acceptable to the Rights Agent; and |
(iii) | payment by certified cheque, banker’s draft, money order or wire transfer payable to the order of the Corporation, of a sum equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Rights being exercised and a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Shares in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being exercised. |
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(f) | In the event that the Corporation determines to issue Rights Certificates, then upon receipt of a Rights Certificate, together with an appropriately completed and duly executed Election to Exercise (which does not indicate that such Right is null and void as provided by Subsection 3.1(b)) and payment as set forth in Subsection 2.2(e), the Rights Agent (unless otherwise instructed in writing by the Corporation) will thereupon promptly: |
(i) | requisition from the transfer agent of the Common Shares certificates representing the number of Common Shares to be purchased (the Corporation hereby irrevocably authorizing its transfer agent to comply with all such requisitions); |
(ii) | after receipt of such Common Share certificates, deliver such certificates to, or to the order of, the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder in the Election to Exercise; |
(iii) | when appropriate, under Section 5.5, requisition from the Corporation the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares; |
(iv) | when appropriate, under Section 5.5, after receipt of the cash referred to in Subsection 2.2(f)(iii), deliver such cash to, or to the order of, the registered holder of the Rights Certificate; and |
(v) | tender to the Corporation all payments received on exercise of the Rights. |
(g) | If the holder of any Rights shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced by such holder’s Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate evidencing the Rights remaining unexercised will be issued by the Rights Agent to such holder or to such holder’s duly authorized assigns. |
(h) | The Corporation covenants and agrees that it will: |
(i) | take all such action as may be necessary and within its power to ensure that all Common Shares delivered upon the exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Common Shares (subject to payment of the Exercise Price), be duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered as fully paid and non-assessable; |
(ii) | take all such action as may reasonably be considered to be necessary and within its power to comply with any applicable requirements of the BCBCA, the U.S. Exchange Act, the U.S. Securities Act, the Securities Act (Ontario) and comparable legislation of each of the other provinces and territories of Canada and states of the United States of America, or the rules and regulations thereunder or any other applicable law, rule or regulation, in connection with the issuance and delivery of the Rights, the Rights Certificates and the issuance of any Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights; |
(iii) | use reasonable efforts to cause all Common Shares issued upon exercise of the Rights to be listed on each Exchange; |
(iv) | cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares, the number of Common Shares that, as provided in this Agreement, will from time to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights; |
(v) | pay when due and payable, if applicable, any and all federal, provincial, state and municipal taxes (not in the nature of income, capital gains or withholding taxes) and charges which may be payable in respect of the original issuance or delivery of the Rights Certificates or certificates for Common Shares issued upon the exercise of Rights; provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any transfer tax or charge which may be payable in respect of any transfer of Rights or the issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Shares issued upon the exercise of Rights, in a name other than that of the holder of the Rights being transferred or exercised; and |
(vi) | after the Separation Time, except as permitted by Section 5.1 or Section 5.4, not take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. |
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(a) | The Exercise Price, the number and kind of securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 2.3 and in Article 3. |
(b) | In the event that the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time: |
(i) | subdivide or change the then-outstanding Common Shares into a greater number of Common Shares; |
(ii) | consolidate or change the then-outstanding Common Shares into a smaller number of Common Shares; |
(iii) | declare or pay a distribution on the Voting Shares payable in Voting Shares or Convertible Securities other than pursuant to any Dividend Reinvestment Plan; or |
(iv) | issue any Voting Shares (or Convertible Securities in respect thereof) in respect of, in lieu of or in exchange for existing Common Shares, whether in a reclassification, amalgamation, statutory arrangement, consolidation or otherwise, |
(v) | if the Exercise Price and number of Rights outstanding are to be adjusted: |
(A) | the Exercise Price in effect after such adjustment will be equal to the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment divided by the number of Common Shares (or other securities of the Corporation) (the “Expansion Factor”) that a holder of one Common Share immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance would hold thereafter as a result thereof; and |
(B) | each Right held prior to such adjustment will become that number of Rights equal to the Expansion Factor, and the adjusted number of Rights will be deemed to be allocated among the Common Shares with respect to which the original Rights were associated (if they remain outstanding) and the securities of the Corporation issued in respect of such dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance, so that each such Common Share (or other security of the Corporation) will have exactly one Right associated with it; and |
(vi) | for greater certainty, if the securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights are to be adjusted, the securities purchasable upon exercise of each Right after such adjustment will be the securities that a holder of the securities purchasable upon exercise of one Right immediately prior to such dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance would hold thereafter as a result thereof. |
(c) | If, after the Record Time and prior to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall issue any of its securities other than Common Shares in a transaction of a type described in Subsections 2.3(b)(iii) or 2.3(b)(iv), such securities shall be treated herein as nearly equivalent to Common Shares as may be practicable and appropriate under the circumstances and the Corporation and the Rights Agent agree to amend, supplement or restate this Agreement in order to effect such treatment. |
(d) | If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under both this Section 2.3 and Section 3.1, the adjustment provided for in this Section 2.3 shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 3.1. |
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(e) | In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time issue any Common Shares otherwise than in a transaction referred to in Subsection 2.3(b), each such Common Share so issued shall automatically have one new Right associated with it, which Right shall be evidenced by the certificate representing such associated Common Share (as provided in Section 2.1). |
(f) | In the event the Corporation shall, at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time, fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of Common Shares of rights or warrants entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares (or Convertible Securities in respect of Common Shares) at a price per Common Share (or, in the case of such a Convertible Security, having a conversion, exchange or exercise price per security (including the price required to be paid to purchase such Convertible Security)) less than 90% of the Market Price per Common Share on such record date, the Exercise Price in effect after such record date will equal the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such record date multiplied by a fraction of which: |
(i) | the numerator shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of Common Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of Common Shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion, exchange or exercise price of the Convertible Securities so to be offered (including the price required to be paid to purchase such Convertible Securities)) would purchase at such Market Price per Common Share; and |
(ii) | the denominator shall be the number of Common Shares outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional Common Shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the Convertible Securities so to be offered are initially convertible, exchangeable or exercisable). |
(g) | For purposes of this Agreement, the granting of the right to purchase Common Shares (whether from treasury or otherwise) pursuant to any Dividend Reinvestment Plan or any share purchase plan providing for the reinvestment of dividends or interest payable on securities of the Corporation or the investment of periodic optional payments or employee benefit or stock option or similar plans (so long as such right to purchase is in no case evidenced by the delivery of rights or warrants by the Corporation) shall not be deemed to constitute an issue of rights or warrants by the Corporation; provided, however, that in the case of any Dividend Reinvestment Plan or share purchase plan, the right to purchase Common Shares is at a price per security of not less than 90% of the current market price per share (determined as provided in such plans) of the Common Shares. |
(h) | In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of Common Shares of: |
(i) | evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a Regular Periodic Cash Dividend or a dividend paid in Common Shares, but including any dividend payable in securities other than Common Shares); or |
(ii) | rights or warrants entitling them to subscribe for or purchase Voting Shares other than Common Shares (or Convertible Securities in respect of the Voting Shares other than Common Shares), at a price per Voting Share (or, in the case of a Convertible Security in respect of Voting Shares, having a conversion, exchange or exercise price per security (including the price required to be paid to purchase such Convertible Security)) less than 90% of the Market Price per Common Share on such record date (excluding rights or warrants referred to in Subsection 2.3(f)), |
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(i) | Each adjustment made pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be made as of: |
(i) | the payment or effective date for the applicable dividend, subdivision, change, consolidation or issuance, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to Subsection 2.3(b); and |
(ii) | the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution, in the case of an adjustment made pursuant to Subsections 2.3(f) or 2.3(h), subject to readjustment to reverse the same if such distribution shall not be made. |
(j) | In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Record Time and prior to the Separation Time issue any securities (other than Common Shares), or rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any such securities, or Convertible Securities in respect of any such securities, in a transaction referred to in any of Subsections 2.3(b), 2.3(f) and 2.3(h), inclusive, if the Board of Directors acting in good faith determines that the adjustments contemplated by Subsections 2.3(b), 2.3(f) and 2.3(h) in connection with such transaction will not appropriately protect the interests of the holders of Rights, then the Board of Directors may from time to time, but subject to obtaining the prior approval of the holders of the Rights obtained as set forth in Subsection 5.4(b), determine what other adjustments to the Exercise Price, number of Rights or securities purchasable upon exercise of Rights would be appropriate and, notwithstanding Subsections 2.3(b), 2.3(f) and 2.3(h), such adjustments, rather than the adjustments contemplated by Subsections 2.3(b), 2.3(f) and 2.3(h), shall be made upon the Board of Directors providing written certification thereof to the Rights Agent as set forth in Subsection 2.3(r). The Corporation and the Rights Agent shall amend, supplement or restate this Agreement as appropriate to provide for such adjustments. |
(k) | Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment of the Exercise Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in such Exercise Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Subsection 2.3(k) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All adjustments to the Exercise Price made pursuant to this Subsection 2.3 shall be calculated to the nearest cent. |
(l) | All Rights originally issued by the Corporation subsequent to any adjustment made to an Exercise Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, the number of Common Shares purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein. |
(m) | Unless the Corporation shall have exercised its election, as provided in Subsection 2.3(n), upon each adjustment of an Exercise Price as a result of the calculations made in Subsections 2.3(f) and 2.3(h), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Exercise Price, that number of Common Shares obtained by: |
(i) | multiplying (A) the number of Common Shares covered by a Right immediately prior to such adjustment, by (B) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment; and |
(ii) | dividing the product so obtained by the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment. |
(n) | The Corporation may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of an Exercise Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of any adjustment in the number of Common Shares purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Common Shares for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights |
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(o) | In any case in which this Section 2.3 shall require that an adjustment in an Exercise Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Corporation may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the number of Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the number of Common Shares and other securities of the Corporation, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the relevant Exercise Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Corporation shall deliver to such holder an appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional Common Shares (fractional or otherwise) or other securities upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment. |
(p) | Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.3 to the contrary, the Corporation shall be entitled to make such adjustments in the Exercise Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 2.3, as and to the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board of Directors shall determine to be advisable in order that any: |
(i) | subdivision or consolidation of the Common Shares; |
(ii) | issuance wholly for cash of any Common Shares at less than the applicable Market Price; |
(iii) | issuance wholly for cash of any Common Shares or securities that by their terms are exchangeable for or convertible into or give a right to acquire Common Shares; |
(iv) | stock dividends; or |
(v) | issuance of rights or warrants referred to in this Section 2.3, hereafter made by the Corporation to holders of its Common Shares, |
(q) | Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to represent the securities so purchasable which were represented in the initial Rights Certificates issued hereunder. |
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(r) | Whenever an adjustment to the Exercise Price is made pursuant to this Section 2.3, the Corporation shall: |
(i) | promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment; and |
(ii) | promptly file with the Rights Agent and with the transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate and mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of Rights who requests a copy. |
(a) | The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or Secretary of the Corporation. The signature of any of these officers on the Rights Certificates may be manual or facsimile. Rights Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Corporation shall bind the Corporation, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the countersignature and delivery of such Rights Certificates. |
(b) | Promptly following the Separation Time, the Corporation will notify the Rights Agent of such Separation Time and will deliver Rights Certificates executed by or on behalf of the Corporation to the Rights Agent for countersignature, and the Rights Agent shall countersign (manually or by facsimile signature in a manner satisfactory to the Corporation) and deliver such Rights Certificates to the holders of the Rights pursuant to Section 2.2. No Rights Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until countersigned by the Rights Agent as aforesaid. |
(c) | Each Rights Certificate shall be dated the date of countersignature thereof. |
(a) | After the Separation Time, the Corporation will cause to be kept a register (the “Rights Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Corporation will provide for the registration and transfer of Rights. The Rights Agent is hereby appointed registrar for the Rights (the “Rights Registrar”) for the purpose of maintaining the Rights Register for the Corporation and registering Rights and transfers of Rights as herein provided and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. In the event that the Rights Agent shall cease to be the Rights Registrar, the Rights Agent will have the right to examine the Rights Register at all reasonable times. |
(b) | After the Separation Time and prior to the Expiration Time, upon surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any Rights Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Subsections 2.6(d) and 3.1(b), the Corporation will execute, and the Rights Agent will countersign, deliver and register, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required |
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(c) | All Rights issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Rights Certificates shall be valid obligations of the Corporation, and such Rights shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Agreement as the Rights surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange. |
(d) | Every Rights Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation or the Rights Agent, as the case may be, duly executed by the holder thereof or such holder’s attorney duly authorized, in writing. As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.6, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) in connection therewith. |
(a) | If any mutilated Rights Certificate is surrendered to the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time, the Corporation shall execute and the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor a new Rights Certificate evidencing the same number of Rights as did the Rights Certificate so surrendered. |
(b) | If there shall be delivered to the Corporation and the Rights Agent prior to the Expiration Time: |
(i) | evidence to their reasonable satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Rights Certificate; and |
(ii) | such security or indemnity as may be reasonably required by them to save each of them and any of their agents harmless, |
(c) | As a condition to the issuance of any new Rights Certificate under this Section 2.7, the Corporation may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Rights Agent) connected therewith. |
(d) | Every new Rights Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 2.7 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall evidence a contractual obligation of the Corporation, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Rights Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Rights duly issued hereunder. |
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(a) | to be bound by and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, in respect of all Rights held; |
(b) | that, prior to the Separation Time, each Right will be transferable only together with, and will be transferred by a transfer of, the associated Voting Share; |
(c) | that, after the Separation Time, the Rights will be transferable only on the Rights Register as provided herein; |
(d) | that, prior to due presentment of a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Voting Share certificate, or if no certificate evidences the share registration, satisfactory evidence of the associated share registration) for registration of transfer, the Corporation, the Rights Agent and any agent of the Corporation or the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Separation Time, the associated Voting Share certificate, or if no certificate evidences the share registration, the Person in whose name the share registration is made) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on such Rights Certificate or the associated Voting Share certificate made by anyone other than the Corporation or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; |
(e) | that such holder of Rights is not entitled to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional Common Shares or other securities upon exercise of a Right (except as provided herein); |
(f) | that, without the approval of any holder of Rights or Voting Shares and upon the sole authority of the Board of Directors acting in good faith, this Agreement may be supplemented, amended or restated from time to time as provided herein; and |
(g) | that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Corporation nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, 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. |
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(a) | The Rights Agent shall have no obligation under this Agreement to ensure or verify compliance with any applicable laws or regulatory requirements on the issue, exercise or transfer of any Rights or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall be entitled to process all proffered transfers and exercises of Rights upon the presumption that such transfers or exercises are permissible pursuant to all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. |
(b) | The Rights Agent may assume for the purposes of this Agreement that any address on the Rights Register is the holder’s actual address and is determinative as to residency and that the address of any transferee to whom any Rights are to be registered, as shown on the transfer document, is the transferee’s residency. |
(c) | The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to ensure that the legends appearing on the Rights Certificates or Common Shares comply with the regulatory requirements or securities laws of any applicable jurisdiction. |
(a) | Subject to Subsection 3.1(b) and Section 5.1, in the event that prior to the Expiration Time a Flip-in Event occurs, each Right shall thereafter constitute, effective from and after the Close of Business on the tenth Trading Day following the Share Acquisition Date, the right to purchase from the Corporation, upon exercise thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, that number of Common Shares as have an aggregate Market Price on the date of the consummation or occurrence of such Flip-in Event equal to twice the Exercise Price for an amount in cash equal to the Exercise Price (such right to be appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 if, after such date of consummation or occurrence, an event of a type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred with respect to such Common Shares). |
(b) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary but subject to Section 5.1, upon the occurrence of any Flip-in Event, any Rights that are or were Beneficially Owned on or after the earlier of the Separation Time and the Share Acquisition Date, or which may thereafter be Beneficially Owned, by: |
(i) | an Acquiring Person, any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, any other Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any such Person so acting jointly and in concert); or |
(ii) | a transferee, direct or indirect, of an Acquiring Person, any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, any other Person acting jointly or in concert with an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate of any such Person so acting jointly and in concert), in a transfer of Rights occurring subsequent to the Acquiring Person becoming such, |
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(c) | Any Rights Certificate that represents Rights Beneficially Owned by a Person described in either of Subsections 3.1(b)(i) or 3.1(b)(ii) or transferred to any Nominee of any such Person, and any Rights Certificate issued upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain or will be deemed to contain the following legend: |
(d) | After the Separation Time, the Corporation shall do all such acts and things necessary and within its power to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Section 3.1 including, without limitation, all such acts and things as may be required to satisfy the requirements of the BCBCA, the U.S. Exchange Act, the U.S. Securities Act, the Securities Act (Ontario) and the securities laws or comparable legislation in each of the other provinces and territories of Canada and in any other jurisdiction where the Corporation is subject to such laws and the rules of each Exchange in respect of the issue of Common Shares upon the exercise of Rights in accordance with this Agreement. |
(a) | The Corporation hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Corporation and the holders of the Rights in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Corporation may from time to time appoint one or more co-rights agents (each, a “Co-Rights Agent”) as it may deem necessary or desirable, subject to the prior approval of the Rights Agent. In the event the Corporation appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and Co-Rights Agents shall be as the Corporation may determine with the approval of the Rights Agent and the Co-Rights Agent. The Corporation agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonably incurred expenses and other disbursements in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and other experts and advisors consulted by the Rights Agent pursuant to Subsection 4.3(a). The Corporation also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent and its Affiliates and each of their directors, officers, employees, agents and shareholders for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability, cost, claim, action, suit, damage, penalty, demand, levy, disbursement or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, which may at any time be suffered by, imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Rights Agent, whether groundless or otherwise, howsoever arising directly or indirectly for anything |
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(b) | The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon share registration confirmed in writing by the transfer agent of the Corporation, any certificate for Common Shares, Rights Certificate, certificate or other evidence of ownership for other securities of the Corporation, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons. The Rights Agent need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any such document, but it may, in its discretion, make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit. |
(c) | The Corporation shall inform the Rights Agent in a reasonably timely manner of events which may materially affect the administration of this Agreement by the Rights Agent and, at any time upon request, shall provide to the Rights Agent an incumbency certificate certifying the then current officers of the Corporation. |
(d) | No provision contained in this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers under this Agreement. |
(a) | Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or amalgamated or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, amalgamation or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent is a party, or any corporation succeeding to the shareholder or stockholder services business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, will be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any document or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 4.5. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent succeeds to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Rights Certificates have been countersigned but not delivered any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates have not been countersigned, 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 provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
(b) | In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent is changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and in this Agreement. |
(a) | with prior written consent of the Corporation, the Rights Agent may retain and consult with legal counsel, at the reasonable expense of the Corporation, (who may be legal counsel for the Corporation) and the opinion of such counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion; the Rights Agent may also, with the prior written consent of the Corporation (such consent not |
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(b) | whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent deems it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Corporation prior to taking, refraining from taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by a Person believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate will be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate; |
(c) | the Rights Agent will be liable hereunder for its own gross negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct and that of its officers, directors and employees; |
(d) | the Rights Agent will not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the certificates for Common Shares, or the Rights Certificates (except its countersignature thereof which countersignature shall not be construed as a representation or warranty by the Rights Agent as to the validity of this Agreement or the Rights Certificate(s), except the due certification thereof) or be required to verify the same, and all such statements and recitals are and will be deemed to have been made by the Corporation only; |
(e) | the Rights Agent will not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Common Share certificate, or Rights Certificate (except its countersignature thereof, which countersignature shall not be construed as a representation or warranty by the Rights Agent as to the validity of this Agreement or the Rights Certificate(s), except the due certification thereof); nor will it be responsible for any breach by the Corporation of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate; nor will it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Subsection 3.1(b)) or any adjustment required under the provisions of Section 2.3, or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment, nor will it be responsible for the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights after receipt of the certificate contemplated by Section 2.3 describing any such adjustment or any written notice from the Corporation or any holder that a Person has become an Acquiring Person); nor will it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization of any Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Rights or as to any Common Shares, when issued, being duly and validly authorized, executed, issued and delivered as fully paid and non-assessable; |
(f) | the Corporation agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement; |
(g) | the Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any individual designated in writing by the Corporation and believed by the Rights Agent to be the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, and to apply to such individuals for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such individual; it is understood that instructions to the Rights Agent shall, except where circumstances make it impractical or the Rights Agent otherwise agrees, be given in writing (including by email) and, where not in writing, such instructions shall be confirmed in writing (including by email) as soon as reasonably practicable after the giving of such instructions; |
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(h) | the Rights Agent and any shareholder or director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in Common Shares, Rights or other securities of the Corporation or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Corporation may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Corporation or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights Agent under this Agreement; nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Corporation or for any other legal entity; and |
(i) | the Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent 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 Corporation resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct; provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof. |
(a) | Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and whether such losses or damages are foreseeable or unforeseeable, the Rights Agent shall not be liable under any circumstances whatsoever for any (i) breach by any other party of securities law or other rule of any securities regulatory authority, (ii) lost profits or (iii) special, indirect, incidental, consequential, exemplary, aggravated or punitive losses or damages. |
(b) | Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any liability of the Rights Agent shall be limited, in the aggregate, to the aggregate amount of fees paid by the Corporation to the Rights Agent. |
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(a) | Subject to the prior consent of the holders of Voting Shares or Rights obtained as set forth in Subsections 5.4(a) or 5.4(b), as applicable, the Board of Directors acting in good faith may, at any time prior to the later of the Share Acquisition Date and the Separation Time, elect to redeem all but not less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $0.00001 per Right, appropriately adjusted in a manner analogous to the applicable adjustment provided for in Section 2.3 if an event of the type analogous to any of the events described in Section 2.3 shall have occurred (such redemption price being herein referred to as the “Redemption Price”). |
(b) | The Board of Directors may waive the application of Section 3.1 in respect of the occurrence of any Flip-in Event if the Board of Directors has determined in good faith, following the Share Acquisition Date and prior to the Separation Time, that a Person became an Acquiring Person by inadvertence and without any intention to become, or knowledge that it would become, an Acquiring Person under this Agreement and, in the event that such a waiver is granted by the Board of Directors, such Share Acquisition Date shall be deemed not to have occurred. Any such waiver pursuant to this Subsection 5.1(b) may only be given on the condition that such Person, within 14 days after the foregoing determination by the Board of Directors or such later date as the Board of Directors may determine (the “Disposition Date”), has reduced its Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares such that the Person is no longer an Acquiring Person. If the Person remains an Acquiring Person at the Close of Business on the Disposition Date, then the Disposition Date shall be deemed to be the date of occurrence of a further Share Acquisition Date and Section 3.1 shall apply thereto. |
(c) | In the event that a Person acquires Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities pursuant to a Permitted Bid or an Exempt Acquisition referred to in Subsection 5.1(d), then the Board of Directors shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection 5.1(a), immediately upon the consummation of such acquisition and without further formality, be deemed to have elected to redeem the Rights at the Redemption Price. |
(d) | The Board of Directors acting in good faith may, prior to the occurrence of the relevant Flip-in Event, upon prior written notice delivered to the Rights Agent, determine to waive the application of Section 3.1 to a Flip-in Event that may occur by reason of a Take-over Bid made by means of a Take-over Bid circular to all holders of record of Voting Shares; provided that, if the Board of Directors waives the application of Section 3.1 to a particular Take-over Bid pursuant to this Subsection 5.1(d), then |
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(e) | Subject to the prior consent of the holders of Voting Shares obtained as set forth in Subsection 5.4(b)(i), the Board of Directors may, at any time prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event as to which the application of Section 3.1 has not been waived pursuant to this Section 5.1, if such Flip-in Event would occur by reason of an acquisition of Voting Shares and/or Convertible Securities otherwise than pursuant to a Take-over Bid made by means of a Take-over Bid circular to all registered holders of Voting Shares and otherwise than in the circumstances set forth in Subsection 5.1(b), waive the application of Section 3.1 to such Flip-in Event. In such event, the Board of Directors shall extend the Separation Time to a date at least 10 Business Days subsequent to the meeting of shareholders called to approve such waiver. |
(f) | The Board of Directors may, prior to the Close of Business on the tenth Business Day following a Share Acquisition Date or such later Business Day as it may from time to time determine, upon prior written notice delivered to the Rights Agent, waive the application of Section 3.1 to the related Flip-in Event; provided that the Acquiring Person has reduced its Beneficial Ownership of Voting Shares (or has entered into a contractual arrangement with the Corporation, acceptable to the Board of Directors, to do so within 10 days of the date on which such contractual arrangement is entered into or such later date as the Board of Directors may determine) such that, at the time the waiver becomes effective pursuant to this Subsection 5.1(f), such Person is no longer an Acquiring Person. In the event of such a waiver becoming effective prior to the Separation Time, for the purposes of this Agreement, such Flip-in Event shall be deemed not to have occurred. |
(g) | Where a Take-over Bid that is not a Permitted Bid or Competing Permitted Bid is withdrawn or otherwise terminated after the Separation Time has occurred and prior to the occurrence of a Flip-in Event, or if the Board of Directors grants a waiver under Subsection 5.1(f) after the Separation Time, then the Board of Directors may elect to redeem all the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price. Upon the Rights being redeemed pursuant to this Subsection 5.1(g), all of the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply as if the Separation Time had not occurred and Rights Certificates representing the number of Rights held by each holder of record of Voting Shares at the Separation Time had not been mailed to each such holder and for all purposes of this Agreement the Separation Time shall be deemed not to have occurred and the Corporation shall be deemed to have issued replacement Rights to the holders of its then outstanding Voting Shares. |
(h) | If the Board of Directors is deemed under Subsection 5.1(c) to have elected or elects under Subsections 5.1(a) or 5.1(g) to redeem the Rights, then the right to exercise the Rights will thereupon, without further action and without notice, terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. |
(i) | Within 10 Business Days after the Board of Directors is deemed under Subsection 5.1(c) to have elected or elects under Subsection 5.1(a) or 5.1(g) to redeem the Rights, the Corporation shall give notice of redemption to the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice to each such holder at his last address as it appears upon the Rights Register or, prior to the Separation Time, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Voting Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made. |
(j) | The Corporation shall not be obligated to make a payment of the Redemption Price to any holder of Rights unless the holder is entitled to receive at least $10.00 in respect of all Rights held by such holder. |
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(a) | Subject to Subsections 5.4(b) and 5.4(c), the Corporation may from time to time amend, supplement, restate or delete any of the provisions of this Agreement and the Rights; provided that no amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion shall be made without the prior consent of the shareholders of the Corporation or holders of the Rights, given as provided in Subsection 5.4(b), except that amendments, supplements, restatements or deletions made for any of the following purposes shall not require such prior approval but shall be subject to subsequent ratification in accordance with Subsection 5.4(b): |
(i) | in order to make such changes as are necessary in order to maintain the validity of this Agreement and the Rights as a result of any change in any applicable legislation, regulations or rules; or |
(ii) | in order to make such changes as are necessary in order to cure any clerical or typographical error. |
(b) | Any amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion made by the Board of Directors pursuant to Subsection 5.4(a) shall if made: |
(i) | prior to the Separation Time, be submitted to the shareholders of the Corporation at the next meeting of shareholders and the shareholders may, by resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast by Independent Shareholders who vote in respect of such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion, confirm or reject such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion; or |
(ii) | after the Separation Time, be submitted to the holders of Rights at a meeting to be held on a date not later than the date of the next meeting of shareholders of the Corporation and the holders of Rights may, by resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast by the holders of Rights which have not become void pursuant to Subsection 3.1(b) who vote in respect of such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion, confirm or reject such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion. |
(iii) | from and after the termination of the meeting at which it was rejected or to which it should have been but was not submitted; |
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(iv) | from and after the date of the meeting of holders of Rights that should have been (but was not) held prior to or concurrently with the time of the next meeting of shareholders of the Corporation; or |
(v) | from and after the date a meeting of shareholders should have been held pursuant to applicable law but was not held, |
(c) | For greater certainty, neither the exercise by the Board of Directors of any power or discretion conferred on it hereunder nor the making by the Board of Directors of any determination or the granting of any waiver it is permitted to make or give hereunder shall constitute an amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion of the provisions of this Agreement or the Rights, for purposes of this Section 5.4 or otherwise. |
(d) | Unless otherwise provided herein, the approval, confirmation or consent of the holders of Rights with respect to any matter arising hereunder shall be deemed to have been given if the action requiring such approval, confirmation or consent is authorized by the affirmative votes of the holders of Rights present or represented at and entitled to be voted at a meeting of the holders of Rights and representing a majority of the votes cast in respect thereof. For the purposes hereof, each outstanding Right (other than Rights which are void pursuant to the provisions hereof or which, prior to the Separation Time, are held otherwise than by Independent Shareholders) shall be entitled to one vote, and the procedures for the calling, holding and conduct of the meeting shall be those, as nearly as may be, which are provided in the Corporation’s bylaws and under applicable laws with respect to meetings of shareholders of the Corporation. |
(e) | The Corporation shall give notice in writing to the Rights Agent of any amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5.4 within five Business Days of the date of any such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion; provided that failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of any such amendment, supplement, restatement or deletion. |
(a) | The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. Any such fractional Right shall be null and void and the Corporation will not have any obligation or liability in respect thereof. |
(b) | The Corporation shall not be required to issue fractional Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates that evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of issuing fractional Common Shares, the Corporation shall pay to the registered holder of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the Market Price of one Common Share at the date of such exercise. |
(c) | The Rights Agent shall have no obligation to make any payments in lieu of issuing fractions of Rights or Common Shares pursuant to Subsections 5.5(a) or 5.5(b), respectively, unless and until the Corporation shall have provided to the Rights Agent the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuing such fractional Rights or Common Shares, as the case may be. The Rights Agent shall have no liability or responsibility for any funds until it is in fact received by the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may hold cash balances constituting part or all of the funds to be disbursed in lieu of issuing fractions of Rights or Common Shares in an interest bearing account pending payment, and the Rights Agent may, but is not obligated to, invest same in the deposit department of a Canadian chartered bank and its Affiliates. The Rights Agent and its Affiliates shall not be liable to account for any profit to the Corporation or to any other person or entity other than at a rate, if any, established from time to time by the Rights Agent and its Affiliates. |
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(a) | if to the Corporation: | ||||||||
Bausch Health Companies Inc. | |||||||||
St. Elzéar Blvd. West | |||||||||
Laval, Québec H7L 4A8 | |||||||||
Attention: | Seana Carson | ||||||||
Email address: | seana.carson@bauschhealth.com | ||||||||
(b) | if to the Rights Agent: | ||||||||
TSX Trust Company | |||||||||
301-100 Adelaide Street West | |||||||||
Toronto, Ontario M5H 4H1 | |||||||||
Attention: | Emma McKenzie | ||||||||
Email address: | emma.mckenzie@tmx.com | ||||||||
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(c) | if to the holder of any Rights, to the address of such holder as it appears on the Rights Register or, prior to the Separation Time, on the registry books of the Corporation for the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed or sent or delivered in the manner provided for herein shall be deemed given and received whether or not the holder receives the notice. | ||||||||
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(a) | may be relied upon by the Rights Agent (and in the case of reliance by the Rights Agent, the good faith of the Board of Directors shall be presumed); and |
(b) | shall not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights or to any other parties. |
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BAUSCH HEALTH COMPANIES INC. | TSX TRUST COMPANY | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Brianna Cetrulo | By: | /s/ Emma McKenzie | ||||||
Name: | Brianna Cetrulo | Name: | Emma McKenzie | ||||||
Title: | Director, Legal and Corporate Secretary | Title: | Relationship Manager | ||||||
By: | /s/ Thomas J. Appio | By: | /s/ Amanda Dellio | ||||||
Name: | Thomas J. Appio | Name: | Amanda Dellio | ||||||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | Title: | Relationship Manager | ||||||
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Certificate No. | Rights | ||
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BAUSCH HEALTH COMPANIES INC. | ||||||
By: | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Countersigned: | ||||||
TSX TRUST COMPANY | ||||||
By: | ||||||
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Rights Certificate No. | ||||||
Name | ||||||
Address | ||||||
City and Province | ||||||
Social Insurance No. or other taxpayer identification numbers | ||||||
Name | |||
Address | |||
City and Province | |||
Social Insurance No. or other taxpayer identification numbers | |||
Date: | ||||||
Signature | ||||||
(Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever) | ||||||
Written Signature Guaranteed | ||||||
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Signature | |||
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(Please print name and address of transferee) | |||
Date: | Signature: | ||||||||
Written Signature Guaranteed | (Signature must correspond to name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever) | ||||||||
Signature | |||
(Please print name below signature) | |||
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