(c) subject to Section 6 and Section 7(e), the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Stock certificate or, with respect to shares of Common Stock not represented by a certificate the associated notation on the Company’s share register) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificate or the associated Common Stock certificate, if any, made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent or the transfer agent of the shares of Common Stock) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company, its directors, officers, employees and agents nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or 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, judgment or ruling (whether interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or by reason of any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation.
Section 16. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder. No holder of a Right, as such, shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends in respect of or be deemed for any purpose to be the holder of shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Units or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 24 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Section 17. Concerning the Rights Agent.
(a) The Company 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, reimbursement of its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the preparation, delivery, amendment, administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
(b) The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, damage, liability, demand, judgment, fine, penalty, claim, settlement, cost or expense incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent as each must be determined by final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, for any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance of, administration of and performance of its duties under this Agreement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.
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