EX-99.1 6 a16-15420_1ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

NABORS INDUSTRIES LTD.

2016 STOCK PLAN

 

Section 1. Purpose of Plan.

 

The name of this plan is the Nabors Industries Ltd. 2016 Stock Plan (the “Plan”). The purpose of the Plan is to provide additional incentive to those officers, employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates whose contributions are essential to the growth and success of the Company’s business, in order to strengthen the commitment of such persons to the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, motivate such persons to faithfully and diligently perform their responsibilities and attract and retain competent and dedicated persons whose efforts will result in the long-term growth and profitability of the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates. To accomplish such purposes, the Plan provides that the Company may grant Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Stock Bonuses. The Plan is intended to permit awards that satisfy the requirements of section 162(m) of the Code and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements thereof.

 

Section 2. Definitions.

 

For purposes of the Plan, in addition to terms defined elsewhere in the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:

 

(a)                                 “Administrator” means the Board, or if and to the extent the Board does not administer the Plan, the Committee, in accordance with Section 3 hereof.

 

(b)                                 “Affiliate” means any corporation or other entity, more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of which is owned by the Company, its Subsidiaries, or any other Affiliate.

 

(c)                                  “Award” means an award of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or a Stock Bonus under the Plan.

 

(d)                                 “Award Agreement” means, with respect to any Award, the written agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of the Award.

 

(e)                                  “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(f)                                   “Cause” means, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement: (i) the conviction of a Participant for a felony or other crime involving fraud and/or moral turpitude; (ii) dishonesty, willful misconduct or material neglect, which neglect causes material harm to the Company, of a Participant with respect to the Company or any of its Affiliates; (iii) any intentional act on the part of a Participant that causes material damage to the Company and/or its Affiliates’ reputation; (iv) appropriation (or an overt act attempting appropriation) of a material business opportunity of the Company or its Affiliates by a Participant; (v) misappropriation (or an overt act attempting misappropriation) of any funds of the Company or its Affiliates by a Participant; (vi) the failure of a Participant to follow the reasonable and lawful written instructions or policy of the Company with respect to the services to be rendered and the manner of rendering such services by the Participant, provided Participant has been given reasonable written notice thereof and opportunity to cure and no cure has been effected within a reasonable time after such notice; or (vii) the failure of a Participant to perform or observe any of the material terms or conditions of the Participant’s employment other than by reason of illness, injury or incapacity, provided the Participant has been given reasonable written notice thereof and opportunity to cure and no cure has been effected within a reasonable time after such notice.

 

(g)                                  “Change in Capitalization” means any increase, reduction, or change or exchange of Shares for a different number or kind of shares or other securities or property by reason of a reclassification, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, reorganization, issuance of warrants or rights, stock dividend, stock split or reverse

 

 

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stock split, combination or exchange of shares, repurchase of shares, change in corporate structure or otherwise; or any other corporate action, such as declaration of a special dividend, that affects the capitalization of the Company.

 

(h)                                 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor thereto.

 

(i)                                     “Committee” means any committee or subcommittee the Board may appoint to administer the Plan. If at any time or to any extent the Board shall not administer the Plan, then the functions of the Administrator specified in the Plan shall be exercised by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the composition of the Committee shall at all times consist solely of persons who are (i) “nonemployee directors” as defined in Rule 16b-3 issued under the Exchange Act, (ii) “outside directors” as defined in section 162(m) of the Code; and (iii) “independent directors” within the meaning of section 303A.02 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual; provided, however, with respect to powers to grant and establish terms of Awards to Directors and all other powers that are expressly reserved to the Board under the Plan, references to “Committee” shall mean the Board.

 

(j)                                    “Common Shares” means the common shares, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company.

 

(k)                                 “Company” means Nabors Industries Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company (or any successor corporation).

 

(l)                                     “Consultant” means any individual, other than a Director or Employee, who renders consulting services to the Company or an Affiliate for compensation.

 

(m)                             “Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee or Consultant (other than in that individual’s capacity as a Director).

 

(n)                                 “Disability” means (1) any physical or mental condition that would qualify a Participant for a disability benefit under any long-term disability plan maintained by the Company (or by the Subsidiary or Affiliate by which he is employed); (2) when used in connection with the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option following Termination of employment, disability within the meaning of section 22(e)(3) of the Code; or (3) such other condition as may be determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator to constitute Disability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of any item of income under an Award to which the foregoing definition would apply with the effect that the income tax under section 409A of the Code would apply or be imposed on income under that Award, but where such tax would not apply or be imposed if the meaning of the term “Disability” included and met the requirements of a “disability” within the meaning of Treasury regulation section 1.409A-3(i)(4), then the term “Disability” herein shall mean, but only with respect to the income so affected, (i) the inability of the Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or (ii) the receipt of income replacements by the Participant, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, for a period of not less than three months under the Company’s accident and health plan.

 

(o)                                 “Eligible Recipient” means an Employee, Director or Consultant.

 

(p)                                 “Employee” means an employee of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

(q)                                 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

(r)                                    “Exercise Price” means the per share price at which a holder of an Option may purchase the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Option.

 

(s)                                   “Fair Market Value” of a Common Share as of a particular date shall mean (1) the closing sale price reported for such share on the national securities exchange or national market system on which such share is principally traded on such date (or, if there were no trades on such date, on the most recently preceding day on which there was a sale), or (2) if the Common Shares are not then listed on a national securities exchange or national market system, or the value of such shares is not otherwise determinable, such value as determined by the Administrator in good faith in its sole discretion.

 

 

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(t)                                    “Freestanding SAR” means an SAR that is granted independently of any Options, as described Section 11 hereof.

 

(u)                                 “Immediate Family” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships of the Participant; trusts for the benefit of such immediate family members; or partnerships in which such immediate family members are the only partners.

 

(v)                                 “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision, and that is designated by the Administrator as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(w)                               “Nonqualified Stock Option” means any Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option, including any Option that provides (as of the time such Option is granted) that it will not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(x)                                 “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonqualified Stock Option, or either or both of them, as the context requires.

 

(y)                                 “Participant” means any Eligible Recipient selected by the Administrator, pursuant to the Administrator’s authority in Section 3 hereof, to receive grants of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or a Stock Bonus. A Participant who receives the grant of an Option is sometimes referred to herein as “Optionee.”

 

(z)                                  “Performance Goal” shall mean goals or levels of performance based upon achievement of certain financial or operational criteria of the Company established by the Committee for each Plan year. The Performance Goals may be based upon one or more of the following performance criteria for the Company, or other performance period or any one or more of its divisions, business units, Subsidiaries or lines of business: income before federal taxes and net interest expense; achievement of specific and measurable operational objectives in the areas of rig operating costs, accident records, downtime and employee turnover; completion of one or more specifically designated tasks identified as being important to the strategy or success of the Company; working capital, generally defined to include receivables; inventories and controllable current liabilities, measured either in absolute dollars or relative to sales; earnings growth, revenues, expenses, stock price, net operating profit after taxes, market share, days sales outstanding, return on assets, equity, capital employed or investment, regulatory compliance, satisfactory internal or external audits, improvement of financial ratings, or achievement balance sheet, income statement or cash flow objectives; earnings per share; operating income; gross income; cash flow; gross profit; gross profit return on investment; gross margin return on investment; gross margin; operating margin; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization; return on equity; return on assets; return on capital; return on invested capital; net revenues; gross revenues; revenue growth; annual recurring revenues; recurring revenues; license revenues; sales or market share; total shareholder return; economic value added; the growth in the value of an investment in the Common Shares assuming the reinvestment of dividends; or reduction in operating expenses. For any Plan year or other performance period, the Performance Goals may be applied on an absolute basis or relative to a group of peer companies selected by the Committee, relative to internal goals or industry benchmarks or relative to levels attained in prior years.

 

(aa)                          “Restricted Stock Unit” means the right to receive a Share or the Fair Market Value of a Share in cash granted pursuant to Section 9 hereof.

 

(bb)                          “Restricted Stock” means Shares subject to certain restrictions granted pursuant to Section 8 hereof.

 

(cc)                            “Shares” means Common Shares and the common equity of any successor security.

 

(dd)                          “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award, granted alone or in connection with a related Option, designated as an SAR, pursuant to Section 11 hereof.

 

(ee)                            “Stock Bonus” means the right to receive a Share granted pursuant to Section 10 hereof.

 

 

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(ff)                              “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company, if each of the corporations (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.

 

(gg)                            “Tandem SAR” means an SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the exercise of which shall require forfeiture of the right to purchase a Share under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the Tandem SAR shall similarly be canceled).

 

(hh)                          “Ten Percent Owner” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

(ii)                                  “Termination” when used with respect to a Participant means that the employment or service relationship between the Participant and the Company and its Affiliates as an Employee, Director, and/or Consultant has, in the judgment of the Committee, ended.

 

Section 3. Administration.

 

(a)                                 The Plan shall be administered by the Board or, at the Board’s sole discretion, by the Committee, which shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator shall have the power and authority, without limitation:

 

(i)                                     to select those Eligible Recipients who shall be Participants;

 

(ii)                                  to determine in an Award Agreement whether and to what extent Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or a Stock Bonus are to be granted hereunder to Participants;

 

(iii)                               to determine in an Award Agreement the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;

 

(iv)                              to determine in an Award Agreement the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of each Award granted hereunder;

 

(v)                                 to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, which shall govern all written instruments evidencing Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Stock Bonus granted hereunder;

 

(vi)                              to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable; and

 

(vii)                           to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any Award Agreement relating thereto), and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan.

 

(b)                                 All decisions made by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company and the Participants. No member of the Board or the Committee, nor any officer or employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board or the Committee and each and any officer or employee of the Company acting on their behalf shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company in respect of any such action, determination or interpretation.

 

(c)                                  The Administrator in its discretion may condition entitlement to an Award in whole or in part on the attainment of one or more Performance Goals. The Administrator shall establish any such Performance Goal not later than 90 days after the commencement of the period of service to which the Award relates if the period equals or exceeds one year (or if the period is shorter, 25% of such period of service), and once granted, the Administrator

 

 

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shall not have discretion to increase the amount payable under such Award, provided, however, that whether or not an Award is intended to constitute qualified performance based compensation within the meaning of section 162(m) of the Code, the Administrator shall have the authority to make appropriate adjustments in Performance Goals under an Award to reflect the impact of extraordinary items not reflected in such Performance Goals. For purposes of the Plan, extraordinary items shall be defined as (1) any profit or loss attributable to acquisitions or dispositions of stock or assets, (2) any changes in accounting standards that may be required or permitted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or adopted by the Company after the goal is established, (3) all items of gain, loss or expense for the year related to restructuring charges for the Company, (4) all items of gain, loss or expense for the year determined to be extraordinary or unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence or related to the disposal of a segment of a business, (5) all items of gain, loss or expense for the year related to discontinued operations as defined in APB Opinion No. 30 or FAS No. 144, and (6) such other items as may be prescribed by section 162(m) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder as may be in effect from time to time, and any amendments, revisions or successor provisions and any changes thereto.

 

(d)                                 Subject to section 162(m) of the Code and except as required by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act with respect to grants of Awards to individuals who are subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, or as otherwise required for compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or other applicable law, the Administrator may delegate all or any part of its authority under the Plan to an Employee, Employees or committee of Employees.

 

(e)                                  If at any time (whether before or after Termination of employment) a majority of either the Board or the Committee determines that a Participant has engaged in fraud, embezzlement, theft, commission of a felony, dishonesty, or any other conduct inimical to the Company, either the Board or the Committee (as the case may be) may provide for the immediate forfeiture of any Award held by the Participant, whether or not then vested. Any determination by the Board or Committee (as the case may be) under this subsection (e) shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons.

 

Section 4. Shares Reserved for Issuance Under the Plan.

 

(a)                                 There shall be reserved and available for issuance under the Plan 8,000,000 Common Shares, no more than 8,000,000 of which may be issued in the form of Incentive Stock Options.

 

The grant of any Restricted Stock Units or SARs that may be settled only in cash shall not reduce the number of Common Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted pursuant to the Plan.

 

(b)                                 Shares shall be deemed to have been issued under the Plan only to the extent actually issued and delivered pursuant to an Award. To the extent that (i) an Option expires or is otherwise cancelled or terminated without being exercised as to the underlying Shares, (ii) any Shares subject to any award of Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, or Stock Bonus are forfeited, (iii) payment for an Option upon exercise is made with Shares owned by the Optionee, (iv) Shares are withheld from payment of an Award in satisfaction of any federal, state or local income tax and applicable employment tax withholding requirements, or (v) Shares are surrendered in payment of the exercise price or purchase price of an Award, such Shares shall again be available for issuance in connection with future Awards granted under the Plan.

 

(c)                                  The aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Awards under this Plan (including Awards payable in cash but denominated in Common Shares, i.e., cash-settled Restricted Stock Units or SARs) may be granted to any individual Participant, including nonemployee directors, during any calendar year shall not exceed 3,000,000.

 

(d)                                 Separate certificates or a book-entry registration representing Common Shares shall be delivered to a Participant pursuant to an Award contemplating delivery of Shares; provided, however, any Shares subject to a Restricted Stock Award may be held in the custody of the Company until the vesting conditions of such Award are satisfied

 

 

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Section 5. Equitable Adjustments.

 

In the event of any Change in Capitalization, an equitable substitution or proportionate adjustment shall be made in (i) the aggregate number and/or kind of Common Shares or other property reserved for issuance under the Plan, (ii) the kind, number and/or option price of Shares or other property subject to outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan, (iii) the kind, number and/or purchase price of Shares or other property subject to outstanding awards of Restricted Stock, and Restricted Stock Units granted under the Plan, and (iv) the limitation on awards to an individual Participant set forth in Section 4(c) in each case as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. Such other equitable substitutions or adjustments shall be made as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with a Change in Capitalization, the Administrator may provide, in its sole discretion, for the cancellation of any outstanding Awards in exchange for payment in cash or other property of the Fair Market Value of the Shares covered by such Awards reduced (but not below zero), in the case of Options, by the Exercise Price thereof, and in the case of Stock Appreciation Rights, by the grant price thereof, or by any other applicable purchase price.

 

Section 6. Eligibility.

 

The Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, from among Eligible Recipients. The Administrator shall have the authority to grant to any Eligible Recipient Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or a Stock Bonus.

 

Section 7. Options.

 

(a)                                 General. Options may be granted alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Administrator may from time to time approve. The provisions of each Option need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Participants who are granted Options shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, in such form as the Administrator shall determine, which Award Agreement shall set forth, among other things, the Exercise Price of the Option, the term of the Option and provisions regarding exercisability of the Option granted thereunder. The Options granted under the Plan may be of two types: (i) Incentive Stock Options and (ii) Nonqualified Stock Options. To the extent that any Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, it shall constitute a separate Nonqualified Stock Option. More than one Option may be granted to the same Participant and be outstanding concurrently hereunder. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in paragraphs (b)-(i) of this Section 7 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable.

 

(b)                                 Exercise Price. The per share Exercise Price of Shares purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on such date (or, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on such date if, on such date, the Eligible Recipient owns (or is deemed to own under the Code) stock possessing more than 10% (a “Ten Percent Owner”) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or its Subsidiaries).

 

(c)                                  Option Term. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Option shall be exercisable more than ten years after the date such Option is granted. If the Eligible Participant is a Ten Percent Owner, an Incentive Stock Option may not be exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

(d)                                 Exercisability. Options shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions, including the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals, as shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. The Administrator may also provide that any Option shall be exercisable only in installments.

 

 

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(e)                                  Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised in whole or in part by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of Shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate Exercise Price of the Shares so purchased in cash or its equivalent, as determined by the Administrator. As determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, payment in whole or in part may also be made (i) by means of any properly executed cashless exercise procedure, subject to approval by the Administrator, (ii) in the form of unrestricted Shares already owned by the Optionee to the extent the Shares have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate option price of the Shares as to which such Option shall be exercised, provided that, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the right to make payment in the form of already owned Shares may be authorized only at the time of grant, or (iii) any combination of the foregoing. For example, the Administrator may permit an Optionee to pay all or a portion of the aggregate exercise price by withholding from the Shares issuable to the Optionee upon the exercise of the Option Shares with a Fair Market Value (determined as of the same day as the exercise of the Option) equal to all or a portion of the exercise price to be so paid.

 

(f)                                   Rights as Shareholder. An Optionee shall have no rights to dividends or any other rights of a shareholder with respect to the Shares subject to the Option until the Optionee has given written notice of exercise, has paid in full for such Shares, and has satisfied the requirements of Section 15 hereof.

 

(g)                                  Nontransferability of Options. The Optionee shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge or assign any Option other than by will and the laws of descent and distribution, and all Options shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, in each case, except as set forth in the following two sentences. During an Optionee’s lifetime, the Administrator may, in its discretion, permit the transfer, assignment or other encumbrance of an outstanding Option if such Option is a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option that the Administrator and the Participant intend to change to a Nonqualified Stock Option. Subject to the approval of the Administrator and to any conditions that the Administrator may prescribe, an Optionee may, upon providing written notice to the Company, elect to transfer any or all Options described in the preceding sentence (i) to or for the benefit of members of his or her Immediate Family, (ii) by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust, or (iii) for charitable purposes.

 

(h)                                 Termination of Employment or Service. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, upon a Participant’s Termination of employment or service with the Company or any Affiliate for any reason other than the Participant’s resignation or Termination for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant that are vested on the date of Termination shall not expire until the earlier of the stated expiration date of the Options or 90 days following the date of Termination. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, upon a Participant’s Termination of employment or service with the Company or any Affiliate for Cause or due to the Participant’s resignation, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant shall expire and be forfeited on the date of such Termination (whether or not then vested or exercisable).

 

(i)                                     Continued Service as a Director. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, for purposes of Section 7(h) above, in the event a Participant who is also a Director for the Company has a Termination of employment but continues to serve as a Director of the Company, such Participant’s Option shall not expire 90 days following the date of Termination as is provided in Section 7(h) above, but instead shall continue in full force and effect until such Participant ceases to be a Director of the Company, but in no event beyond the stated expiration date of the Options as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(j)                                    Limitation on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an Optionee during any calendar year under the Plan and any other stock option plan of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate shall exceed $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. Such Fair Market Value shall be determined as of the date on which each such Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

Section 8. Restricted Stock.

 

(a)                                 General. Awards of Restricted Stock may be issued either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards of Restricted Stock shall be made; the number of Shares to be awarded; the price, if any, to be paid by the Participant for the acquisition of Restricted Stock; and the

 

 

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Restricted Period (as defined in Section 8(d)) applicable to awards of Restricted Stock. The provisions of the awards of Restricted Stock need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

(b)                                 Purchase Price. The price per Share, if any, that a Recipient must pay for Shares purchasable under an award of Restricted Stock shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant.

 

(c)                                  Awards and Certificates. The prospective recipient of an Award of Restricted Stock shall not have any rights with respect to any such Award, unless and until such recipient has executed an Award Agreement evidencing the Award and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within such period as the Administrator may specify after the award date. Such Award of Restricted Stock may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate, including, without limitation, a book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates. If a stock certificate is issued, such certificate shall be registered in the name of the Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to any such Award, provided that the Company may require that the stock certificates evidencing Restricted Stock granted hereunder be held in the custody of the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that, as a condition of any award of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Shares covered by such Award.

 

(d)                                 Vesting/Nontransferability. Any Award of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to this Section 8 shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in this paragraph (d). During such period as may be set by the Administrator in the Award Agreement (the “Vesting Period”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or assign Shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. The Administrator may also impose such other restrictions and conditions, including the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals, on Restricted Stock as it determines in its sole discretion. The Vesting Period shall be not less than three years, provided that the Vesting Period may be shorter (but not less than one year) if vesting of the Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals. However, in no event shall the Vesting Period end with respect to a Restricted Stock Award prior to the satisfaction by the Participant of any liability arising under Section 15 hereof. Any attempt to dispose of any Restricted Stock in contravention of any such restrictions shall be null and void and without effect.

 

(e)                                  Rights as a Shareholder. Except as provided in Section 8(c) and (d), the Participant shall possess all incidents of ownership with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock during the Vesting Period, including the right to receive or reinvest dividends with respect to such Shares (except that the Administrator may provide in its discretion that any dividends paid in property other than cash shall be subject to the same restrictions as those that apply to the underlying Restricted Stock) and to vote such Shares. Certificates for unrestricted Shares shall be delivered to the Participant promptly after, and only after, the Restricted Period shall expire without forfeiture in respect of such awards of Restricted Stock except as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine.

 

(f)                                   Termination of Employment. The rights of Participants granted an Award of Restricted Stock upon Termination of employment with the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate for any reason during the Vesting Period shall be set forth in the Award Agreement governing such Award.

 

Section 9. Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a)                                 Vesting. At the time of the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator may impose such restrictions or conditions to the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, to be contained in the Award Agreement, including the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals. The Administrator may divide such Restricted Stock Units into classes and assign different vesting conditions for each class. Provided that all conditions to the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit are satisfied, and except as provided in Section 9(c), upon the satisfaction of all vesting conditions with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit, such Restricted Stock Unit shall vest. The provisions of the awards of Restricted Stock Units need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

(b)                                 Benefit Upon Vesting. Upon the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit, the Participant shall be entitled to receive, within 30 days of the date on which such Restricted Stock Unit vests, an amount in cash or, in the

 

 

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Company’s sole discretion, in Common Shares with a Fair Market Value equal to the sum of (1) the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date on which such Restricted Stock Unit vests and (2) the aggregate amount of cash dividends paid with respect to a Common Share during the period commencing on the date on which the Restricted Stock Unit was granted and terminating on the date on which such Share vests. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9, if a Restricted Stock Unit is to be settled in Common Shares, the Restricted Stock Unit shall vest not earlier than three years from the date of grant, provided that the Restricted Stock Unit may vest earlier (but not less than one year from the date of grant) if vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit is conditioned upon the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals.

 

(c)                                  Termination of Employment. The rights of Participants granted a Restricted Stock Unit upon Termination of employment with the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate for any reason before the Restricted Stock Unit vests shall be set forth in the Award Agreement governing such Award.

 

Section 10. Stock Bonus Awards.

 

In the event that the Administrator grants a Stock Bonus, such Award may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate, including, without limitation, a book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates. If a share certificate for the Common Shares constituting such Stock Bonus is issued, such certificate shall be issued in the name of the Participant to whom such grant was made and delivered to such Participant as soon as practicable after the date on which such Stock Bonus is payable. The Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to a Stock Bonus shall not exceed the salary or cash bonus otherwise payable to the Participant on the date of grant, and the Stock Bonus shall be in lieu of an amount of the Participant’s salary or cash bonus equal to such Fair Market Value.

 

Section 11. Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(a)                                 Grant of SARs. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. The Administrator may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination of these forms of SAR. The Administrator in its sole discretion shall determine the number of SARs granted to each Participant (subject to Section 4 hereof) and, consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs, including any conditions relating to the attainment of pre-established Performance Goals or other corporate or individual performance goals as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. The provisions of the awards of SARs need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

(b)                                 Grant Price. The grant price of a Freestanding SAR shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the SAR. The grant price of Tandem SARs shall equal the Exercise Price of the related Option.

 

(c)                                  Exercise of Tandem SARs. Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, with respect to a Tandem SAR granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option: (i) the Tandem SAR shall expire no later than the expiration of the underlying Incentive Stock Option; (ii) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR may be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the Exercise Price of the underlying Incentive Stock Option and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the underlying Incentive Stock Option at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised; and (iii) the Tandem SAR may be exercised only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the Incentive Stock Option exceeds the Exercise Price of the Incentive Stock Option.

 

(d)                                 Exercise of Freestanding SARs. Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Administrator, in its sole discretion, imposes upon them.

 

(e)                                  SAR Agreement. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the grant price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Administrator shall determine.

 

 

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(f)                                   Term of SARs. The term of an SAR granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that such term shall not exceed ten (10) years.

 

(g)                                  Payment of SAR Amount. Upon exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

 

(i)                                     the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the grant price;

 

by

 

(ii)                                  the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

 

At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof. The Administrator’s determination regarding the form of SAR payout shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the SAR.

 

Section 12. Effect of Corporate Change.

 

(a)                                 Board Action. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a “corporate change” defined in paragraph (c) below) or upon Termination of employment or service under specified circumstances during a specified period following such a corporate change, the Board shall have the authority in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of any Participant, to take any one or more of the following actions with respect to the Awards on such terms and conditions as it may determine, which alternatives may vary among individual Participants and which may vary among Awards held by any individual Participant:

 

(i)                                     the Board may accelerate vesting and the time at which all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights then outstanding may be exercised so that those types of Awards may be exercised in full for a limited period of time on or before a specified date fixed by the Board or the Committee, after which specified date all unexercised Options and Stock Appreciation Rights and all rights of Participants thereunder shall terminate, or the Board or the Committee may accelerate vesting and the time at which Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised so that those types of Awards may be exercised in full for their then remaining term;

 

(ii)                                  the Board may require the mandatory surrender to the Company by all or selected Participants of some or all of the outstanding Awards held by such Participants (irrespective of whether such Awards are then exercisable or vested under the provisions of the Plan) as of a date specified by the Board or the Committee, in which event the Board or the Committee shall thereupon cancel such Awards, and the Company shall pay (or cause to be paid) to each Participant with respect to his or her surrendered and cancelled Awards an amount in cash or other property equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares covered by such Awards as of the date of such surrender and cancellation, reduced (but not below zero), in the case of Options, by the Exercise Price(s) thereof, and in the case of Stock Appreciation Rights, the grant price(s) thereof, or by any other applicable purchase price;

 

(iii)                               the Board may waive all restrictions and conditions of all Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit then outstanding with the result that those types of Awards shall be deemed satisfied, and the Restricted Period or other limitations on payment in full with respect thereto shall be deemed to have expired, as of the date of the corporate change or such other date as may be determined by the Board;

 

(iv)                              the Board may cause the acquirer to assume the Plan and the Awards or exchange the Awards for awards for the acquirer’s stock;

 

(v)                                 the Board may terminate the Plan and all outstanding unvested or unexercised Awards as of the date of the corporate change; and

 

 

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(vi)                              the Board may make such adjustments to Awards then outstanding as the Board deems appropriate to reflect such corporate change and to prevent the dilution or enlargement of rights (provided, however, that the Board may determine in its sole discretion that no adjustment is necessary to Awards then outstanding), including without limitation, adjusting such an Award to provide that the number and class of shares of stock covered by such Award shall be adjusted so that such Award shall thereafter cover securities of the surviving or acquiring entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or other property (including, without limitation, cash) as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the above provisions of this Section 12, the Board shall not be required to take any action described in the preceding provisions of this Section 12, and any decision made by the Board, in its sole discretion, not to take some or all of the actions described in the preceding provisions of this Section 12 shall be final, binding and conclusive with respect to the Company and all other interested persons. Further, nothing in this Section 12 shall be interpreted to preclude the Administrator from taking any action permitted pursuant to Section 5 hereof with respect to a corporate change that also constitutes a Change in Capitalization.

 

(c)                                  For purposes of this Section 12, the term “corporate change” shall mean (i) the Company shall not be the surviving entity in any merger, consolidation or other business combination or reorganization (or survives only as a subsidiary of any entity), (ii) the Company sells, leases, or exchanges all or substantially all of its assets to any other person or entity, (iii) the Company is dissolved and liquidated, (iv) any person or entity, including a “group” as contemplated by section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, acquires or gains ownership or control (including, without limitation, the power to vote) of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting stock (based upon voting power), or (v) the individuals who, as of February 19, 2016, constitute members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board (provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered for purposes of this definition as though such individual was a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for these purposes, any such individual whose initial assumption of the office as a director occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any individual, entity or group other than the Board).

 

Section 13. Amendment and Termination.

 

(a)                                 The Board may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan, but (i) no amendment, alteration, or discontinuation shall be made that would impair the rights of a Participant under any Award theretofore granted without such Participant’s consent, and (ii) any amendment shall be subject to approval of shareholders if such approval is required in order to satisfy the requirements of any applicable section of the Code, stock exchange rules or other law.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the Award Agreement, the Committee may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retrospectively, and may provide for accelerated vesting of an Award upon the occurrence of a change in control or such other event as the Committee shall determine, or upon a Participant’s death, disability, or Termination of employment or service (other than Participant’s retirement or Termination of employment or service by the Company or an Affiliate for Cause), but only to the extent that such acceleration of vesting would not cause the application of section 409A of the Code or create adverse tax consequences under section 409A. No Award that is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under section 162(m) of the Code shall provide or allow for vesting other than as permitted by that section. Subject to Section 4 of the Plan, no amendment to any Award shall impair the rights of any Participant without his or her consent.

 

(c)                                  Any amendment (including any decrease in the Exercise Price of any outstanding Option) shall be subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Company if such approval is required in order to satisfy the requirements of any applicable section of the Code, stock exchange rules or other law.

 

 

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Section 14. Unfunded Status of Plan.

 

The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company.

 

Section 15. Withholding Taxes.

 

(a)                                 Whenever cash is to be paid pursuant to an Award, the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) shall have the right to deduct therefrom an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local tax withholding requirements related thereto. Whenever Shares are to be delivered pursuant to an Award, the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local tax withholding requirements related thereto. With the approval of the Administrator, a Participant may satisfy the foregoing requirement by electing to have the Company withhold from delivery Shares or by delivering Shares already owned by the Participant, in each case having a value equal to the amount of tax required to be withheld. Such shares shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Fractional share amounts shall be settled in cash. Such an election may be made with respect to all or any portion of the shares to be delivered pursuant to an Award. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Section 15(a), withholding taxes may be based on rates in excess of the minimum required tax withholding rates if (i) the Administrator (A) determines that such withholding would not result in adverse accounting, tax or other consequences to the Company or any Affiliate (other than immaterial administrative reporting or similar consequences) and (B) authorizes withholding at such greater rates and (ii) the holder of the Award consents to such withholding at such greater rates.

 

(b)                                 If the Participant makes a disposition, within the meaning of section 424(c) of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder, of any Share or Shares issued to such Participant pursuant to such Participant’s exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, and such disposition occurs within the two-year period commencing on the day after the date of grant or within the one-year period commencing on the day after the date of exercise, such Participant shall, within ten (10) days of such disposition, notify the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) thereof and thereafter immediately deliver to the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) any amount of federal, state or local income taxes and other amounts which the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) informs the Participant the Company (or Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be) is required to withhold.

 

Section 16. General Provisions.

 

(a)                                 Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of any Award granted hereunder unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Common Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. The Company shall be under no obligation to effect the registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of any interests in the Plan or any Common Shares to be issued hereunder or to effect similar compliance under any state laws.

 

(b)                                 All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Common Shares may then be listed, and any applicable federal or state securities law, and the Administrator may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. The Administrator may require, as a condition of the issuance and delivery of certificates evidencing Shares pursuant to the terms hereof, that the recipient of such Shares make such agreements and representations as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or desirable.

 

(c)                                  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval, if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases. The adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any Eligible

 

 

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Recipient any right to continued employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, as the case may be, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate to terminate the employment or service of an Eligible Recipient at any time.

 

(d)                                 No fractional Common Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan. The Administrator shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

 

(e)                                  If any provision of the Plan is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the other provisions of the Plan shall not be affected, but shall be applied as if the invalid or unenforceable provision had not been included in the Plan.

 

(f)                                   The Plan and all Awards shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its principles of conflict of laws.

 

(g)                                  Awards may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for awards held by employees, directors or service providers of other corporations who are about to become employees of the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation with the Company or Subsidiary or Affiliate, or the acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate of the assets of the employing corporation, or the acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate of the shares of the employing corporation, as the result of which it becomes a Subsidiary or Affiliate under the Plan. The terms and conditions of the Awards so granted may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan at the time of such grant as the Administrator may deem appropriate to conform, in whole or in part, to the provisions of the awards in substitution for which they are made.

 

(h)                                 Section 409A.

 

(i)                                     The Plan is intended to comply with the section 409A of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, including the exemption for short-term deferrals, and it shall be construed, interpreted and administered in accordance with such intent. The Company makes no representations that the Plan, the administration of the Plan, or the amounts payable hereunder comply with, or are exempt from, section 409A of the Code and the Company undertakes no obligation to ensure such compliance or exemption. If an operational failure occurs with respect to the section 409A of the Code, any affected Participant shall fully cooperate with the Company to correct the failure, to the extent possible, in accordance with any correction procedure established by the Secretary of the Treasury.

 

(ii)                                  For purposes of section 409A of the Code, each payment made under this Plan and the Award Agreement shall be designated as a “separate payment” within the meaning of section 409A of the Code.

 

(iii)                               In the event that the Termination of a Participant would affect the timing of the payment of any Award that provides for the “deferral of compensation” under section 409A of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, “Termination” shall mean, but only for purposes of determining the timing of such payment (and not for any other purposes, such as the determination of the occurrence of a forfeiture a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury regulation section 1.409A-1(h).

 

(iv)                              In the event any one or more amounts payable under any Award (whether in cash, Shares or otherwise) constitute a “deferral of compensation” and become payable on account of the “separation from service” (within the meaning of Treasury regulation section 1.409A-1(h)) of a Participant who as of the date such separation from service is a “specified employee” (as defined in Treasury regulation section 1.409A-1(i)), such amounts shall not be paid to the Participant (or his or her beneficiary, if applicable) before the earlier of (i) the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the date of the Participant’s separation from service or (ii) the date of the Participant’s death following such separation from service. Where there is more than one such amount, each shall be considered a separate payment and all such amounts that would otherwise be payable prior to the date specified in the preceding sentence shall be accumulated (without interest) and paid together on the date specified in the preceding sentence. The

 

 

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purpose of this Section 16(h)(v) is to comply with Treasury regulation section 1.409A-3(i)(2), and its provisions, including the quoted terms, shall be interpreted and administered in accordance with the applicable Treasury regulations.

 

Section 17. Shareholder Approval; Effective Date of Plan.

 

The Plan shall be effective as of the date of its approval by the Company’s shareholders.

 

Section 18. Term of Plan.

 

No Award shall be granted pursuant to the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the date the Plan is approved by the Company’s shareholders, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.

 

 

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