0001193125-11-151863.txt : 20110526 0001193125-11-151863.hdr.sgml : 20110526 20110526171116 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-11-151863 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20110525 ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20110526 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20110526 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001058090 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-EATING PLACES [5812] IRS NUMBER: 841219301 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-32731 FILM NUMBER: 11875132 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1401 WYNKOOP STREET 2: SUITE 500 CITY: DENVER STATE: CO ZIP: 80202 BUSINESS PHONE: 3035954000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1401 WYNKOOP STREET 2: SUITE 500 CITY: DENVER STATE: CO ZIP: 80202 8-K 1 d8k.htm FORM 8-K Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 25, 2011

 

 

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

1-32731

(Commission

File Number)

 

84-1219301

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1401 Wynkoop Street, Suite 500

Denver, CO 80202

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 595-4000

Not Applicable

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

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On May 25, 2011, at the annual meeting of shareholders of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Chipotle’s shareholders approved the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan and the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Each of these plans had previously been approved by Chipotle’s Board of Directors. The 2011 Stock Incentive Plan is effective immediately, and Chipotle expects to implement the Employee Stock Purchase Plan as soon as practicable.

For a description of the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, please see Proposal B in Chipotle’s definitive proxy statement for its 2011 annual meeting, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 6, 2011. The 2011 Stock Incentive Plan was attached as Appendix A to the definitive proxy statement and is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this report, and is incorporated herein by reference.

For a description of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, please see Proposal C in Chipotle’s definitive proxy statement for its 2011 annual meeting, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 6, 2011. The Employee Stock Purchase Plan was attached as Appendix B to the definitive proxy statement and is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this report, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The annual meeting of shareholders of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. was held on May 25, 2011. At the annual meeting, shareholders voted in favor of the re-election of two incumbent directors, John Charlesworth and Monty Moran, to our Board of Directors, and in favor of approval of our proposed 2011 stock incentive plan, employee stock purchase plan, and the compensation of our officers as disclosed in our proxy statement. Shareholders also voted to recommended that we conduct say on pay votes every year, and voted in favor of the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2011. The final voting results were as follows:

 

(1) Election of directors:

 

Nominee

   Votes For    Votes Withheld    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes

John Charlesworth

   25,228,794    494,432    —      3,349,490

Monty Moran

   25,217,466    505,760    —      3,349,490

 

(2) Approval of the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan:

 

      Votes For    Votes Against    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes
   21,619,082    4,091,607    12,537    3,349,490

 

(3) Approval of the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan:

 

     Votes For    Votes Against    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes
  25,211,303    502,717    9,206    3,349,490

(4) Advisory vote to approve the compensation of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. executive officers, as disclosed in the proxy statement:

 

      Votes For    Votes Against    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes
   24,179,940    1,529,407    13,879    3,349,490

(5) Advisory vote on the frequency with which future votes on executive compensation are recommended to be conducted in the future:

 

Every Three Years

   Every Two Years    Every Year    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes

8,746,542

   505,365    16,434,220    37,099    3,349,490

 

(6) Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditors:

 

      Votes For    Votes Against    Abstentions    Broker Non-Votes
   28,907,805    146,349    18,562    —  

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit 10.1 Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan

 

Exhibit 10.2 Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan


SIGNATURE

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

 

        Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
May 25, 2011     By:  

/s/ Jack Hartung

      Name: Jack Hartung
      Title: Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit 10.1 Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan

 

Exhibit 10.2 Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
EX-10.1 2 dex101.htm CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC. 2011 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan

Exhibit 10.1

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC.

2011 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1. Purpose of the Plan

This Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan is intended to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders by providing the employees of the Company and eligible non-employee directors of Chipotle, who are largely responsible for the management, growth and protection of the business of the Company, with incentives and rewards to encourage them to continue in the service of the Company. The Plan is designed to meet this intent by providing such employees and eligible non-employee directors with a proprietary interest in pursuing the long-term growth, profitability and financial success of the Company.

 

2. Definitions

As used in the Plan or in any instrument governing the terms of any Incentive Award, the following definitions apply to the terms indicated below:

(a) “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of Chipotle.

(b) “Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar transaction.

(c) “Cause” means, when used in connection with the termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company, unless otherwise provided in the Participant’s award agreement with respect to an Incentive Award or effective employment agreement or other written agreement with respect to the termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company, the termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company on account of: (i) a failure of the Participant to substantially perform his or her duties (other than as a result of physical or mental illness or injury); (ii) the Participant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence which is materially injurious to the Company; (iii) a breach by a Participant of the Participant’s fiduciary duty or duty of loyalty to the Company; (iv) the Participant’s unauthorized removal from the premises of the Company of any document (in any medium or form) relating to the Company or the customers of the Company; or (v) the commission by the Participant of any felony or other serious crime involving moral turpitude. Any rights the Company may have hereunder in respect of the events giving rise to Cause shall be in addition to the rights the Company may have under any other agreement with the Participant or at law or in equity. If, subsequent to a Participant’s termination of employment, it is discovered that such Participant’s employment could have been terminated for Cause, the Participant’s employment shall, at the election of the Committee, in its sole discretion, be deemed to have been terminated for Cause retroactively to the date the events giving rise to Cause occurred.

(d) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(i) Any Person becoming the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, a “Beneficial Owner”), directly or indirectly, of twenty-five percent or more of the combined voting power of Voting Securities; provided, however that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur by reason of an acquisition of Voting Securities by the Company or by an employee benefit plan (or a trust forming a part thereof) maintained by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur solely because any Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of twenty-five percent or more of the outstanding Voting Securities (A) in connection with a Business Combination that is not a Change in Control pursuant to sub-clause (iii), below, or (B) as a result of the acquisition of Voting Securities by the Company which, by reducing the number of Voting Securities deemed to be outstanding, increases the proportional number of shares Beneficially Owned by such Person, provided, however, that if a Change in Control would have occurred (but for the operation of this proviso) as a result of the acquisition of Voting Securities by the Company and at any time after such acquisition such Person becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional Voting Securities following which such Person is the Beneficial Owner of twenty-five percent or more of the outstanding Voting Securities, a Change in Control shall occur;


(ii) The individuals who, as of March 16, 2011 are members of the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Board”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors; provided, however that if the election or appointment, or nomination for election by Chipotle’s common stockholders, of any new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Board, such new director shall, for purposes of the Plan, thereafter be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board; provided, further, however, that no individual shall be considered a member of the Incumbent Board if such individual initially assumed office as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors (a “Proxy Contest”) including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Proxy Contest; or

(iii) The consummation of:

(A) A Business Combination with or into the Company or in which securities of Chipotle are issued, unless such Business Combination is a Non-Control Transaction.

(B) A complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

(C) The sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (on a consolidated basis) to any Person other than the Company or an employee benefit plan (or a trust forming a part thereof) maintained by the Company or by a Person which, immediately thereafter, will have all its voting securities owned by the holders of the Voting Securities immediately prior thereto, in substantially the same proportions.

For purposes of the Plan, a “Non-Control Transaction” is Business Combination involving the Company where:

(D) the holders of Voting Securities immediately before such Business Combination own, directly or indirectly immediately following such Business Combination more than fifty percent of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the parent corporation resulting from, or the corporation issuing its voting securities as part of, such Business Combination (the “Surviving Corporation”) in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Voting Securities immediately before such Business Combination by reason of their prior ownership of Voting Securities,

(E) the individuals who were members of the Incumbent Board immediately prior to the execution of the agreement providing for such Business Combination constitute a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Corporation, or a corporation beneficially owning a majority of the voting securities of the Surviving Corporation, and

(F) no Person other than the Company or any employee benefit plan (or any trust forming a part thereof) maintained immediately prior to such Business Combination by the Company immediately following the time at which such transaction occurs, is a Beneficial Owner of twenty-five percent or more of the combined voting power of the Surviving Corporation’s voting securities outstanding immediately following such Business Combination.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur as a result of any event or transaction to the extent that treating such event or transaction as a Change in Control would cause any tax to become due under Section 409A of the Code.

(e) “Chipotle” means Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

(f) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and all regulations, interpretations and administrative guidance issued thereunder.

 

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(g) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or such other committee as the Board of Directors shall appoint from time to time to administer the Plan and to otherwise exercise and perform the authority and functions assigned to the Committee under the terms of the Plan.

(h) “Common Stock” means Chipotle’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, or any other security into which the common stock shall be changed pursuant to the adjustment provisions of Section 9 of the Plan.

(i) “Company” means Chipotle and all of its Subsidiaries, collectively.

(j) “Covered Employee” means a Participant who at the time of reference is a “covered employee” as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(k) “Director” means a member of the Board of Directors who is not at the time of reference an employee of the Company.

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

(m) “Fair Market Value” or “FMV” as of any date means, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or an award agreement issued under the Plan, the closing sale price of a share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (or such other national securities exchange as may at the time be the principal market for the Common Stock) on that date or, if no sale of the Company’s Common Stock occurred on that date, on the next preceding day on which a sale of Common Stock occurred. If the Common Stock is not then listed and traded on the NYSE or other national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall be what the Committee determines in good faith to be 100% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on that date, using such criteria as it shall determine, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate for valuation.

(n) “Full Value Award” means any Incentive Award other than an Option or stock appreciation right.

(o) “Good Reason” means, unless otherwise provided in any award agreement entered between the Company and the Participant with respect to an Incentive Award or effective employment agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company with respect to the termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company, the Participant’s termination of employment on account of: (i) a material diminution in a Participant’s duties and responsibilities other than a change in such Participant’s duties and responsibilities that results from becoming part of a larger organization following a Change in Control, (ii) a decrease in a Participant’s base salary, bonus opportunity or benefits other than a decrease in bonus opportunity or benefits that applies to all employees of the Company otherwise eligible to participate in the affected plan or (iii) a relocation of a Participant’s primary work location more than 30 miles from the Participant’s work location on the date of grant of a Participant’s Incentive Awards under the Plan, without the Participant’s prior written consent; provided that, within thirty days following the occurrence of any of the events set forth herein, the Participant shall have delivered written notice to the Company of his or her intention to terminate his or her employment for Good Reason, which notice specifies in reasonable detail the circumstances claimed to give rise to the Participant’s right to terminate employment for Good Reason, and the Company shall not have cured such circumstances within thirty days following the Company’s receipt of such notice.

(p) “Incentive Award” means an Option or Other Stock-Based Award granted to a Participant pursuant to the terms of the Plan.

(q) “Option” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 6.

(r) “Other Stock-Based Award” means an equity or equity-related award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 7.

 

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(s) “Participant” means a Director or employee of the Company who is eligible to participate in the Plan and to whom one or more Incentive Awards have been granted pursuant to the Plan and, following the death of any such Person, his successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case may be.

(t) “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code for deductibility of remuneration paid to Covered Employees.

(u) “Performance Measures” means such measures as are described in Section 8 on which performance goals are based in order to qualify certain awards granted hereunder as Performance-Based Compensation.

(v) “Performance Period” means the period of time during which the performance goals must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to an Incentive Award that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation.

(w) “Person” means a “person” as such term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, including any “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) under the Exchange Act.

(x) “Plan” means this Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

(y) “Qualifying Termination” means a Participant’s termination of employment by the Company Without Cause or for Good Reason, in either case during the period commencing on a Change in Control and ending on the second anniversary of the Change in Control.

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

(aa) “Subsidiary” means any “subsidiary” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

(bb) “Voting Securities” means, at any time, Chipotle’s then outstanding voting securities.

(cc) “Without Cause” means a termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company other than: (i) a termination of employment by the Company for Cause, (ii) a termination of employment as a result of the Participant’s death or Disability or (iii) a termination of employment by the Participant for any reason.

 

3. Stock Subject to the Plan

(a) In General

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9 and the following provisions of this Section 3, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Awards granted under the Plan shall not exceed 3,360,000 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate, of which 960,000 shares of Common Stock were available for issuance but were not issued under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Incentive Plan. Out of such aggregate, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be covered by Options that are designated as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code shall not exceed 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9 and the following provisions of this Section 3. Shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may be either authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares, or both, at the discretion of the Committee. Any shares of Common Stock subject to Options or stock appreciation rights shall be counted against the maximum share limitation of this Section 3(a) as one share of Common Stock for every share of Common Stock subject thereto. Any shares of Common Stock subject to Full-Value Awards shall be counted against the maximum share limitation of this Section 3(a) as two shares of Common Stock for every share of Common Stock subject thereto.

 

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For purposes of the preceding paragraph, shares of Common Stock covered by Incentive Awards shall only be counted as used to the extent they are actually issued and delivered to a Participant (or such Participant’s permitted transferees as described in the Plan) pursuant to the Plan. For purposes of clarification, if shares of Common Stock are issued subject to conditions which may result in the forfeiture, cancellation or return of such shares to the Company, any portion of the shares forfeited, cancelled or returned shall be treated as not issued pursuant to the Plan. Shares of Common Stock covered by Incentive Awards granted pursuant to the Plan in connection with the assumption, replacement, conversion or adjustment of outstanding equity-based awards in the context of a corporate acquisition or merger (within the meaning of Section 303A.08 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual or any successor provision) shall not count as used under the Plan for purposes of this Section 3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shares of Common Stock may not again be made available for issuance as Incentive Awards under the Plan: (i) shares of Common Stock not issued or delivered as a result of the net settlement of an outstanding Option or stock appreciation right, (ii) shares of Common Stock used to pay the exercise price or withholding taxes related to an outstanding Incentive Award, or (iii) shares of Common Stock reacquired by the Company with the amount received upon exercise of an Option.

Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Incentive Awards which may be granted under the Plan to any single Participant in any fiscal year of the Company shall not exceed 700,000 shares per fiscal year.

(b) Prohibition on Substitutions and Repricings

Except as provided in this Section 3(b) in no event shall any new Incentive Awards be issued in substitution for outstanding Incentive Awards previously granted to Participants, nor shall any repricing (within the meaning of US generally accepted accounting practices or any applicable stock exchange rule) of Incentive Awards issued under the Plan be permitted at any time under any circumstances, in each case unless the shareholders of the Company expressly approve such substitution or repricing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may authorize the issuance of Incentive Awards in substitution for outstanding Full Value Awards, provided such substituted Incentive Awards are for a number of shares of Common Stock no greater than the number included in the original award, have an exercise price or base price (if applicable) at least as great as the exercise price or base price of the substituted award, and the effect of the substitution is (A) solely to add restrictions (such as performance conditions) to the award or (B) to provide a benefit to the Company (and not the Participant) (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include substitutions performed for the purpose of permitting the Incentive Awards to qualify as “performance based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code).

 

4. Administration of the Plan; Certain Restrictions on Incentive Awards

The Plan shall be administered by a Committee of the Board of Directors designated by the Board of Directors consisting of two or more persons, at least two of whom qualify as non-employee directors (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act), and as “outside directors” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) and as “independent” within the meaning of the rules of any applicable stock exchange or similar regulatory authority. The Committee shall, consistent with the terms of the Plan, from time to time designate those employees and non-employee directors who shall be granted Incentive Awards under the Plan and the amount, type and other terms and conditions of such Incentive Awards. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange on which the Company’s shares are traded, the Committee may (i) allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and (ii) delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it, provided that no such delegation may be made that would cause any Incentive Awards or other transactions under the Plan to fail to or cease to be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or cause an Incentive Award designated as Performance-Based Compensation not to qualify for, or to cease to qualify for, any exemption from non-deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Code. Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.

 

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The Committee shall have full discretionary authority to administer the Plan, including discretionary authority to interpret and construe any and all provisions of the Plan and the terms of any Incentive Award (and any agreement evidencing any Incentive Award) granted thereunder and to adopt and amend from time to time such rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or appropriate (including without limitation the adoption or amendment of rules or regulations applicable to the grant, vesting or exercise of Incentive Awards issued to employees located outside the United States). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) the Committee shall determine whether an authorized leave of absence, or absence in military or government service, shall constitute termination of employment and (ii) the employment of a Participant with the Company shall be deemed to have terminated for all purposes of the Plan if such person is employed by or provides services to a Person that is a Subsidiary of the Company and such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Company, unless the Committee specifically determines otherwise in writing. Decisions of the Committee shall be final, binding and conclusive on all parties.

On or after the date of grant of an Incentive Award under the Plan, the Committee may (i) accelerate the date on which any such Incentive Award becomes vested, exercisable or transferable, as the case may be, (ii) extend the term of any such Incentive Award, including, without limitation, extending the period following a termination of a Participant’s employment with or services as a Director of the Company during which any such Incentive Award may remain outstanding, (iii) waive any conditions to the vesting, exercisability or transferability, as the case may be, of any such Incentive Award (iv) provide for the payment of dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to any such Incentive Award; or (v) otherwise amend an outstanding Incentive Award in whole or in part from time-to-time as the Committee determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, to be necessary or appropriate to conform the Incentive Award to, or otherwise satisfy any legal requirement (including without limitation the provisions of Section 409A of the Code), which amendments may be made retroactively or prospectively and without the approval or consent of the Participant to the extent permitted by applicable law; provided, that the Committee shall not have any such authority to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause any tax to become due under Section 409A of the Code.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall a Full Value Award not subject to performance-based conditions have a vesting schedule resulting in such Full Value Award vesting in full prior to the third anniversary of the grant date, provided, however, that this restriction will be inapplicable to awards representing no more than 10% of the total shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan. For purposes of clarity, this restriction will not prohibit any Full Value Award from (i) having partial vesting dates prior to the third anniversary of the grant date in accordance with a proportionate vesting schedule determined at the discretion of the Committee, so long as such award does not vest in full prior to the third anniversary of the grant date, or (ii) having provisions for acceleration of the vesting date within the limitations set forth in the following paragraph.

Also notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall any Incentive Award provide for acceleration of the vesting date of such award other than in connection with the death, disability or retirement of the Participant holding such Incentive Award or a Change in Control, provided, however, that this restriction will be inapplicable to awards representing no more than 10% of the total shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan.

No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action, omission, or determination relating to the Plan, and Chipotle shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other Director or employee of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan has been delegated against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Committee) arising out of any action, omission or determination relating to the Plan, unless, in either case, such action, omission or determination was taken or made by such member, director or employee in bad faith and without reasonable belief that it was in the best interests of the Company.

 

 

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5. Eligibility

The Persons who shall be eligible to receive Incentive Awards pursuant to the Plan shall be those employees of the Company and Directors whom the Committee shall select from time to time. All Incentive Awards granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a separate written agreement entered into by the Company and the recipient of such Incentive Award.

 

6. Options

The Committee may from time to time grant Options, subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) Exercise Price

The exercise price per share of Common Stock covered by any Option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date on which such Option is granted. The agreement evidencing the award of each Option shall clearly identify such Option as either an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or as not an incentive stock option.

(b) Term and Exercise of Options

(1) Each Option shall become vested and exercisable on such date or dates, during such period and for such number of shares of Common Stock as shall be determined by the Committee on or after the date such Option is granted (including without limitation in accordance with terms and conditions relating to the vesting or exercisability of an Option set forth in any employment, severance, change in control or similar agreement entered into by the Company with a Participant on or after the date of grant) and subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 4; provided, however that no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date such Option is granted; and, provided, further, that each Option shall be subject to earlier termination, expiration or cancellation as provided in the Plan or in the agreement evidencing such Option. In addition, except as otherwise determined by the Committee at or after the time of grant, unless an Option becomes vested or exercisable pursuant to Sections 6(c) or 6(d) hereof, an Option may not become vested or exercisable in whole or in part during the twelve-month period commencing with the date on which the Option was granted.

(2) Each Option may be exercised in whole or in part; provided, however that no partial exercise of an Option shall be for an aggregate exercise price of less than $1,000 or such other amount as the Committee may determine from time to time. The partial exercise of an Option shall not cause the expiration, termination or cancellation of the remaining portion thereof.

(3) An Option shall be exercised by such methods and procedures as the Committee determines from time to time, including without limitation through net physical settlement or other method of cashless exercise. With respect to any Participant who is a member of the Board or an officer (as defined under SEC Rule 16a-1), a tender of shares of Common Stock or, a cashless or net exercise shall be a subsequent transaction approved as part of the original grant of an Option for purposes of the exemption under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

(4) Options may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of a Participant, only by the Participant; provided, however that the Committee may permit Options to be pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of, on a general or specific basis, subject to such conditions and limitations as the Committee may determine, except that Options may not be sold for consideration or transferred for value (provided further that transfers described in Section A.1.(a)(5) of the general instructions to Form S-8 shall not be deemed transfers for value for purposes of this section).

 

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(c) Effect of Termination of Employment or other Relationship

The agreement evidencing the award of each Option shall specify the consequences with respect to such Option of the termination of the employment, service as a director or other relationship between the Company and the Participant holding the Option, subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 4, provided, however, that except as expressly provided to the contrary in the agreement evidencing the award of a particular Option, where continued vesting or exercisability of an Option terminates in connection with the termination of a Participant’s employment relationship with the Company, such Participant’s employment relationship with the Company will be deemed, for purposes of such Option, to continue so long as Participant serves as either an employee of the Company or as a member of the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a Participant’s employment will be deemed to terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination for Cause, regardless of whether Participant remains on the Board following such termination.

(d) Effect of Qualifying Termination

If a Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination or a Director’s service on the Board terminates in connection with or as a result of a Change in Control, each Option outstanding immediately prior to such Qualifying Termination or termination of a Director’s service shall become fully and immediately vested and exercisable as of such Qualifying Termination or termination of a Director’s service and shall remain exercisable until its expiration, termination or cancellation pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the agreement evidencing such Option.

(e) Special Rules for Incentive Stock Options

(1) The aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under the Plan and any other stock option plan of the Company (or any “subsidiary” as such term is defined in Section 424 of the Code of Chipotle) shall not exceed $100,000. Such Fair Market Value shall be determined as of the date on which each such incentive stock option is granted. In the event that the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock with respect to such incentive stock options exceeds $100,000, then incentive stock options granted hereunder to such Participant shall, to the extent and in the order required by regulations promulgated under the Code (or any other authority having the force of regulations) (“Regulations”), automatically be deemed to be non-qualified stock options, but all other terms and provisions of such incentive stock options shall remain unchanged. In the absence of such Regulations (and authority), or in the event such Regulations (or authority) require or permit a designation of the options which shall cease to constitute incentive stock options, incentive stock options granted hereunder shall, to the extent of such excess and in the order in which they were granted, automatically be deemed to be non-qualified stock options, but all other terms and provisions of such incentive stock options shall remain unchanged.

(2) No incentive stock option may be granted to an individual if, at the time of the proposed grant, such individual owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of Chipotle or any of its “subsidiaries” (within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code), unless (i) the exercise price of such incentive stock option is at least one hundred and ten percent of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time such incentive stock option is granted and (ii) such incentive stock option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such incentive stock option is granted.

 

7. Other Stock-Based Awards

(a) Authorization of Other Stock-Based Awards

The Committee may grant equity-based or equity-related awards not otherwise described herein in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. Without limiting the

 

8


generality of the preceding sentence, each such Other Stock-Based Award may, subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 4 (i) involve the transfer of actual shares of Common Stock to Participants, either at the time of grant or thereafter, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of shares of Common Stock, (ii) be subject to performance-based and/or service-based conditions, (iii) be in the form of cash-settled stock appreciation rights, stock-settled stock appreciation rights, phantom stock, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, or share-denominated performance units (iv) be designed to comply with applicable laws of jurisdictions other than the United States, and (v) be designed to qualify as Performance Based Compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Other Stock-Based Award that is a stock appreciation right shall have a base price of not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date on which such stock appreciation right is granted, and no stock appreciation right shall have an expiration date greater than ten years from the date on which such stock appreciation right is granted.

(b) Effect of Qualifying Termination; Other Termination Provisions

Except as may be expressly provided to the contrary by the Committee in an agreement evidencing the grant of an Other Stock-Based Award or any employment, severance, change in control or similar agreement entered into with a Participant, if a Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination or a Director’s service on the Board terminates in connection with or as a result of a Change in Control, each Other Stock-Based Award outstanding immediately prior to such Qualifying Termination or termination of Director’s service shall become fully and immediately vested and, if applicable, exercisable as of such Qualifying Termination or termination and shall remain exercisable until its expiration, termination or cancellation pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the agreement evidencing such Other Stock-Based Award.

Furthermore, except as expressly provided to the contrary in the agreement evidencing the award of a particular Other Stock-Based Award, where continued vesting or exercisability of an Other Stock-Based Award terminates in connection with the termination of a Participant’s employment relationship with the Company, such Participant’s employment relationship with the Company will be deemed, for purposes of such Other Stock-Based Award, to continue so long as Participant serves as either an employee of the Company or as a member of the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a Participant’s employment will be deemed to terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination for Cause, regardless of whether Participant remains on the Board following such termination.

 

8. Performance Measures

(a) Performance Measures

The performance goals upon which the payment or vesting of any Full Value Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation depends shall relate to one or more of the following Performance Measures (either alone or in any combination, and may be expressed with respect to the Company or one or more operating units or groups, as the Committee may determine): revenue growth; cash flow; cash flow from operations; net income; net income before equity compensation expense; earnings per share, diluted or basic; earnings per share from continuing operations, diluted or basic; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; earnings from continuing operations; net asset turnover; inventory turnover; capital expenditures; income from operations; income from operations excluding non-cash related entries; income from operations excluding non-cash adjustments; income from operations before equity compensation expenses; income from operations excluding equity compensation expense and lease expense; operating cash flow from operations; income before income taxes; gross or operating margin; restaurant-level operating margin; profit margin; assets; debt; working capital; return on equity; return on net assets; return on total assets; return on capital; return on investment; return on revenue; net or gross revenue; comparable restaurant sales; new restaurant openings; market share; economic value added; cost of capital; expense reduction levels; safety record; stock price; productivity; customer satisfaction; employee satisfaction; and total shareholder return. For any Plan Year, Performance Measures may be determined on an

 

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absolute basis or relative to internal goals or relative to levels attained in years prior to such Plan Year or related to other companies or indices or as ratios expressing relationships between two or more Performance Measures.

Performance Periods may be equal to or longer than, but not less than, one fiscal year of the Company and may be overlapping. Within 90 days after the beginning of a Performance Period, and in any case before 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed, the Committee shall establish (a) performance goals and objectives for the Company for such Performance Period, (b) target awards for each Participant, and (c) schedules or other objective methods for determining the applicable performance percentage to be applied to each such target award.

To the extent determined by the Committee at the time the Performance Measures are established, the measurement of any Performance Measure(s) may exclude the impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring items, and the cumulative effects of accounting changes, each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles and as identified in the Company’s audited financial statements, including the notes thereto. To the extent determined by the Committee at the time the Performance Measures are established, any Performance Measure(s) may be used to measure the performance of the Company or a Subsidiary as a whole or any business unit of the Company or any Subsidiary or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Measures as compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its discretion, deems appropriate.

Nothing in this Section 8 is intended to limit the Committee’s discretion to adopt conditions with respect to any Incentive Award that is not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation that relate to performance other than the Performance Measures. In addition, the Committee may, subject to the terms of the Plan, amend previously granted Incentive Awards in a way that disqualifies them as Performance-Based Compensation.

(b) Committee Discretion

In the event that the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder change to permit Committee discretion to alter the Performance Measures without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval.

 

9. Adjustment Upon Changes in Common Stock

(a) Shares Available for Grants

In the event of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding by reason of any stock dividend or split, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of shares or similar corporate change, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Committee may grant Incentive Awards and the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Committee may grant Incentive Awards to any individual Participant in any year shall be equitably adjusted by the Committee. In the event of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding by reason of any other similar event or transaction, the Committee may, but need not, make such adjustments in the number and class of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Awards may be granted as the Committee may deem appropriate.

(b) Increase or Decrease in Issued Shares Without Consideration

Subject to any required action by the shareholders of Chipotle, in the event of any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a subdivision or consolidation of shares of Common Stock or the payment of a stock dividend (but only on the shares of Common Stock), or any other

 

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increase or decrease in the number of such shares effected without receipt or payment of consideration by the Company or the payment of an extraordinary cash dividend, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to each outstanding Incentive Award and the exercise price per share of Common Stock of each such Incentive Award shall be adjusted as necessary to prevent the enlargement or dilution of rights under such Incentive Award.

(c) Certain Mergers

Subject to any required action by the shareholders of Chipotle, in the event that Chipotle shall be the surviving corporation in any merger, consolidation or similar transaction as a result of which the holders of shares of Common Stock receive consideration consisting exclusively of securities of such surviving corporation, the Committee shall adjust each Incentive Award outstanding on the date of such merger or consolidation to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee so that it pertains to and applies to the securities which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Incentive Award would have received in such merger or consolidation.

(d) Certain Other Transactions

In the event of (i) a dissolution or liquidation of Chipotle, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (on a consolidated basis), (iii) a Business Combination in which Chipotle is not the surviving corporation, (iv) a Business Combination in which Chipotle is the surviving corporation but the holders of shares of Common Stock receive securities of another corporation and/or other property, including cash, or (v) a Business Combination that is a Change in Control, the Committee shall, in its discretion, have the power to:

(i) cancel, effective immediately prior to the occurrence of such event, each Incentive Award (whether or not then exercisable), and, in full consideration of such cancellation, pay to the Participant to whom such Incentive Award was granted an amount in cash, for each share of Common Stock subject to such Incentive Award equal to the value, as determined by the Committee in its discretion, of such Incentive Award, provided that with respect to any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right such value shall be equal to the excess of (A) the value, as determined by the Committee in its discretion, of the property (including cash) received by the holder of a share of Common Stock as a result of such event over (B) the exercise price (with respect to an Option) or the base price (with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right);

(ii) provide for the exchange of each Incentive Award (whether or not then exercisable or vested) for an incentive award with respect to, as appropriate, some or all of the property which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Incentive Award would have received in such transaction and, incident thereto, make an equitable adjustment as determined by the Committee in its discretion in the exercise price of the incentive award, or the number of shares or amount of property subject to the incentive award or, if appropriate, provide for a cash payment to the Participant to whom such Incentive Award was granted in partial consideration for the exchange of the Incentive Award; or

(iii) a combination of the foregoing, which may vary among Participants.

(e) Other Changes

In the event of any change in the capitalization of Chipotle or corporate change other than those specifically referred to in paragraphs (b), (c) or (d), the Committee may, in its discretion, make such adjustments in the number and class of shares subject to Incentive Awards outstanding on the date on which such change occurs and in such other terms of such Incentive Awards as the Committee may consider appropriate.

(f) No Other Rights

Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the agreement evidencing the grant of an Option or Other Stock-Based Award, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of

 

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stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger or consolidation of Chipotle or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or the agreement evidencing the grant of an Option or Other Stock-Based Award, no issuance by Chipotle of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares or amount of other property subject to any Incentive Award.

(g) Code Section 409A

The Company intends to administer the Plan and all Incentive Awards granted thereunder in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A, however, the Company shall not be responsible for any additional tax imposed pursuant to Code Section 409A, nor will the Company indemnify or otherwise reimburse Participant for any liability incurred as a result of Code Section 409A.

 

10. Rights as a Stockholder

No person shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock covered by or relating to any Incentive Award granted pursuant to the Plan until the date of the issuance of a stock certificate with respect to such shares. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 9 hereof, no adjustment of any Incentive Award shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date occurs prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.

 

11. No Special Employment Rights; No Right to Incentive Award

(a) Nothing contained in the Plan or any Incentive Award shall confer upon any Participant any right with respect to the continuation of his employment by or service to the Company or interfere in any way with the right of the Company at any time to terminate such employment or to increase or decrease the compensation of the Participant from the rate in existence at the time of the grant of an Incentive Award.

(b) No person shall have any claim or right to receive an Incentive Award hereunder. The Committee’s granting of an Incentive Award to a Participant at any time shall neither require the Committee to grant an Incentive Award to such Participant or any other Participant or other person at any time nor preclude the Committee from making subsequent grants to such Participant or any other Participant or other person.

 

12. Securities Matters

(a) Chipotle shall be under no obligation to effect the registration pursuant to the Securities Act of any shares of Common Stock to be issued hereunder or to effect similar compliance under any state laws. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Chipotle shall not be obligated to cause to be issued or delivered any certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan unless and until Chipotle is advised by its counsel that the issuance and delivery of such certificates is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authority and the requirements of any securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock are traded. The Committee may require, as a condition to the issuance and delivery of certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock pursuant to the terms hereof, that the recipient of such shares make such covenants, agreements and representations, and that such certificates bear such legends, as the Committee deems necessary or desirable.

(b) The exercise of any Option granted hereunder shall only be effective at such time as counsel to Chipotle shall have determined that the issuance and delivery of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such exercise is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authority and the requirements of any securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock are traded. Chipotle may, in its discretion, defer the effectiveness of an exercise of an Option hereunder or the issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock pursuant to any Incentive Award pending or to ensure compliance under federal or state securities laws or the rules or

 

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regulations of any exchange on which the Shares are then listed for trading. Chipotle shall inform the Participant in writing of its decision to defer the effectiveness of the exercise of an Option or the issuance or transfer of shares of Common Stock pursuant to any Incentive Award. During the period that the effectiveness of the exercise of an Option has been deferred, the Participant may, by written notice, withdraw such exercise and obtain the refund of any amount paid with respect thereto.

 

13. Withholding Taxes

(a) Cash Remittance

Whenever shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the exercise of an Option or the grant or vesting of an Incentive Award, Chipotle shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to Chipotle in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state and local withholding tax requirements, attributable to such exercise, grant or vesting prior to the delivery of any certificate or certificates for such shares or the effectiveness of the lapse of such restrictions. In addition, upon the exercise or settlement of any Incentive Award in cash, Chipotle shall have the right to withhold from any cash payment required to be made pursuant thereto an amount sufficient to satisfy the federal, state and local withholding tax requirements, if any, attributable to such exercise or settlement.

(b) Stock Remittance

At the election of the Participant, subject to the approval of the Committee, when shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the exercise, grant or vesting of an Incentive Award, the Participant may tender to Chipotle a number of shares of Common Stock (subject to any minimum holding period as the Committee may determine) having a fair market value at the tender date determined by the Committee to be sufficient to satisfy the minimum federal, state and local withholding tax requirements, if any, attributable to such exercise, grant or vesting but not greater than such minimum withholding obligations. Such election shall satisfy the Participant’s obligations under Section 13(a) hereof, if any.

(c) Stock Withholding

At the election of the Participant, subject to the approval of the Committee, when shares of Common Stock are to be issued upon the exercise, grant or vesting of an Incentive Award, Chipotle shall withhold a number of such shares having a fair market value at the exercise date determined by the Committee to be sufficient to satisfy the minimum federal, state and local withholding tax requirements, if any, attributable to such exercise, grant or vesting but not greater than such minimum withholding obligations. Such election shall satisfy the Participant’s obligations under Section 13(a) hereof, if any.

(d) Section 16 Approval

With respect to any Participant who is a member of the Board or an officer (as defined under SEC Rule 16a-1), a withholding or tender of shares of Common Stock shall be a subsequent transaction approved as part of the Incentive Award for purposes of the exemption under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

 

14. Amendment or Termination of the Plan

The Board of Directors may at any time suspend or discontinue the Plan or revise or amend it in any respect whatsoever; provided, however, that to the extent any applicable law, regulation or rule of a stock exchange requires shareholder approval in order for any such revision or amendment to be effective, such revision or amendment shall not be effective without such approval. The preceding sentence shall not restrict the Committee’s ability to exercise its discretionary authority hereunder pursuant to Section 4, which discretion may be exercised without amendment to the Plan. No provision of this Section 14 shall be given effect to the extent that such provision would cause any tax to become due under Section 409A of the Code. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no action hereunder may, without the consent of a Participant, reduce the Participant’s

 

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rights under any previously granted and outstanding Incentive Award. Nothing in the Plan shall limit the right of the Company to pay compensation of any kind outside the terms of the Plan.

 

15. No Obligation to Exercise

The grant to a Participant of an Incentive Award shall impose no obligation upon such Participant to exercise such Incentive Award.

 

16. Transfers Upon Death

Upon the death of a Participant, outstanding Incentive Awards granted to such Participant may be exercised only by the executors or administrators of the Participant’s estate or by any person or persons who shall have acquired such right to exercise by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. No transfer by will or the laws of descent and distribution of any Incentive Award, or the right to exercise any Incentive Award, shall be effective to bind Chipotle unless the Committee shall have been furnished with (a) written notice thereof and with a copy of the will and/or such evidence as the Committee may deem necessary to establish the validity of the transfer and (b) an agreement by the transferee to comply with all the terms and conditions of the Incentive Award that are or would have been applicable to the Participant and to be bound by the acknowledgements made by the Participant in connection with the grant of the Incentive Award.

 

17. Expenses and Receipts

The expenses of the Plan shall be paid by Chipotle. Any proceeds received by Chipotle in connection with any Incentive Award will be used for general corporate purposes.

 

18. Governing Law

The Plan and the rights of all persons under the Plan shall be construed and administered in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of law principles.

 

19. Effective Date and Term of Plan

The Plan shall become effective on March 16, 2011 (the “Effective Date”), which is the date of its adoption by the Board, subject to approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company. No Incentive Awards shall be made pursuant to the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date

 

20. Company Recoupment of Incentive Awards

The rights contained in this Plan shall be subject to (i) any right that the Company may have under any other Company recoupment policy or other agreement or arrangement with a Participant, or (ii) any right or obligation that the Company may have regarding the recovery of “incentive-based compensation” under Section 10D of the Exchange Act, as amended (as determined by the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) or other applicable law. The Committee may determine, as late as the time of such recoupment or recovery, regardless of whether such method is stated in the Incentive Award agreement, whether the Company shall effect any such recoupment or recovery: (i) by seeking repayment from the Participant; (ii) by reducing (subject to applicable law and the terms and conditions of the applicable plan, program or arrangement) the amount that would otherwise be payable to the Participant under any compensatory plan, program or arrangement maintained by the Company, (iii) by withholding payment of future increases in compensation (including the payment of any discretionary bonus amount) or grants of compensatory awards that would otherwise have been made in accordance with the Company’s otherwise applicable compensation practices, (iv) by holdback or escrow (before or after taxation) of part or all the Common Stock, payment or property received upon exercise or satisfaction of an Incentive Award or (v) by any combination of the foregoing.

 

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EX-10.2 3 dex102.htm CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Exhibit 10.2

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL, INC.

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

1. Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide incentive for present and future employees of the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (“Company”) and any Designated Subsidiary to acquire a proprietary interest (or increase an existing proprietary interest) in the Company through the purchase of Common Stock. It is the Company’s intention that the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. Accordingly, the provisions of the Plan shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.

 

  2. Definitions.

(a) “Applicable Percentage” means the percentage specified in Section 7(b), subject to adjustment by the Committee as provided in Section 7(b).

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

(c) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto.

(d) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee appointed by the Board to administer the Plan as described in Section 15 of the Plan or, if no such Committee is appointed, the Board.

(e) “Common Stock” means the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share.

(f) “Company” means Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, a Delaware Corporation.

(g) “Compensation” means, with respect to each Participant for each pay period, the full base salary and overtime paid to such Participant by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, “Compensation” does not include: (i) bonuses or commissions, (ii) any amounts contributed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary to any pension plan (iii) any automobile or relocation allowances (or reimbursement for any such expenses), (iv) any amounts paid as a starting bonus or finder’s fee, (v) any amounts realized from the exercise of any stock options or incentive awards, (vi) any amounts paid by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for other fringe benefits, such as health and welfare, hospitalization and group life insurance benefits, or perquisites, or paid in lieu of such benefits, or (vii) other similar forms of extraordinary compensation.

(h) “Continuous Status as an Employee” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee. Continuous Status as an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of a leave of absence agreed to in writing by the Company or the Designated Subsidiary that employs the Employee, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days or reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute.

(i) “Designated Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries that have been designated by the Board from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan.

(j) “Employee” means any person, including an Officer, who is an employee of the Company or one of its Designated Subsidiaries.

(k) “Entry Date” means the first Trading Day of each Exercise Period.


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

(m) “Exercise Date” means the last Trading Day of each Exercise Period.

(n) “Exercise Period” means, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(b), the approximately three (3) month period beginning on (i) each February 25 and ending the last Trading Day on or before May 24 of such year, (ii) each May 25 and ending the last Trading Day on or before August 24 of such year, (iii) each August 25 and ending the last Trading Day on or before November 24 of such year or (iv) beginning on each November 25 and ending the last Trading Day on or before February 24 of the following year.

(o) “Exercise Price” means the price per share of Common Stock offered in a given Exercise Period determined as provided in Section 7(b).

(p) “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to a share of Common Stock, the Fair Market Value as determined under Section 7(c).

(q) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(r) “Participant” means an Employee who has elected to participate in the Plan by filing an enrollment agreement with the Company as provided in Section 5 hereof.

(s) “Plan” means the Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as in effect from time to time.

(t) “Plan Contributions” means, with respect to each Participant, the lump sum cash transfers, if any, made by the Participant to the Plan pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, plus the after-tax payroll deductions, if any, withheld from the Compensation of the Participant and contributed to the Plan for the Participant as provided in Section 6 hereof, and any other amounts contributed to the Plan for the Participant in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

(u) “Subsidiary” means any corporation, domestic or foreign, of which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock, and that otherwise qualifies as a “subsidiary corporation” within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.

(v) “Trading Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

 

  3. Eligibility.

(a) In General. Any individual who has completed at least twelve (12) months of employment with the Company or any Subsidiary and who is an Employee as of the Entry Date of a given Exercise Period shall be eligible to become a Participant as of the Entry Date of such Exercise Period.

(b) Changes by Committee. The Committee shall have the power to modify the Employees eligible for the Plan with respect to future offerings if such change is announced at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Exercise Period to be affected, provided that the only categories of Employees that may be excluded from the Plan are those allowed by Code § 423(b)(4).

 

  4. Exercise Periods.

(a) In General. The Plan shall generally be implemented by a series of Exercise Periods, each of which last approximately three (3) months.

 

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(b) Changes by Committee. The Committee shall have the power to make changes to the duration and/or the frequency of Exercise Periods with respect to future offerings if such change is announced at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Exercise Period to be affected.

5.    Participation. Employees meeting the eligibility requirements of Section 3 hereof may elect to participate in the Plan commencing on any Entry Date by completing an enrollment agreement on the form provided by the Company and filing the enrollment agreement with the Company on or prior to such Entry Date, unless a later time for filing the enrollment agreement is set by the Committee for all eligible Employees with respect to a given offering.

 

  6. Plan Contributions.

(a) Contribution by Payroll Deduction. Except as otherwise authorized by the Committee, all contributions to the Plan shall be made only by payroll deductions. The Committee may, but need not, permit Participants to make after-tax contributions to the Plan at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may in its discretion determine. All such additional contributions shall be made in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 423 of the Code or any successor thereto, and shall be treated in the same manner as payroll deductions contributed to the Plan as provided herein.

(b) Payroll Deduction Election on Enrollment Agreement. At the time a Participant files the enrollment agreement with respect to an Exercise Period, the Participant may authorize payroll deductions to be made on each payroll date during the portion of the Exercise Period that he or she is a Participant in an amount not less than 1% and not more than 15% of the Participant’s Compensation on each payroll date during the portion of the Exercise Period that he or she is a Participant. The amount of payroll deductions must be a whole percentage (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, etc.) of the Participant’s Compensation. The Committee shall have the power to modify the range of percentages of a Participant’s Compensation that Participants may authorize for deduction under Plan with respect to future offerings if such change is announced at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Exercise Period to be affected, provided that any such limitation shall be applied in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 423 of the Code or any successor thereto.

(c) Commencement of Payroll Deductions. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee under rules applicable to all Participants, payroll deductions shall commence with the earliest administratively practicable payroll period that begins on or after the Entry Date with respect to which the Participant files an enrollment agreement in accordance with Section 5.

(d) Automatic Continuation of Payroll Deductions. Unless a Participant elects otherwise prior to the Exercise Date of an Exercise Period, including the Exercise Date prior to termination in the case of an Exercise Period terminated under Section 4(b) hereof, such Participant shall be deemed (i) to have elected to participate in the immediately succeeding Exercise Period (and, for purposes of such Exercise Period the Participant’s “Entry Date” shall be deemed to be the first day of such Exercise Period) and (ii) to have authorized the same payroll deduction for the immediately succeeding Exercise Period as was in effect for the Participant immediately prior to the commencement of the succeeding Exercise Period.

(e) Change of Payroll Deduction Election. A Participant may decrease or increase the rate or amount of his or her payroll deductions during an Exercise Period (within the limitations of Section 6(b) above) by completing and filing with the Company a new enrollment agreement authorizing a change in the rate or amount of payroll deductions; provided, that a Participant may not change the rate or amount of his or her payroll deductions more than twice in any Exercise Period. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee under rules applicable to all Participants, the change in rate or amount shall be effective as of the earliest administratively practicable payroll period that begins on or after the date the Company receives the new enrollment agreement. Additionally, a Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 13(a).

 

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(f) Automatic Changes in Payroll Deduction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Section 7(d) hereof, or any other applicable law, a Participant’s payroll deductions for any calendar year may be decreased, including to 0%, at such time during such calendar year that the aggregate of all payroll deductions accumulated during such calendar year are equal to the product of $25,000 multiplied by the Applicable Percentage for the calendar year. Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in the Participant’s enrollment agreement at the beginning of the first Exercise Period beginning in the following calendar year, unless the Participant terminates participation as provided in Section 13(a).

 

  7. Grant of Option.

(a) Shares of Common Stock Subject to Option. On a Participant’s Entry Date, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(d) and this Section 7(a), the Participant shall be granted an option to purchase on the subsequent Exercise Date (at the Exercise Price determined as provided in Section 7(b) below) up to a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such Participant’s Plan Contributions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participant’s account as of such Exercise Date by the Exercise Price; provided, that the maximum number of shares a Participant may purchase during any Exercise Period shall be 1,000.

(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per share of Common Stock offered to each Participant in a given Exercise Period shall be the Applicable Percentage of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Exercise Date. The Applicable Percentage with respect to each Exercise Period shall be no less than 85%. The Applicable Percentage shall initially be 95% unless and until such Applicable Percentage is changed by the Committee, in its sole discretion, provided that any such change in the Applicable Percentage with respect to a given Exercise Period must be established not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the Entry Date thereof.

(c) Fair Market Value. The Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on a given date shall be determined by the Committee in its discretion; provided, that if there is a public market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value per share shall be either (i) if the Common Stock is listed on a stock exchange, the closing price of the Common Stock on such exchange on such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), (ii) in the event the Common Stock is not traded on a stock exchange, the closing price of the Common Stock on such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (Nasdaq) National Market System, (iii) if such price is not reported, the average of the bid and asked prices for the Common Stock on such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), as reported by Nasdaq, or (iv) if no such quotations are available for a date within a reasonable time prior to the valuation date, the value of the Common Stock as determined by the Committee using any reasonable means.

(d) Limitation on Option that may be Granted. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant shall be granted an option under the Plan (i) to the extent that if, immediately after the grant, such Employee (including any stock which is attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing, in the aggregate, 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company as computed under Section 423(b)(3) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries intended to qualify under Section 423 of the Code accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of Fair Market Value of stock (determined at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, or such lesser amount for a particular calendar year as the Committee may specify, in its discretion, at least five (5) days prior to the commencement of any Exercise Period occurring, in whole or in part, during such calendar year.

 

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(e) No Rights as Shareholder. A Participant will have no interest or voting right in shares covered by his option until such option has been exercised.

 

  8. Exercise of Options.

(a) Automatic Exercise. A Participant’s option for the purchase of shares will be exercised automatically on each Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option shall be purchased for the Participant at the applicable Exercise Price with the accumulated Plan Contributions then credited to the Participant’s account under the Plan. During a Participant’s lifetime, a Participant’s option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by the Participant.

(b) Excess Contributions. Any amount remaining to the credit of a Participant’s account after the purchase of shares by the Participant on an Exercise Date due to such amount being insufficient to purchase a full share of Common Stock shall remain in the Participant’s account, and be carried over to the next Exercise Period to the extent that such carryover right does not cause the Plan to fail to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code, unless the Participant withdraws from participation in the Plan or elects to withdraw his or her account balance in accordance with Section 10(c). Any other amount remaining to the credit of Participant’s account after the purchase of shares by the Participant on an Exercise Date shall be refunded to the Participant, without interest.

 

  9. Issuance of Shares.

(a) Delivery of Shares. The Company will hold in book-entry the shares of Common Stock purchased by each Participant under the Plan. Upon receipt of written request from or on behalf of a Participant, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, arrange for the delivery to such Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary), as appropriate, or to a custodial account for the benefit of such Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary) as appropriate, of a certificate representing the shares purchased under the Plan, and the Company shall assume, for tax purposes, such Participant’s disposition of the underlying shares (unless such Participant clearly advises the Company otherwise in writing). In the event that a Participant provides a written statement of his intention not to sell or otherwise dispose of such shares as set forth in the foregoing sentence, such Participant shall be required to report to the Company any subsequent disposition of such shares prior to the expiration of the holding periods specified by Section 423(a)(1) of the Code. If and to the extent that such disposition imposes upon the Company federal, state, local or other withholding tax requirements, or any such withholding is required to secure for the Company an otherwise available tax deduction, the Participant must remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy those requirements.

(b) Registration of Shares. Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant or in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse, as requested by the Participant.

(c) Compliance with Applicable Laws. The Plan, the grant and exercise of options to purchase shares under the Plan, and the Company’s obligation to sell and deliver shares upon the exercise of options to purchase shares shall be subject to compliance with all applicable federal, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations and the requirements of any stock exchange on which the shares may then be listed.

(d) Withholding. The Company may make such provisions as it deems appropriate for withholding by the Company pursuant to federal or state tax laws of such amounts as the Company determines it is required to withhold in connection with the purchase or sale by a Participant of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the Plan. The Company may require a Participant to satisfy any relevant tax requirements before authorizing any issuance of Common Stock to such Participant.

(e) Restrictions on Shares. The Committee shall have the power to provide that Shares delivered to Participants under the Plan with respect to future offerings will be unvested upon delivery and shall vest upon the

 

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Participant remaining employed with the Company for a period of time determined by the Committee, provided that (i) such change is announced at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Exercise Period to be affected, (ii) any such vesting conditions must be uniformly applied to all Participants, and (iii) such vesting restrictions do not cause the Plan to fail to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code.

 

  10. Participant Accounts.

(a) Bookkeeping Accounts Maintained. Individual bookkeeping accounts will be maintained for each Participant in the Plan to account for the balance of his Plan Contributions, options issued, and shares purchased under the Plan. However, all Plan Contributions made for a Participant shall be deposited in the Company’s general corporate accounts, and no interest shall accrue or be credited with respect to a Participant’s Plan Contributions. All Plan Contributions received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate or otherwise set apart such Plan Contributions from any other corporate funds.

(b) Participant Account Statements. Statements of account will be given to Participants quarterly, which statements will set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the per share purchase price and the number of shares purchased.

(c) Withdrawal of Account Balance Following Exercise Date. A Participant may elect at any time within the first thirty (30) days following any Exercise Period, or at such other time as the Committee may from time to time prescribe, to receive in cash any amounts carried-over in accordance with Section 8(b). An election under this Section 10(c) shall not be treated as a withdrawal from participation in the Plan under Section 13(a).

 

  11. Designation of Beneficiary.

(a) Designation. A Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death subsequent to an Exercise Date on which the Participant’s option hereunder is exercised but prior to delivery to the Participant of such shares and cash. In addition, a Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of the Participant’s death prior to the exercise of the option.

(b) Change of Designation. A Participant’s beneficiary designation may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

12.    Transferability. Neither Plan Contributions credited to a Participant’s account nor any rights to exercise any option or receive shares of Common Stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 11). Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge or other distribution shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw in accordance with Section 13(a).

 

  13. Withdrawal; Termination of Employment.

(a) Withdrawal. A Participant may withdraw from the Plan at any time by giving written notice to the Company. Payroll deductions, if any have been authorized, shall cease as soon as administratively practicable

 

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after receipt of the Participant’s notice of withdrawal, and, subject to administrative practicability, no further purchases shall be made for the Participant’s account. All Plan Contributions credited to the Participant’s account, if any, and not yet invested in Common Stock, will be paid to the Participant as soon as administratively practicable after receipt of the Participant’s notice of withdrawal. The Participant’s unexercised options to purchase shares pursuant to the Plan automatically will be terminated. Payroll deductions will not resume on behalf of a Participant who has withdrawn from the Plan (a “Former Participant”) unless the Former Participant enrolls in a subsequent Exercise Period in accordance with Section 5 and subject to the restriction provided in Section 13(b), below.

(b) Effect of Withdrawal on Subsequent Participation. A Former Participant who has withdrawn from the Plan pursuant to this Section 13(b) shall not again be eligible to participate in the Plan prior to the beginning of the Exercise Period that commences at least 12 months from the date the Former Participant withdrew, and the Former Participant must submit a new enrollment agreement in order to again become a Participant as of that date.

(c) Termination of Employment. Upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Status as an Employee prior to any Exercise Date for any reason, including retirement or death, the Plan Contributions credited to the Participant’s account and not yet invested in Common Stock will be returned to the Participant or, in the case of death, to the Participant’s beneficiary as determined pursuant to Section 11, and the Participant’s option to purchase shares under the Plan will automatically terminate.

 

  14. Common Stock Available under the Plan.

(a) Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 14(b) below, the maximum number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 250,000 shares. Shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan may be newly issued shares or shares reacquired in private transactions or open market purchases. If and to the extent that any right to purchase reserved shares shall not be exercised by any Participant for any reason or if such right to purchase shall terminate as provided herein, shares that have not been so purchased hereunder shall again become available for the purpose of the Plan unless the Plan shall have been terminated, but all shares sold under the Plan, regardless of source, shall be counted against the limitation set forth above.

(b) Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions.

(i) If the outstanding shares of Common Stock are increased or decreased, or are changed into or are exchanged for a different number or kind of shares, as a result of one or more reorganizations, restructurings, recapitalizations, reclassifications, stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends or the like, upon authorization of the Committee, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the number and/or kind of shares, and the per-share option price thereof, which may be issued in the aggregate and to any Participant upon exercise of options granted under the Plan.

(ii) In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Exercise Period will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Committee.

(iii) In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or the merger of the Company with or into another corporation (each, a “Sale Transaction”), each option under the Plan shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be substituted by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Committee determines, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such assumption or substitution, to shorten the Exercise Period then in progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the “New Exercise Date”). If the Committee shortens the Exercise Period then in progress in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Sale Transaction, the Committee shall notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the exercise

 

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date for such Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that such Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Plan as provided in Section 13(a). For purposes of this Section 14(b), an option granted under the Plan shall be deemed to have been assumed if, following the Sale Transaction, the option confers the right to purchase, for each share of option stock subject to the option immediately prior to the Sale Transaction, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the Sale Transaction by holders of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held on the effective date of the Sale Transaction (and if such holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock); provided, that if the consideration received in the Sale Transaction was not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code), the Committee may, with the consent of the successor corporation and the Participant, provide for the consideration to be received upon exercise of the option to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by the holders of Common Stock in the Sale Transaction.

(iv) In all cases, the Committee shall have sole discretion to exercise any of the powers and authority provided under this Section 14, and the Committee’s actions hereunder shall be final and binding on all Participants. No fractional shares of stock shall be issued under the Plan pursuant to any adjustment authorized under the provisions of this Section 14.

 

  15. Administration.

(a) Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have the authority to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The administration, interpretation, or application of the Plan by the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons.

(b) Requirements of Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15(a) above, in the event that Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor provision thereto (“Rule 16b-3”) provides specific requirements for the administrators of plans of this type, the Plan shall only be administered by such body and in such a manner as shall comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3.

 

  16. Amendment, Suspension, and Termination of the Plan.

(a) Amendment of the Plan. The Board or the Committee may at any time, or from time to time, amend the Plan in any respect; provided, that (i) except as otherwise provided in Section 4(b) hereof, no such amendment may make any change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant and (ii) the Plan may not be amended in any way that will cause rights issued under the Plan to fail to meet the requirements for employee stock purchase plans as defined in Section 423 of the Code or any successor thereto. To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, Section 423 of the Code, or any other applicable law or regulation, the Company shall obtain shareholder approval of any such amendment.

(b) Suspension of the Plan. The Board or the Committee may, as of the close of any Exercise Date, suspend the Plan; provided, that the Board or Committee provides notice to the Participants at least five (5) business days prior to the suspension. The Board or Committee may resume the normal operation of the Plan as of any Exercise Date; provided further, that the Board or Committee provides notice to the Participants at least twenty (20) business days prior to the date of termination of the suspension period. A Participant shall remain a Participant in the Plan during any suspension period (unless he or she withdraws pursuant to Section 13(a)), however no options shall be granted or exercised, and no payroll deductions shall be made in respect of any Participant during the suspension period. Participants shall have the right to withdraw carryover funds provided in Section 10(c) throughout any suspension period. The Plan shall resume its normal operation upon termination of a suspension period.

 

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(c) Termination of the Plan. The Plan and all rights of Employees hereunder shall terminate on the earliest of:

(i) the Exercise Date that Participants become entitled to purchase a number of shares greater than the number of reserved shares remaining available for purchase under the Plan;

(ii) such date as is determined by the Board or the Committee in its discretion; or

(iii) the last Exercise Date immediately preceding the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Plan’s effective date.

In the event that the Plan terminates under circumstances described in Section 16(c)(i) above, reserved shares remaining as of the termination date shall be sold to Participants on a pro rata basis, based on the relative value of their cash account balances in the Plan as of the termination date.

17.    Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

18.    Expenses of the Plan. All costs and expenses incurred in administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company, except that any stamp duties or transfer taxes applicable to participation in the Plan may be charged to the account of such Participant by the Company.

19.    No Employment Rights. The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create any right for the benefit of any employee or class of employees to purchase any shares under the Plan, or create in any employee or class of employees any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company or any Subsidiary, and it shall not be deemed to interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate, or otherwise modify, an employee’s employment at any time.

20.    Applicable Law. The internal laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all matters relating to this Plan except to the extent (if any) superseded by the laws of the United States.

21.    Additional Restrictions of Rule 16b-3. The terms and conditions of options granted hereunder to, and the purchase of shares by, persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall comply with the applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3. This Plan shall be deemed to contain, and such options shall contain, and the shares issued upon exercise thereof shall be subject to, such additional conditions and restrictions as may be required by Rule 16b-3 to qualify for the maximum exemption from Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to Plan transactions.

22.    Effective Date. The Plan will become effective on [            ].

 

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