EX-4.9 3 ex4-9.htm

 

Exhibit 4.9

 

BARFRESH FOOD GROUP INC.

2024 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

Section 1. PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Plan is to provide an opportunity for Employees of Barfresh Food Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Barfresh”) and its Participating Subsidiaries (collectively Barfresh and its Participating Subsidiaries shall be referred to as the “Company”), to purchase Common Stock of Barfresh and thereby to have an additional incentive to contribute to the prosperity of the Company. It is the intention of the Company that the Plan (excluding any sub-plans thereof except as expressly provided in the terms of such sub-plan) qualify as an “Employee Stock Purchase Plan” under Section 423 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Plan shall be administered in accordance with this intent. In addition, the Plan authorizes the grant of options pursuant to sub-plans or special rules adopted by the Committee designed to achieve other business objectives in the determination of the Committee, which sub-plans shall not be required to comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code or all of the specific provisions of the Plan, including but not limited to terms relating to eligibility, Subscription Periods or Purchase Price.

 

Section 2. DEFINITIONS

 

  (a) Applicable Law” shall mean the legal requirements relating to the administration of an employee stock purchase plan under applicable U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and applicable state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange rules or regulations and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction, as such laws, rules, regulations and requirements shall be in place from time to time.

 

  (b) Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of Barfresh.

 

  (c) Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as such is amended from time to time, and any reference to a section of the Code shall include any successor provision of the Code.

 

  (d) Commencement Date” shall mean the last Trading Day prior to June 1 for the Subscription Period commencing on June 1 and the last Trading Day prior to December 1 for the Subscription Period commencing on December 1.

 

  (e) Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or the subcommittee, officer or officers designated by the Compensation Committee in accordance with Section 15 of the Plan (to the extent of the duties and responsibilities delegated by the Compensation Committee of the Board).

 

  (f) Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of Barfresh, par value $.000001 per share, or any securities into which such Common Stock may be converted.

 

  (g) Compensation” shall mean the total compensation paid by the Company to an Employee with respect to a Subscription Period, including salary, commissions, overtime, shift differentials, bonus payments, and all or any portion of any item of compensation considered by the Company to be part of the Employee’s regular earnings, but excluding items not considered by the Company to be part of the Employee’s regular earnings. Items excluded from the definition of “Compensation” include but are not limited to such items as relocation bonuses, expense reimbursements, certain bonuses paid in connection with mergers and acquisitions, recruitment and referral bonuses, income realized as a result of participation in any stock option, restricted stock, restricted stock unit, stock purchase or similar equity plan maintained by Barfresh or a Participating Subsidiary, and tuition and other reimbursements. The Committee shall have the authority to determine and approve all forms of pay to be included in the definition of Compensation and may change the definition on a prospective basis.

 

  (h) Effective Date” shall mean April 1, 2024.

 

 
 

 

  (i) Employee” shall mean an individual classified as an employee (within the meaning of Code Section 3401(c) and the regulations thereunder) by Barfresh or a Participating Subsidiary on Barfresh’s or such Participating Subsidiary’s payroll records during the relevant participation period. Individuals classified as independent contractors, consultants, advisers, or members of the Board are not considered “Employees.”

 

  (j) Enrollment Period” shall mean, with respect to a given Subscription Period, that period beginning on the first (1st) day of May and November and ending on the fifteenth (15th) day of May and November during which Employees may elect to participate in order to purchase Common Stock at the end of that Subscription Period in accordance with the terms of this Plan. The duration and timing of Enrollment Periods may be changed or modified by the Committee.

 

  (k) Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any reference to a section of the Exchange Act shall include any successor provision of the Exchange Act.

 

  (l) Market Value” on a given date of determination (e.g., a Commencement Date or Purchase Date, as appropriate) shall mean the value of Common Stock determined as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange (not including an automated quotation system), its Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a share of the Common Stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) on the date of determination as quoted on such exchange on which the Common Stock has the highest average trading volume, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable, or (ii) if the Common Stock is listed on a national market system and the highest average trading volume of the Common Stock occurs through that system, its Market Value shall be the average of the high and the low selling prices reported on the date of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable, or (iii) if the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Market Value shall be the average of the mean of the closing bid and asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of such determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable, or, (iv) in the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Board.

 

  (m) Offering Price” shall mean the Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Commencement Date for a given Subscription Period.

 

  (n) Participant” shall mean a participant in the Plan as described in Section 5 of the Plan.

 

  (o) Participating Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary that has been designated by the Committee in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan with respect to its Employees.

 

  (p) Plan” shall mean this 2024 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, including any sub-plans or appendices hereto.

 

  (q) Purchase Date” shall mean the last Trading Day of each Subscription Period.

 

  (r) Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set out in Section 8(b).

 

  (s) Securities Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and any reference to a section of the Securities Act shall include any successor provision of the Securities Act.

 

  (t) Stockholder” shall mean a record holder of shares entitled to vote such shares of Common Stock under Barfresh’s by-laws.

 

 
 

 

  (u) Subscription Period” shall mean a period of approximately six (6) months at the end of which an option granted pursuant to the Plan shall be exercised. The Plan shall be implemented by a series of Subscription Periods of approximately six (6) months duration, with new Subscription Periods commencing on each June 1 and December 1 occurring on or after the Effective Date and ending on the last Trading Day in the six (6) month period ending on the following May 31 and November 30, respectively. The duration and timing of Subscription Periods may be changed or modified by the Committee.

 

  (v) Subsidiary” shall mean any entity treated as a corporation (other than Barfresh) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with Barfresh, within the meaning of Code Section 424(f), whether or not such corporation now exists or is hereafter organized or acquired by Barfresh or a Subsidiary.

 

  (w) Trading Day” shall mean a day on which U.S. national stock exchanges and the NASDAQ National Market System are open for trading and the Common Stock is being publicly traded on one or more of such markets.

 

Section 3. ELIGIBILITY

 

  i. Any Employee employed by Barfresh or by any Participating Subsidiary on a Commencement Date shall be eligible to participate in the Plan with respect to the Subscription Period first following such Commencement Date, provided that the Committee may establish administrative rules requiring that employment commence some minimum period (not to exceed 30 days) prior to a Commencement Date to be eligible to participate with respect to such Subscription Period. The Committee may also determine that a designated group of highly compensated Employees is ineligible to participate in the Plan so long as the excluded category fits within the definition of “highly compensated employee” in Code Section 414(q).

 

  ii. No Employee may participate in the Plan, except through a sub-plan that is not designed to qualify under Code section 423, if immediately after an option is granted the Employee owns or is considered to own (within the meaning of Code Section 424(d)) shares of Common Stock, including Common Stock which the Employee may purchase by conversion of convertible securities or under outstanding options granted by Barfresh or its Subsidiaries, possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of Barfresh or of any of its Subsidiaries. All Employees who participate in the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges under the Plan, except for differences that may be mandated by local law and that are consistent with Code Section 423(b)(5); provided that individuals participating in a sub-plan adopted pursuant to Section 16 which is not designed to qualify under Code section 423 need not have the same rights and privileges as Employees participating in the Code section 423 Plan. No Employee may participate in more than one Subscription Period at a time.

 

Section 4. SUBSCRIPTION PERIODS

 

The Plan shall generally be implemented by a series of six (6) month Subscription Periods with new Subscription Periods commencing on each June 1 and December 1 and ending on the last Trading Day in the six (6) month periods ending on the following November 30 and May 31, respectively, or on such other date as the Committee shall determine, and continuing thereafter until the Plan is terminated pursuant to Section 14 hereof. The first Subscription Period shall commence on June 1, 2024 and shall end on the last Trading Day on or before November 30, 2024. The Committee shall have the authority to change the frequency and/or duration of Subscription Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future Subscription Periods if such change is announced at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled occurrence of the first Commencement Date to be affected thereafter.

 

 
 

 

Section 5. PARTICIPATION

 

  (a) An Employee who is eligible to participate in the Plan in accordance with its terms on a Commencement Date shall automatically receive an option in accordance with Section 8(a) and may become a Participant by completing and submitting, on or before the date prescribed by the Committee with respect to a given Subscription Period, a completed payroll deduction authorization and Plan enrollment form provided by Barfresh or its Participating Subsidiaries or by following an electronic or other enrollment process as prescribed by the Committee. An eligible Employee may authorize payroll deductions at the rate of any whole percentage of the Employee’s Compensation, not to be less than two percent (2%) and not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the Employee’s Compensation (or such other percentages as the Committee may establish from time to time before a Commencement Date) of such Employee’s Compensation on each payday during the Subscription Period. All payroll deductions will be held in a general corporate account or a trust account. No interest shall be paid or credited to the Participant with respect to such payroll deductions. Barfresh shall maintain or cause to be maintained a separate bookkeeping account for each Participant under the Plan and the amount of each Participant’s payroll deductions shall be credited to such account. A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account, unless payroll deductions are prohibited under Applicable Law, in which case the provisions of Section 5(b) of the Plan shall apply.

 

  (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan to the contrary, in locations where local law prohibits payroll deductions, an eligible Employee may elect to participate through contributions to his or her account under the Plan in a form acceptable to the Committee. In such event, any such Employees shall be deemed to be participating in a sub-plan, unless the Committee otherwise expressly provides that such Employees shall be treated as participating in the Plan. All such contributions will be held in a general corporate account or a trust account. No interest shall be paid or credited to the Participant with respect to such contributions.

 

  (c) Under procedures and at times established by the Committee, a Participant may withdraw from the Plan during a Subscription Period, by completing and filing a new payroll deduction authorization and Plan enrollment form with the Company or by following electronic or other procedures prescribed by the Committee. If a Participant withdraws from the Plan during a Subscription Period, his or her accumulated payroll deductions will be refunded to the Participant without interest, his or her right to participate in the current Subscription Period will be automatically terminated and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of Common Stock will be made during the Subscription Period. Any Participant who wishes to withdraw from the Plan during a Subscription Period, must complete the withdrawal procedures prescribed by the Committee before the last forty-eight (48) hours of such Subscription Period, subject to any changes to the rules established by the Committee pertaining to the timing of withdrawals, limiting the frequency with which Participants may withdraw and re-enroll in the Plan and may impose a waiting period on Participants wishing to re-enroll following withdrawal.

 

  (d) A Participant may not increase his or her rate of contribution through payroll deductions or otherwise during a given Subscription Period. A Participant may decrease his or her rate of contribution through payroll deductions one time only as of August 1 or March 1 during a given Subscription Period by filing a new payroll deduction authorization and Plan enrollment form or by following electronic or other procedures prescribed by the Committee in the 10 business days prior to the effective date of the change. If a Participant has not followed such procedures to change the rate of contribution, the rate of contribution shall continue at the originally elected rate throughout the Subscription Period and future Subscription Periods; unless the Committee reduces the maximum rate of contribution provided in Section 5(a) and a Participant’s rate of contribution exceeds the reduced maximum rate of contribution, in which case the rate of contribution shall continue at the reduced maximum rate of contribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code for a given calendar year, the Committee may reduce a Participant’s payroll deductions to zero percent (0%) at any time during a Subscription Period scheduled to end during such calendar year. Payroll deductions shall re-commence at the rate provided in such Participant’s enrollment form at the beginning of the first Subscription Period which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 5(c).

 

 
 

 

Section 6. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

 

In the event any Participant terminates employment with Barfresh and its Participating Subsidiaries for any reason (including death) prior to the expiration of a Subscription Period, the Participant’s participation in the Plan shall terminate and all amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall be paid to the Participant or, in the case of death, to the Participant’s heirs or estate, without interest. Whether a termination of employment has occurred shall be determined by the Committee. If a Participant’s termination of employment occurs within 30 days prior to the Purchase Date of the Subscription Period then in progress, his or her option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised on such Purchase Date in accordance with Section 9 as if such Participant were still employed by the Company. Following the purchase of shares on such Purchase Date, the Participant’s participation in the Plan shall terminate and all amounts credited to the Participant’s account shall be paid to the Participant or, in the case of death, to the Participant’s heirs or estate, without interest. The Committee may also establish rules regarding when leaves of absence or changes of employment status will be considered to be a termination of employment, including rules regarding transfer of employment among Participating Subsidiaries, Subsidiaries and Barfresh, and the Committee may establish termination-of-employment procedures for this Plan that are independent of similar rules established under other benefit plans of Barfresh and its Subsidiaries; provided that such procedures are not in conflict with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

 

Section 7. STOCK

 

Subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 11, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued pursuant to the Plan shall be one million four hundred thousand (1,400,000) shares. Notwithstanding the above, subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 11, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased by any Employee in a given Subscription Period shall be one hundred thousand (100,000) shares of Common Stock. If, on a given Purchase Date, the number of shares with respect to which options are to be exercised exceeds either maximum, the Committee shall make, as applicable, such adjustment or pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for purchase in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine to be equitable.

 

Section 8. OFFERING

 

  (a) On the Commencement Date relating to each Subscription Period, each eligible Employee, whether or not such Employee has elected to participate as provided in Section 5(a), shall be granted an option to purchase that number of whole shares of Common Stock (as adjusted as set forth in Section 11) not to exceed one hundred thousand (100,000) shares (or such lower number of shares as determined by the Committee), which may be purchased with the payroll deductions accumulated on behalf of such Employee during each Subscription Period at the purchase price specified in Section 8(b) below, subject to the additional limitation that no Employee participating in the Plan shall be granted an option to purchase Common Stock under the Plan, except through a sub-plan that is not designed to qualify under Code section 423, if such option would permit his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (described in Section 423 of the Code) of Barfresh and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds U.S. twenty-five thousand dollars (U.S. $25,000) of the Market Value of such Common Stock (determined at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time. For purposes of the Plan, an option is “granted” on a Participant’s Commencement Date. An option will expire upon the earliest to occur of (i) the termination of a Participant’s participation in the Plan or such Subscription Period (ii) the beginning of a subsequent Subscription Period in which such Participant is participating; or (iii) the termination of the Subscription Period. This Section 8(a) shall be interpreted so as to comply with Code Section 423(b)(8).

 

  (b) The Purchase Price under each option shall be with respect to a Subscription Period the lower of (i) a percentage (not less than eighty-five percent (85%)) established by the Committee (“Designated Percentage”) of the Offering Price, or (ii) the Designated Percentage of the Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Purchase Date on which the Common Stock is purchased; provided that the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Committee pursuant to Sections 11 or 12 in accordance with Section 424(a) of the Code. The Committee may change the Designated Percentage with respect to any future Subscription Period, but not to below eighty-five percent (85%), and the Committee may determine with respect to any prospective Subscription Period that the option price shall be the Designated Percentage of the Market Value of a share of the Common Stock on the Purchase Date.

 

 
 

 

Section 9. PURCHASE OF STOCK

 

Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 5(c) or except as provided in Sections 7, 12 or 14(b), upon the expiration of each Subscription Period, a Participant’s option shall be exercised automatically for the purchase of that number of whole shares of Common Stock which the accumulated payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account at that time shall purchase at the applicable price specified in Section 8(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Barfresh or its Participating Subsidiary may make such provisions and take such action as it deems necessary or appropriate for the withholding of taxes and/or social insurance which Barfresh or its Participating Subsidiary determines is required by Applicable Law. Each Participant, however, shall be responsible for payment of all individual tax liabilities arising under the Plan. The shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of an option hereunder shall be considered for tax purposes to be sold to the Participant on the Purchase Date. During his or her lifetime, a Participant’s option to purchase shares of Common Stock hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.

 

Section 10. PAYMENT AND DELIVERY

 

As soon as practicable after the exercise of an option, Barfresh shall deliver or cause to have delivered to the Participant a record of the Common Stock purchased and the balance of any amount of payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account not used for the purchase, except as specified below. The Committee may permit or require that shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Committee or to a designated agent of the Company, and the Committee may utilize electronic or automated methods of share transfer. The Committee may require that shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such shares. Barfresh or its Participating Subsidiary shall retain the amount of payroll deductions used to purchase Common Stock as full payment for the Common Stock and the Common Stock shall then be fully paid and non-assessable. No Participant shall have any voting, dividend, or other Stockholder rights with respect to shares subject to any option granted under the Plan until the shares subject to the option have been purchased and delivered to the Participant as provided in this Section 10. The Committee may in its discretion direct Barfresh to retain in a Participant’s account for the subsequent Subscription Period any payroll deductions which are not sufficient to purchase a whole share of Common Stock or to return such amount to the Participant. Any other amounts left over in a Participant’s account after a Purchase Date shall be returned to the Participant without interest.

 

Section 11. RECAPITALIZATION

 

Subject to any required action by the Stockholders of Barfresh, if there is any change in the outstanding shares of Common Stock because of a merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization, recapitalization, dividend in property other than cash, stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, liquidating dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock (including any such change in the number of shares of Common Stock effected in connection with a change in domicile of Barfresh), or any similar equity restructuring transaction (as that term is used in Accounting Standards Codification 718), the number of securities covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised and the number of securities which have been authorized and remain available for issuance under the Plan, as well as the maximum number of securities which may be purchased by a Participant in a Subscription Period, and the price per share covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised, shall be equitably adjusted by the Board, and the Board shall take any further actions which may be necessary or appropriate under the circumstances. The Board’s determinations under this Section 11 shall be conclusive and binding on all parties.

 

 
 

 

Section 12. MERGER, LIQUIDATION, OTHER CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS

 

  (a) In the event of the proposed liquidation or dissolution of Barfresh, the Subscription Period will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed transaction, unless otherwise provided by the Board in its sole discretion, and all outstanding options shall automatically terminate and the amounts of all payroll deductions will be refunded without interest to the Participants.

 

  (b) In the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Barfresh, or the merger or consolidation or similar combination of Barfresh with or into another entity, then in the sole discretion of the Board, (1) each option shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be substituted by the successor corporation or parent or subsidiary of such successor entity, (2) a date established by the Board on or before the date of consummation of such merger, consolidation, combination or sale shall be treated as a Purchase Date, and all outstanding options shall be exercised on such date, (3) all outstanding options shall terminate and the accumulated payroll deductions will be refunded without interest to the Participants, or (4) outstanding options shall continue unchanged.

 

Section 13. TRANSFERABILITY

 

Neither payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s bookkeeping account nor any rights to exercise an option or to receive shares of Common Stock under the Plan may be voluntarily or involuntarily assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way, and any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be null and void and without effect. If a Participant in any manner attempts to transfer, assign or otherwise encumber his or her rights or interests under the Plan, other than as permitted by the Code, such act shall be treated as an election by the Participant to discontinue participation in the Plan pursuant to Section 5(c).

 

Section 14. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF THE PLAN

 

  (a) The Plan shall continue from the Effective Date until December 31, 2030, unless it is terminated in accordance with Section 14(b).

 

  (b) The Board may, in its sole discretion, insofar as permitted by law, terminate or suspend the Plan, or revise or amend it in any respect whatsoever, and the Committee may revise or amend the Plan consistent with the exercise of its duties and responsibilities as set forth in the Plan or any delegation under the Plan, except that, without approval of the Stockholders, no such revision or amendment shall increase the number of shares subject to the Plan, other than an adjustment under Section 11 of the Plan, or make other changes for which Stockholder approval is required under Applicable Law. Upon a termination or suspension of the Plan, the Board may in its discretion (i) return without interest, the payroll deductions credited to Participants’ accounts to such Participants or (ii) set an earlier Purchase Date with respect to a Subscription Period then in progress.

 

Section 15. ADMINISTRATION

 

  (a) The Board has appointed the Compensation Committee of the Board to administer the Plan (the “Committee”), who will serve for such period of time as the Board may specify and whom the Board may remove at any time. The Committee will have the authority and responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the Plan, the authority and responsibility specifically provided in this Plan and any additional duty, responsibility and authority delegated to the Committee by the Board, which may include any of the functions assigned to the Board in this Plan. The Committee may delegate to a sub-committee or to an officer or officers of Barfresh the day-to-day administration of the Plan. The Committee shall have full power and authority to adopt, amend and rescind any rules and regulations which it deems desirable and appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, to construe and interpret the provisions and supervise the administration of the Plan, to make factual determinations relevant to Plan entitlements and to take all action in connection with administration of the Plan as it deems necessary or advisable, consistent with the delegation from the Board. Decisions of the Committee shall be final and binding upon all Participants. Any decision reduced to writing and signed by all of the members of the Committee shall be fully effective as if it had been made at a meeting of the Committee duly held. The Company shall pay all expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan.

 

  (b) In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or officers or employees of the Company, members of the Board and of the Committee shall be indemnified by the Company against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or any right granted under the Plan, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company) or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that such person is liable for gross negligence, bad faith or intentional misconduct in duties; provided, however, that within sixty (60) days after the institution of such action, suit or proceeding, such person shall offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at its own expense to handle and defend the same.

 

 
 

 

Section 16. SECURITIES LAWS REQUIREMENTS

 

  (a) No option granted under the Plan may be exercised to any extent unless the shares to be issued upon such exercise under the Plan are covered by an effective registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act and the Plan is in material compliance with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, applicable state and foreign securities laws and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. If on a Purchase Date in any Subscription Period hereunder, the Plan is not so registered or in such compliance, options granted under the Plan which are not in material compliance shall not be exercised on such Purchase Date, and the Purchase Date shall be delayed until the Plan is subject to such an effective registration statement and such compliance, except that the Purchase Date shall not be delayed more than twelve (12) months and the Purchase Date shall in no event be more than twenty-seven (27) months from the Commencement Date relating to such Subscription Period. If, on the Purchase Date of any offering hereunder, as delayed to the maximum extent permissible, the Plan is not registered and in such compliance, options granted under the Plan which are not in material compliance shall not be exercised and all payroll deductions accumulated during the Subscription Period (reduced to the extent, if any, that such deductions have been used to acquire shares of Common Stock) shall be returned to the Participants, without interest. The provisions of this Section 16 shall comply with the requirements of Section 423(b)(5) of the Code to the extent applicable.

 

  (b) As a condition to the exercise of an option, Barfresh may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for Barfresh, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.

 

Section 17. GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS

 

This Plan and Barfresh’s obligation to sell and deliver shares of its stock under the Plan shall be subject to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the Plan or the authorization, issuance, sale, or delivery of stock hereunder.

 

Section 18. NO ENLARGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

 

Nothing contained in this Plan shall be deemed to give any Employee or other individual the right to be retained in the employ or service of Barfresh or any Participating Subsidiary or to interfere with the right of Barfresh or Participating Subsidiary to discharge any Employee or other individual at any time, for any reason or no reason, with or without notice.

 

Section 19. GOVERNING LAW

 

This Plan shall be governed by applicable laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal law.

 

Section 20. EFFECTIVE DATE

 

This Plan shall be effective on the Effective Date, subject to approval of the Stockholders of Barfresh within twelve (12) months before or after its date of adoption by the Board.

 

 
 

 

Section 21. REPORTS

 

Individual accounts shall be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account shall be made available to Participants at least annually, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

 

Section 22. DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY FOR OWNED SHARES

 

With respect to shares of Common Stock purchased by the Participant pursuant to the Plan and held in an account maintained by Barfresh or its assignee on the Participant’s behalf, the Participant may be permitted to file a written designation of beneficiary, who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death subsequent to the end of a Subscription Period but prior to delivery to him or her 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 such Participant’s death prior to the Purchase Date of a Subscription Period. If a Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective, to the extent required by local law. The Participant (and if required under the preceding sentence, his or her spouse) may change such designation of beneficiary at any time by written notice. Subject to local legal requirements, in the event of a Participant’s death, Barfresh or its assignee shall deliver any shares of Common Stock and/or cash to the designated beneficiary. Subject to local law, in the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, Barfresh shall deliver such shares of Common Stock 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 Barfresh), Barfresh in its sole discretion, may deliver (or cause its assignee to deliver) such shares of Common Stock 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 Barfresh, then to such other person as Barfresh may determine. The provisions of this Section 22 shall in no event require Barfresh to violate local law, and Barfresh shall be entitled to take whatever action it reasonably concludes is desirable or appropriate in order to transfer the assets allocated to a deceased Participant’s account in compliance with local law.

 

Section 23. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS OF RULE 16b-3.

 

The terms and conditions of options granted hereunder to, and the purchase of shares of Common Stock 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 of Common Stock issued upon exercise thereof shall be subject to, such additional conditions and restrictions, if any, 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.

 

Section 24. NOTICES

 

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