EX-10.28 38 d915709dex1028.htm EX-10.28 EX-10.28

Exhibit 10.28

RACKSPACE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

2020 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

ARTICLE 1.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Rackspace Technology, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (as it may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Plan”) is to promote the long-term success and enhance the value of Rackspace Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) by assisting the Company in attracting, motivating and retaining highly-qualified Employees, Directors and Consultants and linking the interests of such eligible individuals to those of Company’s stockholders by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders.

ARTICLE 2.

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

2.1 “Administrator” shall mean the Board or a Committee to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under the Plan have been delegated to such Committee.

2.2 “Affiliate” shall mean any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

2.3 “Applicable Accounting Standards” shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.

2.4 “Applicable Law” shall mean any applicable law, including, without limitation: (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether U.S. or non-U.S., federal, state or local; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

2.5 “Award” shall mean any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Other Stock or Cash Based Award, or a Dividend Equivalent award, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

2.6 “Award Agreement” shall mean any written notice, agreement, terms and conditions, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine consistent with the Plan.

 

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2.7 “Beneficial Ownership” has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under Section 13 of the Exchange Act.

2.8 “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.9 “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise specifically provided in any applicable Award Agreement or in any other written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant, with respect to any Participant: (a) the Participant’s indictment for, conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any (A) felony, (B) misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or (C) other crime (including equivalent offenses to (A) or (B) under Applicable Law) involving either fraud or a breach of Participant’s duty of loyalty with respect to the Company or any Subsidiaries or other Affiliates thereof, or any of its customers or suppliers, (b) the Participant’s substantial and repeated failure to perform duties as reasonably directed by the Board and/or the Participant’s direct or indirect supervisor, as applicable (other than as a consequence of Disability) after written notice thereof and failure to cure within fifteen (15) days, (c) the Participant’s fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, or material misuse of funds or property belonging to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, (d) the Participant’s willful violation of the written policies of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or other misconduct in connection with the performance of his or her duties that in either case results in material injury to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, after written notice thereof and failure to cure within fifteen (15) days, to the extent curable, (e) the Participant’s breach of any of the material terms of any employment agreement, consulting agreement or other applicable agreement that results in material injury to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, and failure to cure such breach within fifteen (15) days after written notice, or (f) the Participant’s breach of the confidentiality or non-disparagement provisions (excluding unintentional breaches that are cured within fifteen (15) days after the Participant becomes aware of such breaches, to the extent curable) or the non-competition and non-solicitation provisions to which the Participant is subject, if any. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or elsewhere, if, within six (6) months subsequent to a Participant’s Termination of Service for any reason other than by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate for Cause, the Company discovers facts that such Participant’s Termination of Service could have been for Cause, such Participant’s Termination of Service will be deemed to have been for Cause for all purposes, and such Participant will be required to disgorge to the Company all amounts received under this Plan, any Award Agreement or otherwise that would not have been payable to such Participant had such Termination of Service been by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate for Cause.

2.10 “Change in Control means, in the case of a particular Award, unless otherwise specifically provided in any applicable Award Agreement or in any other written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant, the first to occur of any of the following events:

(a) the acquisition by any Person or related “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons, or Persons acting jointly or in concert, of Beneficial Ownership (including control or direction) of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of the then-Outstanding Company Common Stock or the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, but excluding any acquisition by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or the Investor, its Permitted Transferees or any of their respective Affiliates or by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its Affiliates;

(b) the acquisition by any Person or related “group” (as such terms is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons, or Persons acting jointly or in concert, of Beneficial Ownership (including control or direction) of 35% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of the then-Outstanding Company Voting Securities; provided that at such time the Beneficial Ownership (including control or direction) of the Investor is less than 35% (on a fully diluted basis) of the then-Outstanding Company Voting Securities;

 

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(c) a change in the composition of the Board such that members of the Board during any consecutive 12-month period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease to constitute a majority of the Board. Any person becoming a director through election or nomination for election approved by a valid vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual becoming a director as a result of an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-12 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board, shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;

(d) the approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company; and

(d) the consummation of a reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company (a “Business Combination”), or sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company to an entity that is not an Affiliate of the Company (a “Sale”), unless immediately following such Business Combination or Sale: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the entity that acquired all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company in such Sale (in either case, the “Surviving Company”), or the ultimate parent entity that has Beneficial Ownership of sufficient voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or analogous governing body) of the Surviving Company (the “Parent Company”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination or Sale (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which the Outstanding Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination or Sale), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination or Sale, (B) no Person (other than any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Company or the Parent Company) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company), and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) following the consummation of the Business Combination or Sale were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination or Sale.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if its sole purpose is to change the jurisdiction of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction. Further, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award only if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5). The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.

 

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2.11 “Code” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.

2.12 “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee that has been authorized to administer the Plan, which may be comprised of one or more Directors and/or executive officers of the Company as appointed by the Board, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, as set forth in Article 11 hereof.

2.13 “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

2.14 “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

2.15 “Consultant” shall mean any consultant or adviser engaged to provide services to the Company or any parent of the Company or Subsidiary who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for registration of shares on a Form S-8 Registration Statement.

2.16 “Director” shall mean a member of the Board, as constituted from time to time.

2.17 “Director Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.5.

2.18 “Disability” when used in connection with a Participant’s Termination of Service, shall mean, unless otherwise specifically provided in any applicable Award Agreement or in any other written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant, a finding by the Committee of the Participant’s incapacitation through any illness, injury, accident or condition of either a physical or psychological nature that has resulted in his or her inability to perform the essential functions of his or her position, even with reasonable accommodations, for one hundred eighty (180) calendar days during any period of three hundred sixty-five (365) consecutive calendar days, and such incapacity is expected to continue.

2.19 “Dividend Equivalent” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 9.2.

2.20 “Effective Date” shall mean the business day prior to the IPO Date. For avoidance of doubt, no Awards shall be granted under the Plan prior to the Effective Date.

2.21 “Eligible Individual” shall mean any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a Non-Employee Director, as determined by the Administrator.

2.22 “Employee” shall mean any officer or other employee (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder) of the Company or of any parent of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

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2.23 “Equity Restructuring” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a cash dividend, in each case to the extent above and beyond normal cash dividends or amounts in substitution therefor, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Stock (or other securities) and causes a change in the per-share value of the Common Stock underlying outstanding Awards.

2.24 “Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

2.25 “Fair Market Value” shall mean, (a) with respect to Common Stock on a given date, (i) if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of a share of Common Stock reported on such exchange on such date, or if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported, or (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of the Common Stock, or (b) with respect to any other property on any given date, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of such other property as of such date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of any Awards granted on the IPO Date, the Fair Market Value will be the initial price to the public as set forth in the final prospectus included with the registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock.

2.26 “Greater Than 10% Stockholder” shall mean an individual then owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code) or parent corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code).

2.27 “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

2.28 “Investor” means, collectively, the investment funds managed, sponsored or advised by Apollo Management VIII, L.P. or its Affiliates. A reference to a member of Investor is a reference to any such investment fund.

2.29 “IPO Date” means the date of the underwritten, firm commitment initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the offer and sale by the Company of its Common Stock to the public.

2.30 “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a Director of the Company who is not an Employee.

2.31 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.32 “Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 5. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided, however, that any Option granted to a Non-Employee Director or a Consultant shall be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

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2.33 “Option Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.4.

2.34 “Organizational Documents” shall mean, collectively, (a) the Company’s articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents relating to the creation and governance of the Company, and (b) the Committee’s charter or other similar organizational documentation relating to the creation and governance of the Committee, each as may be amended from time to time.

2.35 “Other Stock or Cash Based Award” shall mean a cash payment, cash bonus award, stock payment, stock bonus award or incentive award that is paid in cash, Shares or a combination of both, awarded under Section 9.1, which may include, without limitation, deferred stock, deferred stock units and performance awards.

2.36 “Outstanding Company Common Stock” shall mean the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, including Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Common Stock.

2.37 “Outstanding Company Voting Securities” shall mean the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors.

2.38 “Participant” shall mean a person who has been granted an Award.

2.39 “Performance Criteria” shall mean the criteria that the Administrator selects for an Award for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that may be used to establish Performance Goals which may be determined in accordance with GAAP or on a non-GAAP basis, include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (b) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (c) net revenue, net revenue growth, annualized recurring revenue, or net revenue retention rates; (d) gross revenue or gross revenue growth, gross profit or gross profit growth; (e) net operating profit (before or after taxes); (f) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on investment, assets, net assets, capital, gross revenue or gross revenue growth, invested capital, equity or sales); (g) cash flow measures (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow and cash flow return on capital), which may but are not required to be measured on a per-share basis; (h) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and amortization (including EBIT and EBITDA); (i) bookings and customer churn metrics; (j) gross or net operating margins; (k) productivity ratios; (l) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); (m) expense targets or cost reduction goals, general and administrative expense savings; (n) operating efficiency; (o) customer satisfaction; (p) working capital targets; (q) measures of economic value added or other ‘‘value creation’’ metrics; (r) enterprise value; (s) stockholder return; (t) client or customer retention; (u) competitive market metrics; (v) employee retention; (w) personal targets, goals or completion of projects (including but not limited to succession and hiring projects, completion of specific acquisitions, reorganizations or other corporate transactions or capital-raising transactions, expansions of specific business operations and meeting divisional or project budgets); (x) system-wide revenues; (y) cost of capital, debt leverage year-end cash position or book value; (z) strategic objectives, development of new product lines and related revenue, sales and margin targets, or international operations; or (aa) any combination of the foregoing. Any one or more of the aforementioned Performance Criteria may be stated as a percentage of another Performance Criteria, or used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above performance criteria may be compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or a published or special index that the Committee deems appropriate, or as

 

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compared to various stock market indices. The Performance Criteria may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment shall be made (or no vesting shall occur), levels of performance at which specified payments shall be made (or specified vesting shall occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment shall be made (or at which full vesting shall occur). The Committee shall have the authority to make equitable adjustments to the Performance Criteria as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

2.40 “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals (and adjustments) established in writing by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business unit, or an individual, or a combination thereof, or in such other manner determined by the Administrator. The permissible forms in which a Performance Goal may be expressed further include, without limitation, percentage growth, performance against an index or peer companies, absolute growth, cumulative growth, a designated absolute amount, percent of sales, and per share of Common Stock outstanding. The achievement of each Performance Goal may be determined with reference to Applicable Accounting Standards or other methodology as determined appropriate by the Administrator. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that one or more adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals.

2.41 “Performance Period” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, vesting of, and/or the payment in respect of, an Award.

2.42 “Permitted Transferee” shall mean, with respect to a Participant, any “family member” of the Participant, as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act (or any successor form thereto), or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator after taking into account Applicable Law.

2.43 “Person” has the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (a) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (b) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (c) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (d) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Common Stock of the Company.

2.44 “Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Article 1.

2.45 “Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock awarded under Article 7 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture or repurchase.

2.46 “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean the right to receive Shares awarded under Article 8.

2.47 “SAR Term” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.4.

2.48 “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.

2.49 “Securities Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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2.50 “Shares” shall mean shares of Common Stock.

2.51 “Share Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

2.52 “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean an Award entitling the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion thereof (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per Share of such Award from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of such Award by the number of Shares with respect to which such Award shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose.

2.53 “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

2.54 “Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

2.55 “Termination of Service” shall mean the time when the Participant ceases to be an Eligible Individual for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge (with or without Cause), Disability, death or retirement; but excluding terminations where the Participant simultaneously commences or remains in employment with the Company or any parent of the Company or Subsidiary. The Company, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether a Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for Cause and all questions of whether particular leaves of absence constitute a Termination of Service; provided, however, that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code and the then-applicable regulations and revenue rulings under said Section. For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relationship shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Subsidiary employing or engaging such Participant ceases to remain a Subsidiary following any merger, sale of stock or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off or divestiture).

 

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ARTICLE 3.

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares.

(a) Subject to Sections 3.1(b) and 12.2, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be no more than                Shares (the “Share Limit”). All of the Shares reserved under the Plan may be designated as Incentive Stock Options. The Share Limit shall be reduced, on the date of grant of an Award, by the relevant number of shares of Common Stock for each Award granted under the Plan that is valued by reference to a share of Common Stock; provided that Awards that are valued by reference to shares of Common Stock but are required to be paid in cash pursuant to their terms shall not reduce the Share Limit. Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Stock, treasury Common Stock or Common Stock purchased on the open market.

(b) The following Shares subject to an Award shall again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan: (i) Shares subject to an Award that is forfeited or expires (including Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 7.4 at the same price paid by the Participant), (ii) Shares converted to shares of another person in connection with a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of shares or other similar event, (iii) Shares subject to any portion of an Award that is settled in cash, (iv) Shares tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (v) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (vi) Shares subject to Stock Appreciation Rights that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Rights on exercise thereof and (vii) Shares purchased on the open market by the Company with the cash proceeds received from the exercise of Options. Further, the payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

(c) Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Administrator deems appropriate, notwithstanding limitations on Awards in the Plan. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 of the Code, and Shares subject to such Substitute Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 3.1(b) above. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (and Shares subject to such Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 3.1(b) above); provided that Awards using such available Shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall be made only to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

ARTICLE 4.

GRANTING OF AWARDS

4.1 Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom an Award shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Participants or any other persons uniformly. Participation by each Participant in the Plan shall be voluntary and nothing in the Plan shall be construed as mandating that any Eligible Individual or other person shall participate in the Plan.

 

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4.2 Award Agreement. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for such Award as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion (consistent with the requirements of the Plan). Award Agreements evidencing Incentive Stock Options shall contain such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may grant Awards to Eligible Individuals that are based on one or more Performance Criteria or achievement of one or more Performance Goals or any such other criteria or goals as the Administrator shall establish.

4.3 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

4.4 At-Will Service. Nothing in the Plan or in any Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or as a Director or Consultant of, the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way any rights of the Company and any Subsidiary, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Subsidiary.

4.5 Director Limit. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in any policy of the Company regarding compensation payable to a Non-Employee Director, the sum of the grant date fair value (determined in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all Awards payable in Shares and the maximum cash value of any other Award granted under the Plan to an individual as compensation for services as a Non-Employee Director, together with cash compensation paid to such Director in the form of Board and Committee retainer, meeting or similar fees, during any fiscal year of the Company shall not exceed $                     (the “Director Limit”), provided, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply in respect of any compensation payable in the year of a Non-Employee Director’s initial appointment or election to the Board. For avoidance of doubt, compensation will count towards this limit for the fiscal year in which it was granted or earned, and not later when distributed, in the event it is deferred. The foregoing limit may not be increased without the approval of the stockholders of the Company.

4.6 Non-U.S. Participants. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in countries other than the United States in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Directors or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any non-U.S. securities exchange or other Applicable Law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Individuals outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Individuals outside the United States to comply with Applicable Law (including, without limitation, applicable non-U.S. laws or listing requirements of any non-U.S. securities exchange); (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable; provided, however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the Share Limit contained in Section 3.1 or the Director Limit; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any non-U.S. securities exchange.

 

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ARTICLE 5.

GRANTING OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

5.1 Granting of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals. The Administrator is authorized to grant Options and Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine, which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.

5.2 Qualification of Incentive Stock Options. The Administrator may grant Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options only to employees of the Company, any of the Company’s present or future “parent corporations” or “subsidiary corporations” as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. No person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under the Plan, and all other plans of the Company and any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation thereof (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively), exceeds $100,000, the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the fair market value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. Any interpretations and rules under the Plan with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Neither the Company nor the Administrator shall have any liability to a Participant, or any other person, (a) if an Option (or any part thereof) which is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option or (b) for any action or omission by the Company or the Administrator that causes an Option not to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, including, without limitation, the conversion of an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option or the grant of an Option intended as an Incentive Stock Option that fails to satisfy the requirements under the Code applicable to an Incentive Stock Option.

5.3 Option and Stock Appreciation Right Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to each Option and Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder, such price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price per share of the Shares subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 424 and 409A of the Code.

 

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5.4 Option and SAR Term. The term of each Option (the “Option Term”) and the term of each Stock Appreciation Right (the “SAR Term”) shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the Option Term or SAR Term, as applicable, shall not be more than (a) ten (10) years from the date the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, is granted to an Eligible Individual or (b) five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Stockholder. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder or the first sentence of this Section 5.4 and without limiting the Company’s rights under Section 10.7, the Administrator may extend the Option Term of any outstanding Option or the SAR Term of any outstanding Stock Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Participant or otherwise, and may amend, subject to Section 10.7 and 12.1, any other term or condition of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right relating to such Termination of Service of the Participant or otherwise. Further, unless determined otherwise by the Company, in the event that on the last business day of the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than an Incentive Stock Option) (i) the exercise of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is prohibited by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, or (ii) Shares may not be purchased or sold by the applicable Participant due to any Company insider trading policy (including blackout periods), the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be extended until the date that is thirty (30) days after the end of the legal prohibition or black-out period, as determined by the Company; provided, however, in no event shall the extension last beyond the ten (10) year (or shorter) term of the applicable Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

5.5 Option and SAR Vesting. The period during which the Participant may have a right to vest in and exercise, in whole or in part, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. At any time after the grant of an Option, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the vesting of the Option; provided, however, that in no event shall an Option become exercisable following its expiration, termination or forfeiture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in the Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right (i) no portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable and (ii) the portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire on the date of such Termination of Service.

5.6 Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may provide in the applicable Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option; provided that such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price, vesting schedule and remaining term as the substituted Option.

ARTICLE 6.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

6.1 Exercise and Payment. An exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part. However, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional Shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares. Payment of the amounts payable with respect to Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Article 6 shall be in cash, Shares (based on the Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised), or a combination of both, as determined by the Administrator.

 

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6.2 Manner of Exercise. All or a portion of an exercisable Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, the stock plan administrator of the Company or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed or otherwise acknowledged electronically by the Participant or other person then entitled to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right or such portion thereof;

(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law.

(c) In the event that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercised pursuant to Section 10.3 by any person or persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and

(d) Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes for the Shares with respect to which the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 10.1 and 10.2.

6.3 Notification Regarding Disposition. The Participant shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two (2) years from the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) such Option to such Participant, or (b) one (1) year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Participant. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, by the Participant in such disposition or other transfer.

ARTICLE 7.

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK

7.1 Award of Restricted Stock. The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Individuals, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Stock, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Stock as it deems appropriate. The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Stock; provided, however, that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value, if any, of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Stock to the extent required by Applicable Law.

7.2 Rights as Stockholders. Subject to Section 7.4, upon issuance of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, subject to the restrictions in the Plan and/or the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the Shares to the extent such dividends and other distributions have a record date that is on or after the date on which the Participant to whom such Restricted Stock are granted becomes the record holder of such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that, any dividends and distributions with respect to the Shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.3.

 

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7.3 Restrictions. All shares of Restricted Stock (including any shares received by holders thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of stock dividends, stock splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide in the applicable Award Agreement. By action taken after the Restricted Stock is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

7.4 Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Stock. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, if no price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration on the date of such Termination of Service. If a price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Participant the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Participant for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the applicable Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that upon certain events, including, without limitation, a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or Disability or any other specified Termination of Service or any other event, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall not lapse, such Restricted Stock shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.

7.5 Section 83(b) Election. If a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service.

ARTICLE 8.

AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

8.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Units. The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Individual selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. A Participant will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to any Restricted Stock Unit unless and until the Shares are delivered in settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit.

8.2 Vesting of Restricted Stock Units. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, vesting based upon the Participant’s duration of service to the Company or any Subsidiary, or vesting based on achievement of one or more Performance Goals, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods, as determined by the Administrator. By action taken after the Restricted Stock Units are granted, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Stock Units by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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8.3 Settlement and Payment. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the settlement date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units, which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the Participant (if permitted by the applicable Award Agreement); provided that, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and subject to compliance with Section 409A, in no event shall the settlement date relating to each Restricted Stock Unit occur following the later of (a) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests; or (b) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the applicable portion of the Restricted Stock Unit vests. On the settlement date, the Company shall, in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement and subject to Section 10.4(f), transfer to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited, or in the sole discretion of the Administrator, an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the settlement date or a combination of cash and Common Stock as determined by the Administrator.

8.4 Payment upon Termination of Service. An Award of Restricted Stock Units shall be payable only while the Participant is an Employee, a Non-Employee Director or a Consultant; provided, however, that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide (in an Award Agreement or otherwise) that a Restricted Stock Unit award may be paid subsequent to a Termination of Service in certain events, including a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or Disability or any other specified Termination of Service.

ARTICLE 9.

AWARD OF OTHER STOCK OR CASH BASED AWARDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

9.1 Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. The Administrator is authorized to grant Other Stock or Cash Based Awards, including awards entitling a Participant to receive Shares or cash to be delivered immediately or in the future, to any Eligible Individual. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock or Cash Based Award, including the term of the Award, any exercise or purchase price, any Performance Criteria and Performance Goals, transfer restrictions, vesting conditions and other terms and conditions applicable thereto, which shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Administrator, and may be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan, as stand-alone payments, as a part of a bonus, deferred bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, and/or as payment in lieu of compensation to which an Eligible Individual is otherwise entitled.

9.2 Dividend Equivalents and Dividends. Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Stock, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Participant and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be determined by the Administrator. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall be paid out to the Participant only to the extent that the vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests and in no event may any Award provide for a Participant’s receipt of any other dividends prior to the vesting of such Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

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ARTICLE 10.

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

10.1 Payment. The Administrator shall determine the method or methods by which payments by any Participant with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash, wire transfer of immediately available funds or check, (b) Shares (including, in the case of payment of the exercise price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Award) or Shares held for such minimum period of time as may be established by the Administrator, in each case, having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (d) having the Company withhold from the number of Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of Shares with a Fair Market Value on such date equal to the aggregate payments required; (e) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator in its sole discretion, or (f) any combination of the above permitted forms of payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment, with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

10.2 Tax Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. taxes (including the Participant’s FICA, employment tax or other social security contribution obligation) required or permitted by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of the Plan or any Award. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, allow a Participant to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described in Section 10.1 hereof, including without limitation, by allowing such Participant to elect to have the Company withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares that have a fair market value on the date of withholding or repurchase no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in such Participant’s applicable jurisdictions for U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income (or such other rate as may be required to avoid adverse accounting consequences). The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code and other Applicable Law, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

 

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10.3 Transferability of Awards.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 10.3(b) and 10.3(c):

(i) No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution;

(ii) No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for or otherwise subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or the Participant’s successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 10.3(a)(i); and

(iii) During the lifetime of the Participant, only the Participant may exercise any exercisable portion of an Award granted to such Participant under the Plan. After the death of the Participant, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement, be exercised by the Participant’s personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Participant’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant or a Permitted Transferee of such Participant to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is intended to become a Nonqualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Participant, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee other than (A) to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Participant or (B) by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Participant (other than the ability to further transfer the Award to any person other than another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Participant); (iii) the Participant (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the receiving Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including, without limitation documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (C) evidence the transfer; and (iv) the transfer of an Award to a Permitted Transferee shall be without consideration. In addition, and further notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and other Applicable Law, the Participant is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a), a Participant may, in the sole discretion of and manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Participant and any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Participant is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as the Participant’s beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time; provided that the change or revocation is delivered in writing to the Administrator prior to the Participant’s death.

 

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10.4 Conditions to Issuance of Shares.

(a) The Administrator shall determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with all Applicable Laws and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements and representations as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with Applicable Law. The inability or impracticability of the Company to obtain or maintain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained, and shall constitute circumstances in which the Administrator may determine to amend or cancel Awards pertaining to such Shares, with or without consideration to the Participant.

(b) All share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares (including, without limitation, restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock).

(c) The Administrator shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.

(d) Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, no fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.

(e) The Company, in its sole discretion, may (i) retain physical possession of any stock certificate evidencing Shares until any restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and/or (ii) require that the stock certificates evidencing such Shares be held in custody by a designated escrow agent (which may but need not be the Company) until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that the Participant deliver a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to such Shares.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company shall not deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award and instead such Shares shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).

10.5 Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions. All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award and any payments of a portion of an incentive-based bonus pool allocated to a Participant) shall be subject to forfeiture and/or repayment

 

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to the Company to the extent and in the manner required (a) to comply with any requirements imposed under applicable laws and/or the rules and regulations of the securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, and (b) under the terms of any policy, guideline or Board committee charter adopted by the Company as may be amended from time to time for reasons related to fraud prevention, governance, avoidance of monetary or reputational damage to the Company and its Affiliates or similar considerations, whether or not such policy or guideline was in place at the time of grant of an Award (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated into this Plan without the consent of Participant).

10.6 Prohibition on Repricing. Subject to Section 12.2, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per Share, (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares, in its sole discretion, or (c) cancel an Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with a lower exercise price than such original Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

10.7 Amendment of Awards. Subject to Applicable Law and Section 10.6 above, the Administrator may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or settlement, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Qualified Stock Option. The Participant’s consent to such action shall be required unless (i) the Administrator determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not materially and adversely affect the Participant, or (ii) the change is otherwise permitted under the Plan (including, without limitation, under Section 12.2, 12.7 or 12.10).

ARTICLE 11.

ADMINISTRATION

11.1 Administrator. The Committee shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein). To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3, it is intended that each member of the Committee will be, at the time the Committee takes any action with respect to an Award that is subject to Rule 16b-3, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 11.1 or the Organizational Documents. Except as may otherwise be provided in the Organizational Documents or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, (a) appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, (b) Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board and (c) vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors and, with respect to such Awards, the term “Administrator” as used in the Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (ii) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 11.6.

 

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11.2 Duties and Powers of Administrator. It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan and all Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend the Plan or any Award Agreement; provided that the rights or obligations of the Participant of the Award that is the subject of any such Award Agreement are not materially and adversely affected by such amendment, unless the consent of the Participant is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under the Plan, including, without limitation, under Section 12.2, Section 12.7 or Section 12.10. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee in its capacity as the Administrator under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

11.3 Action by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Board, set forth in any Organizational Documents or as required by Applicable Law, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan. Neither the Administrator nor any member or delegate thereof shall have any liability to any person (including any Participant) for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award.

11.4 Authority of Administrator. Subject to the Organizational Documents, any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

(a) Designate Eligible Individuals to receive Awards;

(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Individual (including, without limitation, any Awards granted in tandem with another Award granted pursuant to the Plan);

(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, purchase price, any Performance Criteria and/or Performance Goals, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and claw-back and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;

(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;

 

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(g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

(h) Establish, adopt, or revise any policies, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any policy or any Award Agreement;

(j) determine the circumstances under which the delivery of cash, property or other amounts payable with respect to an Award may be deferred, either automatically or at the Participant’s or the Administrator’s election

(k) Accelerate wholly or partially the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Award or portion thereof at any time after the grant of an Award, pursuant to any terms and conditions it selects, subject to Section 12.2; and

(l) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.

11.5 Decisions Binding. The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan and any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

11.6 Delegation of Authority. The Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more Directors or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 11; provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or (b) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided, further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under any Organizational Documents and Applicable Law. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or that are otherwise included in the applicable Organizational Documents, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegate. At all times, the delegate appointed under this Section 11.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.

ARTICLE 12.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

12.1 Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 12.1(b), the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board; provided that, except as provided in Section 10.7, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Participant, materially and adversely affect any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding Section 12.1(a), the Board may not, except as provided in Section 12.2, take any of the following actions without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after such action: (i) increase the Share Limit imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan; (ii) reduce the price per share of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan or take any action prohibited under Section 10.6; or (iii) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award in violation of Section 10.6.

(c) No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board under Section 12.1(a), the Plan shall remain in effect for a period of ten (10) years from the Effective Date; provided that no Incentive Stock Options may be granted after the earlier of ten (10) years from the date of the (i) adoption of the Plan by the Board and (ii) the approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders. Any Awards that are outstanding on the date that the Plan is terminated shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

12.2 Changes in Common Stock or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events.

(a) In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s stock or the share price of the Company’s stock other than an Equity Restructuring, the Administrator may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to: (i) the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable Performance Goals or Performance Criteria with respect thereto); and (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.

(b) In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 12.2(a) or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary, or of changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards:

(i) To provide for the termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property with a value equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 12.2 the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment);

 

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(ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Administrator;

(iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares of the Company’s stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future;

(iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement;

(v) To replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator; and/or

(vi) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.

(c) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 12.2(a) and 12.2(b):

(i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted (and the adjustments provided under this Section 12.2(c)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company); and/or

(ii) The Administrator shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitation in Section 3.1 on the maximum number and kind of Shares which may be issued under the Plan).

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of a Change in Control, outstanding Awards under the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement, the agreement evidencing the Change in Control transaction, or treated as otherwise determined in the Administrator’s discretion without the Participant’s consent, and such treatment need not apply to all outstanding Award in an identical manner. The Administrator’s determination as to the treatment of outstanding Awards upon a Change in Control shall be final, binding, and conclusive and may include, without limitation, any of the alternatives provided for in Section 12.2(b) above.

(e) The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

(f) Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Section 12.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized to the extent it would (i) cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code; (ii) result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act; or (iii) cause an Award to fail to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A.

 

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(g) The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreement and/or the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

(h) In the event of any pending stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Stock including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.

12.3 Approval of Plan by Stockholders. The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. Awards may be granted or awarded prior to such stockholder approval; provided that such Awards shall not be exercisable, shall not vest and the restrictions thereon shall not lapse and no Shares shall be issued pursuant thereto prior to the time when the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders; and provided, further, that if such approval has not been obtained at the end of said twelve (12) month period, all Awards previously granted or awarded under the Plan shall thereupon be canceled and become null and void.

12.4 No Stockholder Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Award Agreement, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record owner of such Shares.

12.5 Paperless Administration. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

12.6 Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Subsidiary. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Subsidiary: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Directors or Consultants of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

12.7 Compliance with Laws. The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Shares and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law (including but not limited to U.S. state, federal and Non-U.S. securities law and margin requirements), and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such

 

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restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to effect compliance with Applicable Law, including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to Applicable Law.

12.8 Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

12.9 Governing Law. The Plan and any Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflicts of laws thereof or of any other jurisdiction.

12.10 Section 409A. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Plan and the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A. In that regard, to the extent any Award under the Plan or any other compensatory plan or arrangement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to Section 409A, and such Award or other amount is payable on account of a Participant’s Termination of Service (or any similarly defined term), then (a) such Award or amount shall only be paid to the extent such Termination of Service qualifies as a “separation from service” as defined in Section 409A, and (b) if such Award or amount is payable to a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A then, to the extent required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A, such Award or other compensatory payment shall not be payable prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, or (ii) the date of the Participant’s death. To the extent applicable, the Plan and any Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that, following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A, the Administrator may (but is not obligated to), without a Participant’s consent, adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (A) exempt the Award from Section 409A and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under Section 409A. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any Award under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 12.10 or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant, “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Section 409A.

12.11 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

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12.12 Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

12.13 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

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