EX-99 2 a2192609zex-99.htm EXHIBIT 99

Exhibit 99

 

SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORPORATION

 

2003 Incentive Compensation Plan

As Amended and Restated

 

1.  Purpose.  The purpose of this 2003 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated (the “Plan”), is to assist Scientific Games Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries in attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding executives, directors, employees, and other persons who provide services to the Company and/or its subsidiaries, to provide for equitable and competitive compensation opportunities, to encourage long-term service, to recognize individual contributions and reward achievement of Company goals, and promote the creation of long-term value for stockholders by closely aligning the interests of participants with those of stockholders. The Plan authorizes stock-based and cash-based performance incentives for participants, to encourage such persons to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of stockholder value. The Plan is also intended to qualify certain compensation awarded under the Plan for tax deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee which administers the Plan.

 

2.  Definitions.  For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such terms defined in Section 1 hereof:

 

(a) “Additional Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(a) of the Plan.

 

(b) “Annual Incentive Award” means a type of Performance Award granted to a Participant under Section 7(c) representing a conditional right to receive cash, Stock or other Awards or payments, as determined by the Committee, based on performance in a performance period of one fiscal year or a portion thereof.

 

(c) “Award” means any award of an Option, SAR (including Limited SAR), Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Stock granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock-Based Award, or Performance Award (including an Annual Incentive Award) together with any other right or interest granted to a Participant under the Plan.

 

(d) “Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust, or trusts which have been designated by a Participant in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon such Participant’s death or to which Awards or other rights are transferred if and to the extent permitted under Section 10(b) hereof. If, upon a Participant’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term Beneficiary means person, persons, trust, or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.

 

(e) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.

 

(f) “Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

(g) “Change in Control” means Change in Control as defined with related terms in Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(h) “Change in Control Price” means the amount calculated in accordance with Section 9(c) of the Plan.

 

(i) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations, proposed regulations and other applicable guidance or pronouncement of the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service.

 



 

(j) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, the composition and governance of which is established in the Committee’s Charter as approved from time to time by the Board and other corporate governance documents of the Company. No action of the Committee shall be void or deemed to be without authority due to the failure of any member, at the time the action was taken, to meet any qualification standard set forth in the Committee Charter or this Plan.

 

(k) “Covered Employee” means a person designated by the Committee as likely to be a “covered employee,” as defined under Code Section 162(m), with respect to a specified fiscal year or other performance period.

 

(l) “Deferred Stock” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(e) hereof, to receive Stock, at the end of a specified deferral period.

 

(m) “Dividend Equivalent” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(g), to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock, or other periodic payments.

 

(n) “Effective Date” means June 23, 2003.

 

(o) “Eligible Person” means each executive officer and other officer or full-time employee of the Company or of any subsidiary, including each such person who may also be a director of the Company, each non-employee director of the Company, each other person who provides substantial services to the Company and/or its subsidiaries and who is designated as eligible by the Committee, and any person who has been offered employment by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, provided that such prospective employee may not receive any payment or exercise any right relating to an Award until such person has commenced employment with the Company or a subsidiary. An employee on leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or a subsidiary for purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.

 

(p) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.

 

(q) “Fair Market Value” means the fair market value of Stock, Awards, or other property as determined in good faith by the Committee or under procedures established by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of Stock shall be the average of the high and low sales prices of Stock on a given date or, if there are no sales on that date, on the latest previous date on which there were sales, reported for composite transactions in securities listed on the principal trading market on which Stock is then listed. Fair Market Value relating to the exercise price or grant price of any Non-409A Option or SAR shall conform to requirements under Code Section 409A.

 

(r) “409A Awards” means Awards that constitute a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A and regulations thereunder. “Non-409A Awards” means Awards other than 409A Awards; an Award granted before January 1, 2005 which is eligible for “grandfathering” under Code Section 409A (generally such an Award must be vested before January 1, 2005 in order to be grandfathered) constitutes a Non-409A Award unless the Committee instead designates it as a 409A Award. Although the Committee retains authority under the Plan to grant Options, SARs and Restricted Stock on terms that will qualify those Awards as 409A Awards, Options, SARs exercisable for Stock, and Restricted Stock will be Non-409A Awards (with conforming terms, as provided in Section 10(h)) unless otherwise expressly specified by the Committee.

 

(s) “Full-Value Awards” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(a) of the Plan.

 

(t) “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Code Section 422 or any successor provision thereto that may be granted to Eligible Persons who are employees.

 



 

(u) “Initial Shares” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(a) of the Plan.

 

(v) “Limited SAR” means a conditional right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.

 

(w) “Option” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 6(b) hereof, to purchase Stock or other Awards at a specified price during specified time periods.

 

(x) “Other Stock-Based Awards” means Awards granted to a Participant under Section 6(h) hereof.

 

(y) “Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under the Plan which remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.

 

(z) “Performance Award” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 7, to receive cash, Stock or other Awards or payments, as determined by the Committee, based upon performance criteria specified by the Committee.

 

(aa) “Preexisting Plan” mean the Company’s 1997 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated.

 

(bb) “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to a Participant under Section 6(d) hereof, that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.

 

(cc) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

(dd) “Stock” means the Company’s Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value, and such other securities as may be substituted (or resubstituted) for Stock pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof.

 

(ee) “Stock Appreciation Rights” or “SAR” means a conditional right granted to a Participant under Section 6(c) hereof.

 

3.  Administration.

 

(a) Authority of the Committee.  Except as otherwise provided below, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and final authority, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to select Eligible Persons to become Participants, grant Awards, determine the type, number, and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards, prescribe Award agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, construe and interpret the Plan and Award agreements and correct defects, supply omissions, or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and to make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Board shall perform the functions of the Committee for purposes of granting Awards under the Plan to non-employee directors, and may perform any function of the Committee under the Plan for any other purpose (subject to Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350(c)(3)), including for the purpose of ensuring that transactions under the Plan by Participants who are then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company are exempt under Rule 16b-3. In any case in which the Board is performing a function of the Committee under the Plan, each reference to the Committee herein shall be deemed to refer to the Board, except where the context otherwise requires. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its subsidiaries, Participants, Beneficiaries, transferees under Section 10(b) hereof, or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant, and stockholders.

 

(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority.  The Committee may act through subcommittees, including for purposes of perfecting exemptions under Rule 16b-3 or qualifying Awards under Code Section 162(m) as performance-based compensation, in which case the subcommittee shall be subject to and have authority under the charter applicable to the Committee, and the acts of the subcommittee shall

 



 

be deemed to be acts of the Committee hereunder. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions, including administrative functions, as the Committee may determine, to the fullest extent permitted under Section 157 and other applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.

 

(c) Limitation of Liability.  The Committee and each member thereof, and any person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, shall be entitled, in good faith, to rely or act upon any report or other information furnished by any executive officer, other officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, the Company’s independent auditors, consultants or any other agents assisting in the administration of the Plan. Members of the Committee, any person acting pursuant to authority delegated by the Committee, and any officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee or a delegee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.

 

4.  Shares Available Under the Plan.

 

(a) Number of Shares Available for Delivery.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c) hereof, the total number of shares of Stock reserved and available for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be (i) 8,500,000 plus the number of shares that, under the Preexisting Plan, were available at the Effective Date or thereafter have or will become available (the “Initial Shares”), provided that the maximum number of Initial Shares available for delivery in connection with Awards other than Options, SARs and Dividend Equivalents paid in cash (collectively, “Full-Value Awards”) that were outstanding on April 24, 2008 or thereafter become outstanding shall be 2,000,000, plus (ii) 5,000,000 (the “Additional Shares”), provided that the maximum number of Additional Shares available for delivery in connection with Full-Value Awards under the Plan shall be 3,250,000(1). Any shares of Stock delivered under the Plan shall consist of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.

 

(b) Share Counting Rules.  Subject to the provisions of this Section 4(b), the Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award. Any shares which are (i) underlying an Option or SAR which is cancelled or terminated without having been exercised, including due to expiration or forfeiture, (ii) subject to Full-Value Awards which are cancelled, terminated or forfeited, (iii) not delivered to a Participant because all or a portion of the Full-Value Awards is settled in cash or (iv) withheld in connection with a Full-Value Award to satisfy tax withholding obligations, shall in each case again be available for Awards under the Plan (with shares subject to Full-Value Awards again available for those types of Awards); provided, however, that shares shall not become available under this Section 4(b) in an event that would constitute a “material amendment” of the Plan subject to shareholder approval under Marketplace Rule 4350(i) and other applicable rules of the

 


(1)   The current aggregate share limit is (1) 8,500,000 shares plus the number of shares that, under the Preexisting Plan, were available at the Effective Date or thereafter have or will become available under applicable share counting rules (of which no more than 2,000,000 are available for delivery in connection with Full-Value Awards that were outstanding on April 24, 2008 or thereafter become outstanding), plus (2) 3,000,000 shares (of which no more than 1,250,000 are available for delivery in connection with Full-Value Awards). Stockholders are being asked to increase the share limit in clause (2) above by 2,000,000 shares (from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 shares, of which no more than 3,250,000 would be available for delivery in connection with Full-Value Awards).

 

 



 

Nasdaq National Market. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any shares subject to an Option or SAR shall be deemed to be delivered upon exercise with respect to the underlying shares even if the net number of shares delivered to the Participant is less than the number of shares underlying the Award (as would occur, for example, upon a net exercise of Options, upon a settlement of SARs in cash or for a net number of shares, upon a stock-for-stock exercise of Options or upon share withholding to satisfy tax obligations upon exercise of Options or SARs). Shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds from the exercise of an Option may not again be made available for Awards under the Plan. For purposes of determining the number of Shares that become available under the Preexisting Plan, the share counting rules of this Plan shall apply. The payment of cash dividends and Dividend Equivalents in conjunction with outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the shares available for Awards under the Plan. In addition, in the case of any Award granted in substitution for an award of a company or business acquired by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, shares issued or issuable in connection with such substitute Award shall not be counted against the number of shares reserved under the Plan, but shall be available under the Plan by virtue of the Company’s assumption of the plan or arrangement of the acquired company or business. This Section 4(b) shall apply to the number of shares reserved and available for ISOs only to the extent consistent with applicable regulations relating to ISOs under the Code. Because shares will count against the number reserved in Section 4(a) upon delivery (or later vesting) and subject to the share counting rules under this Section 4(b), the Committee may determine that Awards may be outstanding that relate to more shares than the aggregate remaining available under the Plan, so long as Awards will not result in delivery and vesting of shares in excess of the number then available under the Plan.

 

5.  Eligibility; Per-Person Award Limitations.

 

(a) Grants to Eligible Persons.  Awards may be granted under the Plan only to Eligible Persons.

 

(b) Annual Per-Person Award Limitations.  In each calendar year during any part of which the Plan is in effect, an Eligible Person may be granted Awards under each of Sections 6(b), 6(c), 6(d), 6(e), 6(f), 6(g), and 6(h) (including Performance Awards under Section 7 based on Awards authorized by each referenced subsection) relating to a number of shares of Stock up to his or her Annual Limit. A Participant’s Annual Limit, in any year during any part of which the Participant is then eligible under the Plan, shall equal 1,500,000 shares plus the amount of the Participant’s unused Annual Limit relating to the same type of Award as of the close of the previous year, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10(c). In the case of a cash-denominated Award for which the limitation set forth in the preceding sentence would not operate as an effective limitation satisfying Treasury Regulation 1.162-27(e)(4) (including a cash Performance Award under Section 7), an Eligible Person may not be granted Awards authorizing the earning during any calendar year of an amount that exceeds the Participant’s Annual Limit, which for this purpose shall equal $3,000,000 plus the amount of the Participant’s unused cash Annual Limit as of the close of the previous year (this limitation is separate and not affected by the number of Awards granted during such calendar year subject to the limitation in the preceding sentence). For this purpose, (i) “earning” means satisfying performance conditions so that an amount becomes payable, without regard to whether it is to be paid currently or on a deferred basis or continues to be subject to any service requirement or other non-performance condition, and (ii) a Participant’s Annual Limit is used to the extent a cash amount or number of shares may be potentially earned or paid under an Award, regardless of whether such amount or shares are in fact earned or paid.

 



 

6.  Specific Terms of Awards.

 

(a) General.  Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Sections 10(e) and 10(h)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award. The Committee shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive or modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under the Plan. The Committee shall require the payment of lawful consideration for an Award to the extent necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Delaware General Corporation Law, and may otherwise require payment of consideration for an Award except as limited by the Plan.

 

(b) Options.  The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(i) Exercise Price.  The exercise price per share of Stock purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that such exercise price shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of such Option except as provided under Section 8(a) hereof. In addition, in connection with a merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Committee may grant Options with an exercise price per share less than the market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant if such Options are granted in exchange for, or upon conversion of, options to purchase capital stock of any other entity which is a party to such merger, consolidation or reorganization.

 

(ii) Time and Method of Exercise.  The Committee shall determine the time or times at which or the circumstances under which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid, the form of such payment (subject to Section 10(h) and (i)), including, without limitation, cash, Stock (including Stock deliverable upon exercise, if such withholding will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company), other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or other property (including through broker-assisted “cashless exercise” arrangements, to the extent permitted by applicable law), and the methods by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered in satisfaction of Options to Participants (including, to the extent permitted under Code Section 409A, deferred delivery of shares as mandated by the Committee, with such deferred shares subject to any vesting, forfeiture or other terms as the Committee may specify).

 

(iii) ISOs.  The terms of any ISO granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Code Section 422. Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no term of the Plan relating to ISOs (including any SAR in tandem therewith) shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted under the Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify either the Plan or any ISO under Code Section 422, unless the Participant has first consented to the change that will result in such disqualification. ISOs may be granted only to employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of the Stock with respect to which ISOs granted under this Plan and all other plans of the Company and any subsidiary are first exercisable by any employee during any calendar year shall exceed the maximum limit (currently, $100,000), if any, imposed from time to time under Code Section 422, such Options shall be treated as Options that are not ISOs.

 



 

(c) Stock Appreciation Rights.  The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(i) Right to Payment.  A SAR shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise (or, in the case of a “Limited SAR,” the Fair Market Value determined by reference to the Change in Control Price, as defined under Section 9(c) hereof) over (B) the grant price of the SAR as determined by the Committee, which grant price shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of such SAR.

 

(ii) Other Terms.  The Committee shall determine, at the date of grant or thereafter, the term of each SAR, provided that in no event shall the term of an SAR exceed a period of ten years from the date of grant, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which an SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not an SAR shall be in tandem or in combination with any other Award, whether or not the SAR will be a 409A Award or Non-409A Award (cash SARs will in all cases be 409A Awards), and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. Limited SARs that may only be exercised in connection with a Change in Control, termination of service following a Change in Control, or other event as specified by the Committee may be granted on such terms, not inconsistent with this Section 6(c), as the Committee may determine. SARs and Limited SARs may be either freestanding or in tandem with other Awards. The Committee may require that an outstanding Option be exchanged for an SAR exercisable for Stock having vesting, expiration, and other terms substantially the same as the Option, so long as such exchange will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company.

 

(d) Restricted Stock.  The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(i) Grant and Restrictions.  Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine at the date of grant or thereafter. Except to the extent restricted under the terms of the Plan and any Award agreement relating to the Restricted Stock, a Participant granted Restricted Stock shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote the Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirement imposed by the Committee). During the restricted period applicable to the Restricted Stock, subject to Section 10(b) below, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, margined, or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.

 

(ii) Forfeiture.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Stock.

 

(iii) Certificates for Stock.  Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Committee may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, that the

 



 

Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and/or that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.

 

(iv) Dividends and Splits.  As a condition to the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock, the Committee may require that any cash dividends paid on a share of Restricted Stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock or applied to the purchase of additional Awards under the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Stock distributed in connection with a Stock split or Stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Stock or other property has been distributed.

 

(e) Deferred Stock.  The Committee is authorized to grant Deferred Stock to Participants, which are rights to receive Stock at the end of a specified deferral period, subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

(i) Award and Restrictions.  Settlement of an Award of Deferred Stock shall occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Deferred Stock by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). In addition, Deferred Stock shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine.

 

(ii) Forfeiture.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award agreement evidencing the Deferred Stock), all Deferred Stock that is at that time subject to deferral (other than a deferral at the election of the Participant) shall be forfeited; provided that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Deferred Stock shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Deferred Stock. Deferred Stock subject to a risk of forfeiture may be called “restricted stock units” or otherwise designated by the Committee.

 

(iii) Dividend Equivalents.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at date of grant, Dividend Equivalents on the specified number of shares of Stock covered by an Award of Deferred Stock shall be either (A) paid with respect to such Deferred Stock at the dividend payment date in cash or in shares of unrestricted Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or (B) deferred with respect to such Deferred Stock and the amount or value thereof automatically deemed reinvested in additional Deferred Stock, other Awards or other investment vehicles, as the Committee shall determine or permit the Participant to elect.

 

(f) Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations.  The Committee is authorized to grant Stock as a bonus, or to grant Stock or other Awards in lieu of obligations of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate to pay cash or deliver other property under the Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the Committee.

 

(g) Dividend Equivalents.  The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to a Participant, entitling the Participant to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equivalent to all or a portion of the dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Stock, Awards, or other investment vehicles, and subject to restrictions on transferability, risks of forfeiture and such other terms as the Committee may specify.

 



 

(h) Other Stock-Based Awards.  The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified subsidiaries. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Stock delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine.

 

7.  Performance Awards, Including Annual Incentive Awards

 

(a) Performance Awards Generally.  The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards on the terms and conditions specified in this Section 7. Performance Awards may be denominated as a cash amount, number of shares of Stock, or specified number of other Awards (or a combination) which may be earned upon achievement or satisfaction of performance conditions specified by the Committee. In addition, the Committee may specify that any other Award shall constitute a Performance Award by conditioning the right of a Participant to exercise the Award or have it settled, or the timing thereof, upon achievement or satisfaction of such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions, and may exercise its discretion to reduce or increase the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions, except as limited under Sections 7(b) and 7(c) in the case of a Performance Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m).

 

(b) Performance Awards Granted to Covered Employees.  If the Committee determines that a Performance Award to be granted to an Eligible Person who is designated by the Committee as a Covered Employee should qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Award shall be contingent upon achievement of a preestablished performance goal and other terms set forth in this Section 7(b).

 

(i) Performance Goals Generally.  The performance goal for such Performance Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee consistent with this Section 7(b). The performance goal shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder (including Treasury Regulation 1.162-27 and successor regulations thereto), including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being “substantially uncertain.” The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards shall be granted, exercised and/or settled upon achievement of any one performance goal or that two or more of the performance goals must be achieved as a condition to grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Awards. Performance goals may differ for Performance Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants.

 

(ii) Business Criteria.  One or more of the following business criteria for the Company, on a consolidated basis, and/or for specified subsidiaries or affiliates or other business units or lines of business of the Company shall be used by the Committee in establishing performance goals for such Performance Awards: (1) earnings per share (basic or fully diluted); (2) revenues; (3) earnings, before or after taxes, from operations (generally or specified operations), before or after interest expense, depreciation, amortization, incentives, or extraordinary or special items; (4) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on investment (discounted or otherwise), net cash provided by operations, or cash flow

 



 

in excess of cost of capital; (5) return on net assets, return on assets, return on investment, return on capital, return on equity; (6) economic value created; (7) operating margin or operating expense; (8) net income; (9) Stock price or total stockholder return; and (10) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, new products, ventures or facilities, cost targets, internal controls, compliance, customer satisfaction and services, human resources management, supervision of litigation and information technology, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures of subsidiaries, affiliates, joint ventures or facilities. The targeted level or levels of performance with respect to such business criteria may be established at such levels and in such terms as the Committee may determine, in its discretion, including in absolute terms, as a goal relative to performance in prior periods, or as a goal compared to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index covering multiple companies.

 

(iii) Performance Period; Timing for Establishing Performance Goals; Per-Person Limit.  Achievement of performance goals in respect of such Performance Awards shall be measured over a performance period of up to one year or more than one year, as specified by the Committee. A performance goal shall be established not later than the earlier of (A) 90 days after the beginning of any performance period applicable to such Performance Award or (B) the time 25% of such performance period has elapsed. In all cases, the maximum Performance Award of any Participant shall be subject to the limitation set forth in Section 5(b).

 

(iv) Performance Award Pool.  The Committee may establish a Performance Award pool, which shall be an unfunded pool, for purposes of measuring performance of the Company or a business unit in connection with Performance Awards. The amount of such Performance Award pool shall be based upon the achievement of a performance goal or goals based on one or more of the business criteria set forth in Section 7(b)(ii) during the given performance period, as specified by the Committee in accordance with Section 7(b)(i). The Committee may specify the amount of the Performance Award pool as a percentage of any of such business criteria, a percentage thereof in excess of a threshold amount, or as another amount which need not bear a strictly mathematical relationship to such business criteria.

 

(v) Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms.  Settlement of such Performance Awards shall be in cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its discretion, increase or reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with such Performance Awards, but may not exercise discretion to increase any such amount payable to a Covered Employee in respect of a Performance Award subject to this Section 7(b). Any settlement which changes the form of payment from that originally specified shall be implemented in a manner such that the Performance Award and other related Awards do not, solely for that reason, fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m). The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of employment by the Participant or other event (including a Change in Control) prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of such Performance Awards; any resulting payments need not qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) if the authorization of such non-qualifying payments would not otherwise disqualify the Performance Award apart from the termination or change in control.

 

(c) Annual Incentive Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees.  The Committee may grant a Performance Award in the form of an Annual Incentive Award to an Eligible Person who is designated by the Committee as likely to be a Covered Employee. Such Annual Incentive Award will be intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m), and therefore its grant, exercise and/or settlement shall be contingent upon achievement of preestablished performance goals and shall comply with the other requirements set forth in Section 7(b).

 


 

(d) Written Determinations.  Determinations by the Committee as to the establishment of performance goals, the amount potentially payable in respect of Performance Awards, the level of actual achievement of the specified performance goals relating to Performance Awards and the amount of any final Performance Award shall be recorded in writing in the case of Performance Awards intended to qualify under Section 162(m). Specifically, the Committee shall certify in writing, in a manner conforming to applicable regulations under Section 162(m), prior to settlement of each such Award granted to a Covered Employee, that the performance objective relating to the Performance Award and other material terms of the Award upon which settlement of the Award was conditioned have been satisfied.

 

8.  Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.

 

(a) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards.  Subject to the restrictions on “repricing” set forth in Section 10(e), Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, any other Award or any award granted under another plan of the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate; provided, however, that a 409A Award may not be granted in tandem with a Non-409A Award. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards may be granted either as of the same time as or a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

 

(b) Term of Awards.  The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR exceed a period of ten years (or, in the case of an ISO, such shorter term as may be required under Code Section 422).

 

(c) Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals.  Subject to the terms of the Plan (including Sections 10(h) and (i)) and any applicable Award agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a subsidiary upon the exercise of an Option or other Award or settlement of an Award may be made in cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis. The settlement of any Award may be accelerated in the discretion of the Committee or upon occurrence of one or more specified events (in addition to a Change in Control, subject to Sections 10(h) and (i)). Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee (subject to Section 10(e) of the Plan, including the consent provisions thereof in the case of any deferral of an outstanding Award not provided for in the original Award agreement) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock. Any payment deferred pursuant to this Section 8(c) shall represent only an unfunded, unsecured promise by the Company to pay the amount credited thereto to the Participant in the future. In the case of any 409A Award that is vested and no longer subject to a risk of forfeiture (within the meaning of Code Section 83) and deferred at the election of the Participant, such Award will be distributed to the Participant, upon application of the Participant, if the Participant has had an unforeseeable emergency within the meaning of Code Sections 409A(a)(2)(A)(vi) and 409A(a)(2)(B)(ii), in accordance with Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(ii).

 



 

(d) Additional Award Forfeiture Provisions.  The Committee may condition a Participant’s right to receive a grant of an Award, to exercise the Award, to retain Stock acquired in connection with an Award, or to retain the profit or gain realized by a Participant in connection with an Award, including cash received upon sale of Stock acquired in connection with an Award, upon compliance by the Participant with specified conditions relating to non-competition, confidentiality of information relating to the Company, non-solicitation of customers, suppliers, and employees of the Company, cooperation in litigation, non-disparagement of the Company and its officers, directors and affiliates, and other restrictions upon or covenants of the Participant, including during specified periods following termination of employment or service to the Company.

 

(e) Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability.  With respect to a Participant who is then subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company, the Committee shall implement transactions under the Plan and administer the Plan in a manner that will ensure that each transaction with respect to such a Participant is exempt from liability under Rule 16b-3 or otherwise not subject to liability under Section 16(b), except that this provision shall not limit sales by such a Participant, and such a Participant may elect to engage in other non-exempt transactions under the Plan. The Committee may authorize the Company to repurchase any Award or shares of Stock deliverable or delivered in connection with any Award (subject to Section 10(i)) in order to avoid a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act incurring liability under Section 16(b). Unless otherwise specified by the Participant, equity securities or derivative securities acquired under the Plan which are disposed of by a Participant shall be deemed to be disposed of in the order acquired by the Participant.

 

9.  Change in Control.

 

(a) Effect of “Change in Control.”  In the event of a “Change in Control,” the following provisions shall apply unless otherwise provided in the Award agreement:

 

(i) Any Award carrying a right to exercise that was not previously exercisable and vested shall become fully exercisable and vested as of the time of the Change in Control;

 

(ii) If any optionee holds an Option immediately prior to a Change in Control that was not previously exercisable and vested in full throughout the 60-day period preceding the Change in Control, he shall be entitled to elect, during the 60-day period following the Change in Control, in lieu of acquiring the shares of Stock covered by the portion of the Option that was not vested and exercisable within such 60-day period, to receive, and the Company shall be obligated to pay, in cash the excess of the Change in Control Price over the exercise price of such Option, multiplied by the number of shares of Stock covered by such portion of the Option;

 

(iii) The restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to any other Award granted under the Plan shall lapse and such Awards shall be deemed fully vested as of the time of the Change in Control, except to the extent of any waiver by the Participant and subject to applicable restrictions set forth in Section 10(a) hereof; and

 

(iv) With respect to any outstanding Award subject to achievement of performance goals and conditions under the Plan, such performance goals and other conditions will be deemed to be met if and to the extent so provided by the Committee in the Award agreement relating to such Award.

 

The foregoing notwithstanding, any benefit or right provided under this Section 9 in the case of any non-409A Award shall be limited to those benefits and rights permitted under Code Section 409A, and any benefit or right provided under this Section 9 that would result in a distribution of a 409A Award at a time or in a manner not permitted by Section 409A shall be limited to the extent necessary so that the distribution is permitted under Section 409A. For this purpose, the distribution of a 409A Award (i) triggered by a Change in Control will remain authorized if the Change in Control also constitutes a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company, within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v), and (ii) triggered by

 



 

a termination of employment with or service to the Company or a subsidiary following a Change in Control by a specified employee, within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), will remain authorized to occur six months after such termination.

 

(b) Definition of “Change in Control.”  A “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(i) when any “person” as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and as used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act but excluding the Company and any subsidiary and any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary (including any trustee of such plan acting as trustee), directly or indirectly, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing at least 40% percent (or such greater percentage as the Committee may specify in connection with the grant of any Award) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities; or

 

(ii) the occurrence of a transaction requiring stockholder approval for the acquisition of the Company by an entity other than the Company or a subsidiary by merger or otherwise or for the purchase by an entity other than the Company or a subsidiary of substantially all of the assets of the Company.

 

(c) Definition of “Change in Control Price.”  The “Change in Control Price” means an amount in cash equal to the higher of (i) the amount of cash and fair market value of property that is the highest price per share paid (including extraordinary dividends) in any transaction triggering the Change in Control, or (ii) the highest Fair Market Value per share at any time during the 60-day period preceding the Change in Control.

 

10.  General Provisions.

 

(a) Compliance with Legal and Other Requirements.  The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee and subject to Section 10(h), postpone the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or qualification of such Stock or other required action under any federal or state law, rule, or regulation, listing or other required action with respect to any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Stock or other securities of the Company are listed or quoted, or compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of other benefits in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other obligations. The foregoing notwithstanding, in connection with a Change in Control, the Company shall take or cause to be taken no action, and shall undertake or permit to arise no legal or contractual obligation, that results or would result in any postponement of the issuance or delivery of Stock or payment of benefits under any Award or the imposition of any other conditions on such issuance, delivery or payment, to the extent that such postponement or other condition would represent a greater burden on a Participant than existed on the 90th day preceding the Change in Control.

 

(b) Limits on Transferability; Beneficiaries.  No Award or other right or interest of a Participant under the Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation or liability of such Participant to any party, or assigned or transferred by such Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Participant, and such Awards or rights that may be exercisable shall be exercised during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant or his or her guardian or legal representative, except that Awards and other rights (other than ISOs and SARs in tandem therewith) may be transferred for estate planning purposes to one or more Beneficiaries or other transferees during the lifetime of the Participant, and may be exercised by such

 



 

transferees in accordance with the terms of such Award, but only if and to the extent such transfers are permitted by the Committee pursuant to the express terms of an Award agreement (subject to any terms and conditions which the Committee may impose thereon). A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.

 

(c) Adjustments.  In the event that any large, special and non-recurring dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash or property other than Stock), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, Stock dividend, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Stock such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate or, in the case of any outstanding Award, necessary in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of the Participant, then the Committee shall, in such equitable manner as it may determine, adjust any or all of (A) the number and kind of shares of Stock which may be delivered in connection with Awards granted thereafter, (B) the number and kind of shares of Stock by which annual per-person Award limitations are measured under Section 5(b), (C) the number and kind of shares of Stock subject to or deliverable in respect of outstanding Awards and (D) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, the Committee may make provision for a payment of cash or property to the holder of an outstanding Option (subject to Section 10(i)). In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including Performance Awards and performance goals and any hypothetical funding pool relating thereto) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate or other business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committee’s assessment of the business strategy of the Company, any subsidiary or affiliate or business unit thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business conditions, personal performance of a Participant, and any other circumstances deemed relevant; provided that no such adjustment shall be authorized or made if and to the extent that the existence of such authority (A) would cause Options, SARs, or Performance Awards granted under Section 7 to Participants designated by the Committee as Covered Employees and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder to otherwise fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder, or (B) would cause the Committee to be deemed to have authority to change the targets, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation 1.162-27(e)(4)(vi), under the performance goals relating to Options or SARs granted to Covered Employees and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder; and provided further, that adjustments to Non-409A Awards will be made only to the extent permitted under 409A.

 

(d) Taxes.  The Company and any subsidiary is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under the Plan, including from a distribution of Stock, or any payroll or other payment to a Participant, amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Stock or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participant’s tax obligations, either on a mandatory or elective basis, in the discretion of the Committee, or in satisfaction of other tax obligations if such withholding will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company. Other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, only the minimum amount of Stock deliverable in connection with an Award necessary to satisfy statutory withholding requirements will be withheld, unless

 



 

withholding of any additional amount of Stock will not result in additional accounting expense to the Company.

 

(e) Changes to the Plan and Awards.  The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under the Plan without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to the Plan shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders not later than the annual meeting the record date for which is at or following the date of such Board action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such changes to the Plan to stockholders for approval; provided that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. (For this purpose, actions that alter the timing of federal income taxation of a Participant will not be deemed material unless such action results in an income tax penalty on the Participant.) The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any Award agreement relating thereto; provided that the Committee shall have no authority to waive or modify any Award term after the Award has been granted to the extent the waived or modified term would be mandatory under the Plan for any Award newly granted at the date of the waiver or modification; and provided further, that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under such Award. Without the prior approval of stockholders, the Committee will not amend or replace previously granted Options in a transaction that constitutes a “repricing.” For this purpose, a “repricing” means: (1) amending the terms of an Option or SAR after it is granted to lower its exercise price, except pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof; (2) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles; and (3) repurchasing for cash or canceling an Option or SAR at a time when its exercise or grant price is equal to or greater than the fair market value of the underlying Stock, in exchange for another Option, Restricted Stock, or other equity, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, spin-off or other similar corporate transaction. A cancellation and exchange described in clause (3) of the preceding sentence will be considered a repricing regardless of whether the Option, Restricted Stock or other equity is delivered simultaneously with the cancellation, regardless of whether it is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles, and regardless of whether it is voluntary on the part of the Option holder.

 

(f) Limitation on Rights Conferred under Plan.  Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or a subsidiary, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or a subsidiary to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment or service at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and employees, or (iv) conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of an Award.

 

(g) Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts.  The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant or obligation to deliver Stock pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts and deposit therein cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan. Such trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant. The trustee of such trusts may be authorized to dispose of trust assets and reinvest the proceeds in alternative investments, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may specify and in accordance with applicable law.

 



 

(h) Certain Limitations on Awards to Ensure Compliance with Section 409A.  For purposes of this Plan, references to an Award term or event (including any authority or right of the Company or a Participant) being “permitted” under Section 409A mean, for a 409A Award, that the term or event will not cause the Participant to be liable for payment of interest or a tax penalty under Section 409A and, for a Non-409A Award, that the term or event will not cause the Award to be treated as subject to Section 409A. Other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, the terms of any 409A Award and any Non-409A Award, including any authority of the Company and rights of the Participant with respect to the Award, shall be limited to those terms permitted under Section 409A, and any terms not permitted under Section 409A shall be automatically modified and limited to the extent necessary to conform with Section 409A. For this purpose, other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, the Company shall have no authority to accelerate distributions relating to 409A Awards in excess of the authority permitted under Section 409A, any distribution subject to Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) (separation from service) to a “key employee” as defined under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), shall not occur earlier than the earliest time permitted under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and any authorization of payment of cash to settle a Non-409A Award shall apply only to the extent permitted under Section 409A for such Award. Non-409A Awards that are “grandfathered” under Section 409A and that, but for such grandfathered status, would be deemed 409A Awards shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan as amended and restated as of May 5, 2005 other than Sections 6(b)(ii) and 6(c)(ii), provided that if any provision adopted by amendment to the Plan or an Award Agreement after October 3, 2004, would constitute a material modification of a grandfathered Non-409A Award, such provision will not be effective as to such Award unless so stated by the Committee in writing with specific reference to this last sentence of Section 10(h).

 

(i) Certain Limitations Relating to Accounting Treatment of Awards.  At any time that the Company is accounting for stock-denominated Awards (other than SARs) under Accounting Principles Board Opinion 25 (“APB 25”), the Company intends that, with respect to such Awards, the compensation measurement date for accounting purposes shall occur at the date of grant or the date performance conditions are met if an Award is fully contingent on achievement of performance goals, unless the Committee specifically determines otherwise. Therefore, other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, in order to preserve this fundamental objective of the Plan, if any authority granted to the Committee hereunder or any provision of the Plan or an Award agreement would result, under APB 25, in “variable” accounting or a measurement date other than the date of grant or the date such performance conditions are met with respect to such Awards, if the Committee was not specifically aware of such accounting consequence at the time such Award was granted or provision otherwise became effective, such authority shall be limited and such provision shall be automatically modified and reformed to the extent necessary to preserve the accounting treatment of the award intended by the Committee, subject to Section 10(e) of the Plan. This provision shall cease to be effective if and at such time as the Company elects to no longer account for equity compensation under APB 25.

 

(j) Nonexclusivity of the Plan.  Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable including incentive arrangements and awards which do not qualify under Code Section 162(m).

 

(k) Payments in the Event of Forfeitures; Fractional Shares.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event of a forfeiture of an Award with respect to which a Participant paid cash or other consideration, the Participant shall be repaid the amount of such cash or other consideration. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

 

(l) Awards to Participants Outside the United States.  The Committee may modify the terms of any Award under the Plan made to or held by a Participant who is then resident or primarily employed outside of the United States in any manner deemed by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate in order that

 



 

such Award shall conform to laws, regulations, and customs of the country in which the Participant is then resident or primarily employed, or so that the value and other benefits of the Award to the Participant, as affected by foreign tax laws and other restrictions applicable as a result of the Participant’s residence or employment abroad shall be comparable to the value of such an Award to a Participant who is resident or primarily employed in the United States. An Award may be modified under this Section 10(l) in a manner that is inconsistent with the express terms of the Plan, so long as such modifications will not contravene any applicable law or regulation or result in actual liability under Section 16(b) for the Participant whose Award is modified.

 

(m) Governing Law.  The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan, and any Award agreement shall be determined in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law, the contract and other laws of the State of New York without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws, and applicable federal law.

 

(n) Preexisting Plan.  Upon stockholder approval of the Plan as of the Effective Date, no further grants of Awards will be made under the Preexisting Plan.

 

(o) Plan Effective Date and Termination.  The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on April 24, 2003 and became effective upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders on the Effective Date. The Plan was amended and restated upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders on June 14, 2005. This amendment and restatement of the Plan shall be effective upon its approval by the Company’s stockholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting securities of the Company entitled to be cast in person or by proxy at the Company’s 2008 annual meeting of stockholders. Unless earlier terminated by action of the Board of Directors, the Plan will remain in effect until such time as no Stock remains available for delivery under the Plan and the Company has no further rights or obligations under the Plan with respect to outstanding Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that no new Awards may be granted more then ten years after the date of the latest approval of the Plan by stockholders of the Company.