If you become aware of any leak of material nonpublic information, whether inadvertent or otherwise, you should report the leak immediately to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.
D.Specific Material Developments. From time to time, material developments known only to a limited number of Company personnel may occur to cause the Company to impose on an appropriate group of Company personnel additional restrictions on trading. You will be notified if you become part of such a group, and you should not disclose to others the fact that you have been so notified and that restrictions on trading have been imposed.
Exceptions for Approved 10b5-1 Plans
Transactions in Company securities that are executed pursuant to a 10b5-1 plan (or modifications thereto) approved in writing in advance by the Chief Financial Officer are not subject to prohibition on trading on the basis of material nonpublic information or the restrictions in the attached Addendum relating to the pre-clearance approval process or window periods.
Rule 10b5-1 provides an affirmative defense from insider trading liability under the federal securities laws for trading plans that meet certain requirements. In general, a 10b5-1 plan must be entered into (or modified) in good faith, not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of the insider trading rules and during a time when you are not aware of material nonpublic information. The plan must also provide for a cooling-off period for at least the minimum period required under, and must comply with all other applicable provisions of, Rule 10b5-1(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Once the plan is adopted, you must not exercise any influence over the securities subject to the plan, including the amount of securities to be traded, the price at which they are traded or the date of the trade. The plan must either specify (including by formula) the amount, pricing and timing of the transactions in advance or delegate discretion on those matters to an independent party.
Additional Restrictions on Corporate Insiders
If you are a Corporate Insider (directors and Section 16 officers of the Company and other officers and key employees of the Company and any subsidiaries who have been designated as Corporate Insiders by the Chief Financial Officer), you are subject to additional restrictions on trading Company securities as set out in the attached Addendum. The Company may also, from time to time, impose on all or an appropriate group of Covered Persons additional restrictions on trading Company securities when circumstances warrant. These additional restrictions will be communicated by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
Disciplinary Action and Potential Civil and Criminal Penalties
A.Disciplinary Action. Company personnel who fail to comply with this Policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include ineligibility to participate in the Company’s equity incentive plans or termination of employment.
B.Civil and Criminal Penalties. The penalties for violating insider trading laws are severe. If you trade on (or tip) material nonpublic information, you are subject to civil penalties of up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided, criminal fines of up to $5,000,000 and up to 20 years imprisonment. If the Company fails to take appropriate steps to prevent insider trading, the Company and its directors, officers and other supervisory personnel may be subject to “controlling person” liability and potential civil and criminal penalties.
Material Information
There are various categories of information that are particularly sensitive and, as a general rule, will presumptively be considered material. Examples of such information include: