EXHIBIT 10.1
NUTRACEA
2010 Equity Incentive Plan
1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to provide incentives to attract, retain and motivate eligible persons whose present and potential contributions are important to the success of the Company, and any Parents and Subsidiaries that exist now or in the future, by offering them an opportunity to participate in the Company’s future performance through the grant of Awards. Capitalized terms not defined elsewhere in the text are defined in Section 24.
2. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
2.1 Number of Shares Available. Subject to Sections 2.6 and 18 and any other applicable provisions hereof, the total number of Shares reserved and available for grant and issuance pursuant to this Plan is 25,000,000 Shares, and such number will be subject to increase pursuant to the Automatic Annual Increase as defined and provided in Section 2.4 below.
2.2 Lapsed, Returned Awards. Shares subject to Awards, and Shares issued upon exercise of Awards, will again be available for grant and issuance in connection with subsequent Awards under this Plan to the extent such Shares: (i) are subject to issuance upon exercise of an Option granted under this Plan but which cease to be subject to the Option for any reason other than exercise of the Option; (ii) are subject to Awards granted under this Plan that are forfeited or are repurchased by the Company at the original issue price; (iii) are surrendered pursuant to an Exchange Program; or (iv) are subject to Awards granted under this Plan that otherwise terminate without such Shares being issued. Shares that have been issued under the Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Plan and will not become available for future issuance under the Plan; provided, however, that if Shares issued pursuant to Awards of Restricted Stock or Stock Bonus Shares are repurchased by the Company at the original issue price or are forfeited to the Company, then such Shares shall become available for future grant under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan.
2.3 Minimum Share Reserve. At all times the Company shall reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Shares as shall be required to satisfy the requirements of all outstanding Awards granted under this Plan and all other outstanding but unvested Awards granted under this Plan.
2.4 Automatic Share Reserve Increase. The number of Shares available for grant and issuance under the Plan shall automatically be increased as follows (“Automatic Annual Increase”): (i) on the first day of each January from 2011 through and including 2020, the number of Shares available for grant and issuance under this Plan shall be automatically increased by 5% of the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock issued and outstanding on the preceding December 31 (rounded to the nearest whole share); or (ii) a lesser number of Shares as determined by the Board before the start of a calendar year for which an increase applies.
2.5 Limitations. No more than 50,000,000 Shares shall be issued pursuant to the exercise of ISOs.
2.6 Adjustment of Shares. If the number of outstanding Shares is changed by a stock dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification or similar change in the capital structure of the Company, without consideration, then (a) the number of Shares reserved for issuance and future grant under the Plan set forth in Section 2.1, (b) the Exercise Prices of and number of Shares subject to outstanding Options, (c) the number of Shares subject to other outstanding Awards, (d) the maximum number of shares that may be issued as ISOs set forth in Section 2.5, (e)the number of Shares that are granted as Options to Outside Directors as set forth in Section 8 and (f) the maximum number of Shares that may be issued to an individual or to a new Employee in any one calendar year set forth in Section 3, shall be proportionately adjusted, subject to any required action by the Board or the stockholders of the Company and in compliance with applicable securities laws; provided that fractions of a Share will not be issued but will either be replaced by a cash payment equal to the Fair market Value of such fraction of a Share or will be rounded up (down in the case of ISOs) to the nearest whole Share, as determined by the Committee; and provided further that the Exercise Price of any Option may not be decreased to below the par value of the Shares.
3. ELIGIBILITY. ISOs may be granted only to Employees. All other Awards may be granted to Employees, Consultants, and Directors of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company; provided such Consultants, and Directors render bona fide services not in connection with the offer and sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction. No Participant will be eligible to receive more than 5,000,000 Shares in any calendar year under this Plan pursuant to the grant of Awards, except that new Employees of the Company or of a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company (including new Employees who are also officers and directors of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company) are eligible to receive up to a maximum of 10,000,000 Shares in the calendar year in which they commence their employment.
4. ADMINISTRATION.
4.1 Committee Composition; Authority. This Plan will be administered by the Committee or by the Board acting as the Committee. Subject to the general purposes, terms and conditions of this Plan, and to the direction of the Board, the Committee will have full power to implement and carry out this Plan except however, the Board shall establish the terms for the grant of Awards to Outside Directors. Without limiting the previous sentence, the Committee will have the authority to:
(a) construe and interpret this Plan, any Award Agreement and any other agreement or document executed pursuant to this Plan;
(b) prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan or any Award;
(c) select persons to receive Awards;
(d) determine the form and terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, the exercise price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on performance criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Committee will determine;
(e) determine the number of Shares or other consideration subject to Awards;
(f) determine the Fair Market Value in good faith, if necessary;
(g) determine whether Awards will be granted singly, in combination with, in tandem with, in replacement of, or as alternatives to, other Awards under this Plan or any other incentive or compensation plan of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company;
(h) grant waivers of Plan or Award conditions;
(i) determine the vesting, exercisability and payment of Awards;
(j) correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement;
(k) determine whether an Award has been earned;
(l) determine the terms and conditions of any, and to institute any, Exchange Program;
(m) reduce or waive any criteria with respect to Performance Factors;
(n) adjust Performance Factors to take into account changes in law and accounting or tax rules as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect the impact of extraordinary or unusual items, events or circumstances to avoid windfalls or hardships provided that such adjustments are consistent with the regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to persons whose compensation is subject to Section 162(m) of the Code; and
(o) make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan.
4.2 Committee Interpretation and Discretion. Any determination made by the Committee with respect to any Award shall be made in its sole discretion at the time of grant of the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of the Plan or Award, at any later time, and such determination shall be final and binding on the Company and all persons having an interest in any Award under the Plan. Any dispute regarding the interpretation of the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be submitted by the Participant or Company to the Committee for review. The resolution of such a dispute by the Committee shall be final and binding on the Company and the Participant. The Committee may delegate to one or more executive officers the authority to review and resolve disputes with respect to Awards held by Participants who are not Insiders, and such resolution shall be final and binding on the Company and the Participant.
4.3 Section 162(m) of the Code and Section 16 of the Exchange Act. When the Committee determines, at the Committee’s sole discretion, that it is necessary or desirable for an Award to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code the Committee shall include at least two persons who are “outside directors” (as defined under Section 162(m) of the Code) and at least two (or a majority if more than two then serve on the Committee) such “outside directors” shall approve the grant of such Award and timely determine (as applicable) the Performance Period and any Performance Factors upon which vesting or settlement of any portion of such Award is to be subject. When required by Section 162(m) of the Code, prior to settlement of any such Award at least two (or a majority if more than two then serve on the Committee) such “outside directors” then serving on the Committee shall determine and certify in writing the extent to which such Performance Factors have been timely achieved and the extent to which the Shares subject to such Award have thereby been earned. Awards granted to Insiders must be approved by two or more “non-employee directors” (as defined in the regulations promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act).
4.4 Delegation to an Officer. To the extent permissible by applicable law, the Board may delegate to one or more Officers the authority to do one or both of the following (i) designate Employees who are not Officers to be recipients of Awards and the terms thereof, and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Awards granted to such Employees; provided, however, that the Board resolutions regarding such delegation shall specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to the Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant an Award to himself or herself. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.4, the Board may not delegate to an Officer authority to determine the Fair Market Value pursuant to part (c) of the definition of Fair Market Value. The Board may delegate to one of more Officers the authority to renew and resolve disputes with respect to Awards held by Participants who are not an officer or director of the Company or any other person whose transactions in the Company’s common stock are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
5. OPTIONS. The Committee may grant Options to Participants and will determine whether such Options will be Incentive Stock Options within the meaning of the Code (“ISOs”) or Nonqualified Stock Options (“NQSOs”), the number of Shares subject to the Option, the Exercise Price of the Option, the period during which the Option may be exercised, and all other terms and conditions of the Option, subject to the following:
5.1 Option Grant. Each Option granted under this Plan will identify the Option as an ISO or an NQSO. An Option may be, but need not be, awarded upon satisfaction of such Performance Factors during any Performance Period as are set out in advance in the Participant’s individual Award Agreement. If the Option is being earned upon the satisfaction of Performance Factors, then the Committee will: (x) determine the nature, length and starting date of any Performance Period for each Option; and (y) select from among the Performance Factors to be used to measure the performance, if any. Performance Periods may overlap and Participants may participate simultaneously with respect to Options that are subject to different performance goals and other criteria.
5.2 Date of Grant. The date of grant of an Option will be the date on which the Committee makes the determination to grant such Option, or a specified future date. The Award Agreement and a copy of this Plan will be delivered to the Participant within a reasonable time after the granting of the Option.
5.3 Exercise Period. Options may be exercisable within the times or upon the conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement governing such Option; provided, however, that no Option will be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted; and provided further that no ISO granted to a person who, at the time the ISO is granted, directly or by attribution owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company (“Ten Percent Shareholder”) will be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date the ISO is granted. The Committee also may provide for Options to become exercisable at one time or from time to time, periodically or otherwise, in such number of Shares or percentage of Shares as the Committee determines.
5.4 Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of an Option will be determined by the Committee when the Option is granted; provided that: (i) the Exercise Price of an ISO will be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant and (ii) the Exercise Price of any ISO granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder will not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant. Payment for the Shares purchased must be made in accordance with Section 8 of the Plan and the Award Agreement.
5.5 Method of Exercise. Any Option granted hereunder will be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. An Option will be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) notice of exercise (in such form as the Committee may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Committee and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option will be issued in the name of the Participant. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company will issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 2.6 of the Plan. Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
5.6 Change of Control Transactions. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement for a particular Option, in the event of a Change of Control Transaction, the vesting of all Options granted to employees pursuant to this Section 5 shall accelerate and such Options will become exercisable in full immediately prior to the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction at such time and on such conditions as the Committee determines, and, unless otherwise determine by the Board, if such Options are not exercised on or prior to the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction, they shall terminate immediately following the consummation of a Change of Control Transaction.
5.7 Termination. The exercise of an Option will be subject to the following (except as may be otherwise provided in an Award Agreement):
(a) If the Participant is Terminated for any reason except for Cause or the Participant’s death or Disability, then the Participant may exercise such Participant’s Options only to the extent that such Options would have been exercisable by the Participant on the Termination Date no later than three (3) months after the Termination Date (or such shorter time period not less than thirty (30) days or longer time period not exceeding five (5) years as may be determined by the Committee, with any exercise beyond three (3) months after the Termination Date deemed to be an NQSO), but in any event no later than the expiration date of the Options.
(b) If the Participant is Terminated because of the Participant’s death (or the Participant dies within three (3) months after a Termination other than for Cause or because of the Participant’s Disability), then the Participant’s Options may be exercised only to the extent that such Options would have been exercisable by the Participant on the Termination Date and must be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative, or authorized assignee, no later than twelve (12) months after the Termination Date (or such shorter time period not less than six (6) months or longer time period not exceeding five (5) years as may be determined by the Committee), but in any event no later than the expiration date of the Options.
(c) If the Participant is Terminated because of the Participant’s Disability, then the Participant’s Options may be exercised only to the extent that such Options would have been exercisable by the Participant on the Termination Date and must be exercised by the Participant (or the Participant’s legal representative or authorized assignee) no later than twelve (12) months after the Termination Date (with any exercise beyond (a) three (3) months after the Termination Date when the Termination is for a Disability that is not a “permanent and total disability” as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, or (b) twelve (12) months after the Termination Date when the Termination is for a Disability that is a “permanent and total disability” as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, deemed to be exercise of an NQSO), but in any event no later than the expiration date of the Options.
(d) If the Participant is terminated for Cause, then Participant’s Options shall expire on such Participant’s Termination Date, or at such later time and on such conditions as are determined by the Committee, but in any no event later than the expiration date of the Options.
5.8 Limitations on Exercise. The Committee may specify a minimum number of Shares that may be purchased on any exercise of an Option, provided that such minimum number will not prevent any Participant from exercising the Option for the full number of Shares for which it is then exercisable.
5.9 Limitations on ISOs. With respect to Awards granted as ISOs, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which such ISOs are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), such Options will be treated as NQSOs. For purposes of this Section 5.8, ISOs will be taken into account in the order in which they were granted. The Fair Market Value of the Shares will be determined as of the time the Option with respect to such Shares is granted. In the event that the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder are amended after the Effective Date to provide for a different limit on the Fair Market Value of Shares permitted to be subject to ISOs, such different limit will be automatically incorporated herein and will apply to any Options granted after the effective date of such amendment.
5.10 Modification, Extension or Renewal. The Committee may modify, extend or renew outstanding Options and authorize the grant of new Options in substitution therefor, provided that any such action may not, without the written consent of a Participant, impair any of such Participant’s rights under any Option previously granted. Any outstanding ISO that is modified, extended, renewed or otherwise altered will be treated in accordance with Section 424(h) of the Code. Subject to Section 15 of this Plan, by written notice to affected Participants, the Committee may reduce the Exercise Price of outstanding Options without the consent of such Participants; provided, however, that the Exercise Price may not be reduced below the Fair Market Value on the date the action is taken to reduce the Exercise Price.
5.11 No Disqualification. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, no term of this Plan relating to ISOs will be interpreted, amended or altered, nor will any discretion or authority granted under this Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify this Plan under Section 422 of the Code or, without the consent of the Participant affected, to disqualify any ISO under Section 422 of the Code.
6. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS.
6.1 Awards of Restricted Stock. A Restricted Stock Award is an offer by the Company to sell to a Participant Shares that are subject to restrictions (“Restricted Stock”). The Committee will determine to whom an offer will be made, the number of Shares the Participant may purchase, the Purchase Price, the restrictions under which the Shares will be subject and all other terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Award, subject to the Plan.
6.2 Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement. All purchases under a Restricted Stock Award will be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Except as may otherwise be provided in an Award Agreement, a Participant accepts a Restricted Stock Award by signing and delivering to the Company an Award Agreement with full payment of the Purchase Price, within thirty (30) days from the date the Award Agreement was delivered to the Participant. If the Participant does not accept such Award within thirty (30) days, then the offer of such Restricted Stock Award will terminate, unless the Committee determines otherwise.
6.3 Purchase Price. The Purchase Price for a Restricted Stock Award will be determined by the Committee and may be less than Fair Market Value on the date the Restricted Stock Award is granted. Payment of the Purchase Price must be made in accordance with Section 8 of the Plan, and the Award Agreement.
6.4 Terms of Restricted Stock Awards. Restricted Stock Awards will be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose or are required by law. These restrictions may be based on completion of a specified number of years of service with the Company or upon completion of the performance goals based upon the Performance Factors, if any, during any Performance Period as set out in advance in the Participant’s Award Agreement. Prior to the grant of a Restricted Stock Award, the Committee shall: (a) determine the nature, length and starting date of any Performance Period for the Restricted Stock Award; (b) select from among the Performance Factors to be used to measure performance goals, if any; and (c) determine the number of Shares that may be awarded to the Participant. Performance Periods may overlap and a Participant may participate simultaneously with respect to Restricted Stock Awards that are subject to different Performance Periods and having different performance goals and other criteria.
6.5 Termination of Participant. Except as may be set forth in the Participant’s Award Agreement, vesting ceases on such Participant’s Termination Date (unless determined otherwise by the Committee).
7. STOCK BONUS AWARDS.
7.1 Awards of Stock Bonuses. A Stock Bonus Award is an award to an eligible person of Shares (which may consist of Restricted Stock) for services to be rendered or for past services already rendered to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary. All Stock Bonus Awards shall be made pursuant to an Award Agreement. No payment from the Participant will be required for Shares awarded pursuant to a Stock Bonus Award.
7.2 Terms of Stock Bonus Awards. The Committee will determine the number of Shares to be awarded to the Participant under a Stock Bonus Award and any restrictions thereon. These restrictions may be based upon completion of a specified number of years of service with the Company or upon satisfaction of performance goals based on Performance Factors during any Performance Period as set out in advance in the Participant’s Stock Bonus Agreement. If the Stock Bonus Award is to be earned upon the satisfaction of performance goals, the Committee shall: (a) determine the nature, length and starting date of any Performance Period for the Stock Bonus Award; (b) select from among the Performance Factors to be used to measure performance goals; and (c) determine the number of Shares that may be awarded to the Participant. Performance Periods may overlap and a Participant may participate simultaneously with respect to Stock Bonus Awards that are subject to different Performance Periods and different performance goals and other criteria.
7.3 Form of Payment to Participant. Payment may be made in the form of cash, whole Shares, or a combination thereof, based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares earned under a Stock Bonus Award on the date of payment, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.
7.4 Termination of Participation. Except as may be set forth in the Participant’s Award Agreement, vesting ceases on such Participant’s Termination Date (unless determined otherwise by the Committee).
8. PAYMENT FOR SHARE PURCHASES. Payment from a Participant for Shares purchased pursuant to this Plan may be made in cash or by check or, where expressly approved for the Participant by the Committee and where permitted by law (and to the extent not otherwise set forth in the applicable Award Agreement):
(a) by cancellation of indebtedness of the Company to the Participant;
(b) by surrender of shares of the Company held by the Participant that have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Award will be exercised or settled;
(c) by waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Participant for services rendered or to be rendered to the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company;
(d) by consideration received by the Company pursuant to a broker-assisted and/or same day sale (or other) cashless exercise program implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan;
(e) by any combination of the foregoing; or
(f) by any other method of payment as is permitted by applicable law.
9. AUTOMATIC GRANTS TO OUTSIDE DIRECTORS.
9.1 Eligibility. Outside Directors are eligible for Options granted pursuant to this Section 9. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 9 does not limit the ability of the Committee to grant discretionary Awards to Outside Directors.
9.2 Annual Grant. On the first business day of each calendar year, each Outside Director will be granted an Option to purchase two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) Shares, or such lesser number of Shares as determined by the Board. Any Outside Director that is initially appointed or elected to the Board following the first business day of a calendar year shall receive, on the date of such appointment or election, an Option to purchase a pro-rata number of the 250,000 Shares based on the number of months remaining in the calendar year from the date of such appointment or election (an “Appointment Grant”). Each Option granted pursuant to this Section 9.2 shall be called an “Annual Grant”.
9.3 Vesting and Exercisability.
(a) Vesting. Annual Grants shall vest and become exercisable as to 1/12 of the total Shares subject to the Annual Grant on each monthly anniversary of the date of grant, such that Annual Grants are fully vested and exercisable on first anniversary of the date of grant, so long as the Outside Director continuously remains a Director, Consultant or Employee of the Company. Notwithstanding the above, Appointment Grants shall vest monthly in equal amounts over the remaining months in the calendar year they were granted so as to be fully vested by the end of the calendar year.
(b) Change of Control Transactions. In the event of a Change of Control Transaction, the vesting of all Options granted to Outside Directors pursuant to this Section 9 shall accelerate and such Options will become exercisable in full immediately prior to the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction at such time and on such conditions as the Committee determines, and if such Options are not exercised on or prior to the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction, they shall terminate immediately following the consummation of the Change of Control Transaction.
9.4 Form of Option Grant. Each Option granted under this Section 9 shall be a NQSO and shall be evidenced by a Outside Director Stock Option Grant Agreement in such form as the Committee shall from time to time approve and which shall comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.
9.5 Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per Share of each Option granted under this Section 9 shall be the Fair Market Value of the Share on the date the Option is granted.
9.6 Termination of Option. Except as provided in Section 9.3(b) or this Section 9.6, each Option granted under this Section 9 shall expire ten (10) years after its date of grant. The date on which the Outside Director ceases to be a member of the Board, a Consultant or Employee of the Company shall be referred to as the “Outside Director Termination Date” for purposes of this Section 9.6. An Option may be exercised after the Outside Director Termination Date only as set forth below:
(a) Termination Generally. If the Outside Director ceases to be a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee of the Company for any reason except death or Disability, each Annual Grant, to the extent then vested pursuant to Section 9.3 above, then held by such Outside Director may be exercised by the Outside Director (or his or her legal representative) within three (3) months after the Outside Director Termination Date, but in no event later than the expiration date for the Annual Grant.
(b) Death. If the Outside Director ceases to be a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee of the Company because of his or her death, then each Annual Grant, to the extent then vested pursuant to Section 9.3 above, then held by such Outside Director, may be exercised by the Outside Director or his or her legal representative within twelve (12) months after the Outside Director Termination Date, but in no event later than the expiration date for the Annual Grant.
(c) Disability. If the Outside Director ceases to be a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee of the Company because of his or her Disability, then each Annual Grant, to the extent then vested pursuant to Section 9.3 above, then held by such Outside Director, may be exercised by the Outside Director or his or her legal representative within twelve (12) months after the Outside Director Termination Date, but in no event later than the expiration date for the Annual Grant.
10. WITHHOLDING TAXES.
10.1 Withholding Generally. Whenever Shares are to be issued in satisfaction of Awards granted under this Plan, the Company may require the Participant to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state, local and international withholding tax requirements prior to the delivery of Shares pursuant to exercise or settlement of any Award. Whenever payments in satisfaction of Awards granted under this Plan are to be made in cash, such payment will be net of an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable federal, state, local and international withholding tax requirements.
10.2 Stock Withholding. The Committee, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may require or permit a Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part by (without limitation) (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable cash or Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory amount required to be withheld, or (iii) delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory amount required to be withheld. The Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld or delivered will be determined as of the date that the taxes are required to be withheld.
11. TRANSFERABILITY. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution. If the Committee makes an Award transferable, such Award will contain such additional terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate. All Awards shall be exercisable: (i) during the Participant’s lifetime only by (A) the Participant, or (B) the Participant’s guardian or legal representative; and (ii) after the Participant’s death, by the legal representative of the Participant’s heirs or legatees.
12. PRIVILEGES OF STOCK OWNERSHIP; RESTRICTIONS ON SHARES.
12.1 Voting and Dividends. No Participant will have any of the rights of a shareholder with respect to any Shares until the Shares are issued to the Participant. After Shares are issued to the Participant, the Participant will be a shareholder and have all the rights of a shareholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote and receive all dividends or other distributions made or paid with respect to such Shares; provided, that if such Shares are Restricted Stock, then any new, additional or different securities the Participant may become entitled to receive with respect to such Shares by virtue of a stock dividend, stock split or any other change in the corporate or capital structure of the Company will be subject to the same restrictions as the Restricted Stock; provided, further, that the Participant will have no right to retain such stock dividends or stock distributions with respect to Shares that are repurchased at the Participant’s Purchase Price or Exercise Price, as the case may be, pursuant to Section 12.2.
12.2 Restrictions on Shares. At the discretion of the Committee, the Company may reserve to itself and/or its assignee(s) a right to repurchase (a “Right of Repurchase”) a portion of any or all Unvested Shares held by a Participant following such Participant’s Termination at any time within ninety (90) days after the later of the Participant’s Termination Date and the date the Participant purchases Shares under this Plan, for cash and/or cancellation of purchase money indebtedness, at the Participant’s Purchase Price or Exercise Price, as the case may be.
13. CERTIFICATES. All certificates for Shares or other securities delivered under this Plan will be subject to such stock transfer orders, legends and other restrictions as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable, including restrictions under any applicable federal, state or foreign securities law, or any rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC or any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares may be listed or quoted.
14. ESCROW; PLEDGE OF SHARES. To enforce any restrictions on a Participant’s Shares, the Committee may require the Participant to deposit all certificates representing Shares, together with stock powers or other instruments of transfer approved by the Committee, appropriately endorsed in blank, with the Company or an agent designated by the Company to hold in escrow until such restrictions have lapsed or terminated, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends referencing such restrictions to be placed on the certificates. Any Participant who is permitted to execute a promissory note as partial or full consideration for the purchase of Shares under this Plan will be required to pledge and deposit with the Company all or part of the Shares so purchased as collateral to secure the payment of the Participant’s obligation to the Company under the promissory note; provided, however, that the Committee may require or accept other or additional forms of collateral to secure the payment of such obligation and, in any event, the Company will have full recourse against the Participant under the promissory note notwithstanding any pledge of the Participant’s Shares or other collateral. In connection with any pledge of the Shares, the Participant will be required to execute and deliver a written pledge agreement in such form as the Committee will from time to time approve. The Shares purchased with the promissory note may be released from the pledge on a pro rata basis as the promissory note is paid.
15. REPRICING; EXCHANGE AND BUYOUT OF AWARDS. The Committee may reprice Options without prior stockholder approval. The Committee may, at any time or from time to time authorize the Company, in the case of an Option exchange, and with the consent of the respective Participants (unless not required pursuant to Section 5.9 of the Plan), to pay cash or issue new Awards in exchange for the surrender and cancellation of any, or all, outstanding Awards. The Committee may reduce the Exercise Price of outstanding Options without the consent of affected Participants by a written notice to them; provided, however, that the Exercise Price may not be reduced below the minimum Exercise Price necessary to avoid treatment as a “deferral of compensation” under Section 409A of the Code.
16. SECURITIES LAW AND OTHER REGULATORY COMPLIANCE. An Award will not be effective unless such Award is in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations of any governmental body, and the requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, as they are in effect on the date of grant of the Award and also on the date of exercise or other issuance. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, the Company will have no obligation to issue or deliver certificates for Shares under this Plan prior to: (a) obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and/or (b) completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any state or federal law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable. The Company will be under no obligation to register the Shares with the SEC or to effect compliance with the registration, qualification or listing requirements of any state securities laws, stock exchange or automated quotation system, and the Company will have no liability for any inability or failure to do so.
17. NO OBLIGATION TO EMPLOY. Nothing in this Plan or any Award granted under this Plan will confer or be deemed to confer on any Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or to continue any other relationship with, the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company to terminate Participant’s employment or other relationship at any time.
18. CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS.
18.1 Assumption or Replacement of Awards by Successor. In the event of a Corporate Transaction any or all outstanding Awards may be assumed or replaced by the successor corporation, which assumption or replacement shall be binding on all Participants. In the alternative, the successor corporation may substitute equivalent Awards or provide substantially similar consideration to Participants as was provided to stockholders (after taking into account the existing provisions of the Awards). The successor corporation may also issue, in place of outstanding Shares of the Company held by the Participant, substantially similar shares or other property subject to repurchase restrictions no less favorable to the Participant. In the event such successor or acquiring corporation (if any) refuses to assume, convert, replace or substitute Awards, as provided above, pursuant to a Corporate Transaction, then notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, such Awards will expire on such transaction at such time and on such conditions as the Board will determine; the Board (or, the Committee, if so designated by the Board) may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the vesting of such Awards in connection with a Corporate Transaction. In addition, in the event such successor or acquiring corporation (if any) refuses to assume, convert, replace or substitute Awards, as provided above, pursuant to a Corporate Transaction, the Committee will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that such Award will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, and such Award will terminate upon the expiration of such period. Awards need not be treated similarly in a Corporate Transaction.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 18.1, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may grant Awards that provide for acceleration upon a Corporate Transaction or in other events in the specific Award Agreements.
18.2 Assumption of Awards by the Company. The Company, from time to time, also may substitute or assume outstanding awards granted by another company, whether in connection with an acquisition of such other company or otherwise, by either; (a) granting an Award under this Plan in substitution of such other company’s award; or (b) assuming such award as if it had been granted under this Plan if the terms of such assumed award could be applied to an Award granted under this Plan. Such substitution or assumption will be permissible if the holder of the substituted or assumed award would have been eligible to be granted an Award under this Plan if the other company had applied the rules of this Plan to such grant. In the event the Company assumes an award granted by another company, the terms and conditions of such award will remain unchanged (except that the Purchase Price or the Exercise Price, as the case may be, and the number and nature of Shares issuable upon exercise or settlement of any such Award will be adjusted appropriately pursuant to Section 424(a) of the Code).
18.3 Outside Directors’ Awards. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, in the event of a Change of Control Transaction, the vesting of all Awards granted to Outside Directors shall accelerate and such Awards shall become exercisable (as applicable) in full prior to the consummation of such event at such times and on such conditions as the Committee determines.
19. ADOPTION AND SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. This Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s shareholders, consistent with applicable laws, within twelve (12) months before or after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board.
20. TERM OF PLAN/GOVERNING LAW. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, this Plan will become effective on the Effective Date and will terminate ten (10) years from the date this Plan is adopted by the Board. This Plan and all Awards granted hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California.
21. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF PLAN. The Board may at any time terminate or amend this Plan in any respect, including, without limitation, amendment of any form of Award Agreement or instrument to be executed pursuant to this Plan; provided, however, that the Board will not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, amend this Plan in any manner that requires such shareholder approval; provided further, that a Participant’s Award shall be governed by the version of this Plan then in effect at the time such Award was granted.
22. NONEXCLUSIVITY OF THE PLAN. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board, the submission of this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval, nor any provision of this Plan will be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such additional compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock awards and bonuses otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
23. INSIDER TRADING POLICY. Each Participant who receives an Award shall comply with any policy adopted by the Company from time to time covering transactions in the Company’s securities by Employees, officers and/or directors of the Company.
24. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Plan, and except as elsewhere defined herein, the following terms will have the following meanings:
“Award” means any award under the Plan, including any Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Bonus.
“Award Agreement” means, with respect to each Award, the written or electronic agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of the Award, which shall be in substantially a form (which need not be the same for each Participant) that the Committee has from time to time approved, and will comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Cause” means (a) the commission of an act of theft, embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty, (b) a breach of fiduciary duty to the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary, (c) a failure to materially perform the customary duties of Employee’s employment, (d) any unauthorized use or disclosure by the Participant of confidential information or trade secrets of the Company, or (e) any intentional misconduct by a Participant that adversely affects the business or affairs of the Company in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Company may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of a Participant.
“Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then-outstanding voting securities; (ii) the consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; or (iii) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company or a subsidiary with another corporation or any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which results in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation.
“Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or those persons to whom administration of the Plan, or part of the Plan, has been delegated as permitted by law.
“Company” means NutraCea, a California corporation, or any successor corporation.
“Consultant” means any person, including an advisor or independent contractor, engaged by the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary to render services to such entity.
“Corporate Transaction” means (a) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (b) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, (c) the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, (d) a merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation but after which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger (other than any stockholder that merges, or which owns or controls another corporation that merges, with the Company in such merger) cease to own their shares or other equity interest in the Company; or (e) any other transaction which qualifies as a “corporate transaction” under Section 424(a) of the Code wherein the stockholders of the Company give up all of their equity interest in the Company (except for the acquisition, sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the outstanding shares of the Company).
“Director” means a member of the Board.
“Disability” means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, provided, however, that except with respect to Awards granted as ISOs, the Committee in its discretion may determine whether a total and permanent disability exists in accordance with non-discriminatory and uniform standards adopted by the Committee from time to time, whether temporary or permanent, partial or total, as determined by the Committee.
“Effective Date” means the date of the Plan’s adoption by the Board.
“Employee” means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director’s fee by the Company will be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exercise Price” means the price at which a holder of an Option may purchase the Shares issuable upon exercise of an Option.
“Exchange Program” means a program pursuant to which outstanding Awards are surrendered, cancelled or exchanged for cash, the same type of Award or a different Award (or combination thereof).
“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a share of the Company’s Common Stock determined as follows:
(a) if such Common Stock is publicly traded and is then listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, its closing price on the date of determination on the OTC Bulletin Board or the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading, as applicable, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board or the Committee deems reliable;
(b) if such Common Stock is publicly traded but is neither listed nor admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or on the OTC Bulletin Board, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on the date of determination as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board or the Committee deems reliable; or
(c) if none of the foregoing is applicable, by the Board or the Committee in good faith and by taking into account such factors as may be required by applicable law.
“Insider” means an officer or director of the Company or any other person whose transactions in the Company’s Common Stock are (or would be if the Company’s Shares are not then publicly traded) subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
“Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Option” means an award of an option to purchase Shares pursuant to Section 5 or Section 9.
“Outside Director” means a Director who is not an Employee of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary.
“Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if each of such corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.
“Participant” means an Employee, Consultant or Director (including Outside Directors) who receives an Award under this Plan.
“Performance Factors” means the factors selected by the Committee, which may include, but are not limited to the, the following measures (whether or not in comparison to other peer companies) to determine whether the performance goals established by the Committee and applicable to Awards have been satisfied:
| · | Net revenue and/or net revenue growth; |
| · | Earnings per share and/or earnings per share growth; |
| · | Earnings before income taxes and amortization and/or earnings before income taxes and amortization growth; |
| · | Operating income and/or operating income growth; |
| · | Net income and/or net income growth; |
| · | Total stockholder return and/or total stockholder return growth; |
| · | Return on equity; |
| · | Operating cash flow return on income; |
| · | Adjusted operating cash flow return on income; |
| · | Economic value added; |
| · | Individual business objectives; and |
| · | Company specific operational metrics. |
“Performance Period” means the period of service determined by the Committee, not to exceed five (5) years, during which years of service or performance is to be measured for the Award.
“Plan” means this NutraCea 2010 Equity Incentive Plan.
“Purchase Price” means the price to be paid for Shares acquired under the Plan, other than Shares acquired upon exercise of an Option.
“Restricted Stock Award” means an award of Shares pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan, or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Shares” means shares of the Company’s Common Stock as adjusted pursuant to Sections 2 and 18, and any successor security.
“Stock Bonus” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.
“Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.
“Termination” or “Terminated” means, for purposes of this Plan with respect to a Participant, that the Participant has for any reason ceased to provide services as an employee, officer, director, consultant, independent contractor or advisor to the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. An employee will not be deemed to have ceased to provide services in the case of (i) sick leave, (ii) military leave, or (iii) any other leave of absence approved by the Committee; provided, that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute or unless provided otherwise pursuant to formal policy adopted from time to time by the Company and issued and promulgated to employees in writing. In the case of any employee on an approved leave of absence, the Committee may make such provisions respecting suspension of vesting of the Award while on leave from the employ of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company as it may deem appropriate, except that in no event may an Award be exercised after the expiration of the term set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. The Committee will have sole discretion to determine whether a Participant has ceased to provide services and the effective date on which the Participant ceased to provide services (the “Termination Date”).
“Unvested Shares” means Shares that have not yet vested or are subject to a right of repurchase in favor of the Company (or any successor thereto).