- Number of Shares and Type of Option
Each Agreement shall state the number of Common Shares to which it pertains and whether the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option;provided that:
- the number of Common Shares that may be reserved pursuant to the exercise of Options granted to any person shall not exceed 15% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Corporation;
- in the absence of action to the contrary by the Plan Administrator in connection with the grant of an Option, all Options shall be Non-Qualified Stock Options;
- the aggregate fair market value (determined at the Date of Grant, as defined below) of the Common Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Optionee during any calendar year (granted under this Plan and all other Incentive Stock Option plans of the Corporation, a Related Corporation or a predecessor corporation) shall not exceed U.S.$100,000, or such other limit as may be prescribed by the Code as it may be amended from time to time (the "Annual Limit"); and
- any portion of an Option which exceeds the Annual Limit shall not be void but rather shall be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
- Date of Grant
Each Agreement shall state the date the Plan Administrator has deemed to be the effective date of the Option for purposes of this Plan (the "Date of Grant").
- Option Price
Each Agreement shall state the price per Common Share at which it is exercisable. The Plan Administrator shall act in good faith to establish the exercise price in accordance with Applicable Laws;provided that:
- the per share exercise price for an Incentive Stock Option or any Option granted to a "covered employee" as such term is defined for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code shall not be less than the fair market value per Common Share at the Date of Grant as determined by the Plan Administrator in good faith;
- with respect to Incentive Stock Options granted to greater-than-ten percent (>10%) shareholders of the Corporation (as determined with reference to Section 424(d) of the Code), the exercise price per share shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the fair market value per Common Share at the Date of Grant as determined by the Plan Administrator in good faith; and
- Options granted in substitution for outstanding options of another corporation in connection with the merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock or other reorganization involving such other corporation and the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation may be granted with an exercise price equal to the exercise price for the substituted option of the other corporation, subject to any adjustment consistent with the terms of the transaction pursuant to which the substitution is to occur.
- Duration of Options
At the time of the grant of the Option, the Plan Administrator shall designate, subject to Section 5.1(g) below, the expiration date of the Option, which date shall not be later than ten (10) years from the Date of Grant;provided, that the expiration date of any Incentive Stock Option granted to a greater-than-ten percent (>10%) shareholder of the Corporation (as determined with reference to Section 424(d) of the Code) shall not be later than five (5) years from the Date of Grant. In the absence of action to the contrary by the Plan Administrator in connection with the grant of a particular Option, and except in the case of Incentive Stock Options as described above, all Options granted under this Section 5 shall expire ten (10) years from the Date of Grant.
- Vesting Schedule
No Option shall be exercisable until it has vested. The vesting schedule for each Option shall be specified by the Plan Administrator at the time of grant of the Option prior to the provision of services with respect to which such Option is granted;provided, that if no vesting schedule is specified at the time of grant, the Option shall vest in full immediately.
The Plan Administrator may specify a vesting schedule for all or any portion of an Option based on the achievement of performance objectives established in advance of the commencement by the Optionee of services related to the achievement of the performance objectives. Performance objectives shall be expressed in terms of objective criteria, including but not limited to, one or more of the following: return on equity, return on assets, share price, market share, sales, earnings per share, costs, net earnings, net worth, inventories, cash and cash equivalents, gross margin or the Corporation's performance relative to its internal business plan. Performance objectives may be in respect of the performance of the Corporation as a whole (whether on a consolidated or unconsolidated basis), a Related Corporation, or a subdivision, operating unit, product or product line of either of the foregoing. Performance objectives may be absolute or relative and may be expressed in terms of a progressio n or a range. An Option that is exercisable (in full or in part) upon the achievement of one or more performance objectives may be exercised only following written notice to the Optionee and the Corporation by the Plan Administrator that the performance objective has been achieved.
- Acceleration of Vesting
The vesting of one or more outstanding Options may be accelerated by the Plan Administrator at such times and in such amounts as it shall determine in its sole discretion.
- Term of Option
- Vested Options shall terminate, to the extent not previously exercised, upon the occurrence of the first of the following events:
- the expiration of the Option, as designated by the Plan Administrator in accordance with Section 5.1(d) above;
- the date of an Optionee's termination of employment or contractual relationship with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for cause (as determined by the Plan Administrator, acting reasonably);
- the expiration of three (3) months from the date of an Optionee's termination of employment or contractual relationship with the Corporation or any Related Corporation for any reason whatsoever other than cause, death or Disability (as defined below) unless, in the case of a Non-Qualified Stock Option, the exercise period is extended by the Plan Administrator until a date not later than the expiration date of the Option; or
- the expiration of one year (1) from termination of an Optionee's employment or contractual relationship by reason of death or Disability (as defined below) unless, in the case of a Non-Qualified Stock Option, the exercise period is extended by the Plan Administrator until a date not later than the expiration date of the Option.
- Notwithstanding Section 5.1(g)(i) above, any vested Options which have been granted to the Optionee in the Optionee's capacity as a director of the Corporation or any Related Corporation shall terminate upon the occurrence of the first of the following events:
- the event specified in Section 5.1(g)(i)A above;
- the event specified in Section 5.1(g)(i)D above; and
- the expiration of three (3) months from the date the Optionee ceases to serve as a director of the Corporation or Related Corporation, as the case may be.
- Upon the death of an Optionee, any vested Options held by the Optionee shall be exercisable only by the person or persons to whom such Optionee's rights under such Option shall pass by the Optionee's will or by the laws of descent and distribution of the Optionee's domicile at the time of death and only until such Options terminate as provided above.
- For purposes of the Plan, unless otherwise defined in the Agreement, "Disability" shall mean medically determinable physical or mental impairment which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months or that can be expected to result in death. The Plan Administrator shall determine whether an Optionee has incurred a Disability on the basis of medical evidence acceptable to the Plan Administrator. Upon making a determination of Disability, the Plan Administrator shall, for purposes of the Plan, determine the date of an Optionee's termination of employment or contractual relationship.
- Unless accelerated in accordance with Section 5.1(f) above, unvested Options shall terminate immediately upon termination of employment of the Optionee by the Corporation for any reason whatsoever, including death or Disability.
- For purposes of this Plan, transfer of employment between or among the Corporation and/or any Related Corporation shall not be deemed to constitute a termination of employment with the Corporation or any Related Corporation. Employment shall be deemed to continue while the Optionee is on military leave, sick leave or otherbona fide leave of absence (as determined by the Plan Administrator). The foregoing notwithstanding, employment shall not be deemed to continue beyond the first ninety (90) days of such leave, unless the Optionee's re-employment rights are guaranteed by statute or by contract.
- Exercise of Options
- Options shall be exercisable, in full or in part, at any time after vesting, until termination. If less than all of the shares included in the vested portion of any Option are purchased, the remainder may be purchased at any subsequent time prior to the expiration of the Option term. Only whole shares may be issued pursuant to an Option, and to the extent that an Option covers less than one (1) share, it is unexercisable.
- Options or portions thereof may be exercised by giving written notice to the Corporation, which notice shall specify the number of shares to be purchased, and be accompanied by payment in the amount of the aggregate exercise price for the Common Shares so purchased, which payment shall be in the form specified in Section 5.1(i) below. The Corporation shall not be obligated to issue, transfer or deliver a certificate representing Common Shares to the Holder of any Option, until provision has been made by the Holder, to the satisfaction of the Corporation, for the payment of the aggregate exercise price for all shares for which the Option shall have been exercised and for satisfaction of any tax withholding obligations associated with such exercise. During the lifetime of an Optionee, Options are exercisable only by the Optionee.
- Payment upon Exercise of Option
Upon the exercise of any Option, the aggregate exercise price shall be paid to the Corporation in cash or by certified or cashier's check. In addition, if pre-approved in writing by the Plan Administrator who may arbitrarily withhold consent, the Holder may pay for all or any portion of the aggregate exercise price by complying with one or more of the following alternatives:
- by delivering to the Corporation Common Shares previously held by such Holder, or by the Corporation withholding Common Shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to exercise of the Option, which Common Shares received or withheld shall have a fair market value at the date of exercise (as determined by the Plan Administrator) equal to the aggregate exercise price to be paid by the Optionee upon such exercise;
- by delivering a properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker promptly to sell or margin a sufficient portion of the shares and deliver directly to the Company the amount of sale or margin loan proceeds to pay the exercise price; or
- by complying with any other payment mechanism approved by the Plan Administrator at the time of exercise.
- No Rights as a Shareholder
A Holder shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares covered by an Option until such Holder becomes a record holder of such shares, irrespective of whether such Holder has given notice of exercise. Subject to the provisions of Section 5.1(m) hereof, no rights shall accrue to a Holder and no adjustments shall be made on account of dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property) or distributions or other rights declared on, or created in, the Common Shares for which the record date is prior to the date the Holder becomes a record holder of the Common Shares covered by the Option, irrespective of whether such Holder has given notice of exercise.
- Non-transferability of Options
Options granted under this Plan and the rights and privileges conferred by this Plan may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any manner (whether by operation of law or otherwise) other than by will, by applicable laws of descent and distribution, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any Option or of any right or privilege conferred by this Plan contrary to the provisions hereof, or upon the sale, levy or any attachment or similar process upon the rights and privileges conferred by this Plan, such Option shall thereupon terminate and become null and void.
- Securities Regulation and Tax Withholding
- Shares shall not be issued with respect to an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such shares shall comply with all Applicable Laws, and such issuance shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Corporation with respect to such compliance, including the availability of an exemption from prospectus and registration requirements for the issuance and sale of such shares. The inability of the Corporation to obtain from any regulatory body the authority deemed by the Corporation to be necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of any shares under this Plan, or the unavailability of an exemption from prospectus and registration requirements for the issuance and sale of any shares under this Plan, shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the non-issuance or sale of such shares.
- As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Plan Administrator may require the Holder to represent and warrant in writing at the time of such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any then-present intention to sell or distribute such shares. If necessary under Applicable Laws, the Plan Administrator may cause a stop-transfer order against such shares to be placed on the stock books and records of the Corporation, and a legend indicating that the stock may not be pledged, sold or otherwise transferred unless an opinion of counsel is provided stating that such transfer is not in violation of any Applicable Laws, may be stamped on the certificates representing such shares in order to assure an exemption from registration. The Plan Administrator also may require such other documentation as may from time to time be necessary to comply with applicable securities laws. THE COMPANY HAS NO OBLIGATION TO UNDERTAKE REGISTRATION OF OPTIONS OR THE COMM ON SHARES ISSUABLE UPON THE EXERCISE OF OPTIONS.
- The Holder shall pay to the Corporation by certified or cashier's check, promptly upon exercise of an Option or, if later, the date that the amount of such obligations becomes determinable, all applicable federal, state, local and foreign withholding taxes that the Plan Administrator, in its discretion, determines to result upon exercise of an Option or from a transfer or other disposition of Common Shares acquired upon exercise of an Option or otherwise related to an Option or Common Shares acquired in connection with an Option. Upon approval of the Plan Administrator, a Holder may satisfy such obligation by complying with one or more of the following alternatives selected by the Plan Administrator:
- by delivering to the Corporation Common Shares previously held by such Holder or by the Corporation withholding Common Shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the exercise of the Option, which Common Shares received or withheld shall have a fair market value at the date of exercise (as determined by the Plan Administrator) equal to any withholding tax obligations arising as a result of such exercise, transfer or other disposition;
- by executing appropriate loan documents approved by the Plan Administrator by which the Holder borrows funds from the Corporation to pay any withholding taxes due under this Section 5.1(l)(iii), with such repayment terms as the Plan Administrator shall select; or
- by complying with any other payment mechanism approved by the Plan Administrator from time to time.
- The issuance, transfer or delivery of certificates representing Common Shares pursuant to the exercise of Options may be delayed, at the discretion of the Plan Administrator, until the Plan Administrator is satisfied that the applicable requirements of all Applicable Laws and the withholding provisions of the Code have been met and that the Holder has paid or otherwise satisfied any withholding tax obligation as described in Section 5.1(l)(iii) above.
- Adjustments Upon Changes In Capitalization
- The aggregate number and class of shares for which Options may be granted under this Plan, the number and class of shares covered by each outstanding Option, and the exercise price per share thereof (but not the total price), and each such Option, shall all be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Common Shares of the Corporation resulting from:
- a subdivision or consolidation of shares or any like capital adjustment, or
- the issuance of any Common Shares, or securities exchangeable for or convertible into Common Shares, to the holders of all or substantially all of the outstanding Common Shares by way of a stock dividend (other than the issue of Common Shares, or securities exchangeable for or convertible into Common Shares, to holders of Common Shares pursuant to their exercise of options to receive dividends in the form of Common Shares, or securities convertible into Common Shares, in lieu of dividends paid in the ordinary course on the Common Shares).
- Except as provided in Section 5.1(m)(iii) hereof, upon a merger (other than a merger of the Corporation in which the holders of Common Shares immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of common shares in the surviving corporation immediately after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization (other than a mere re-incorporation or the creation of a holding Corporation) or liquidation of the Corporation, as a result of which the shareholders of the Corporation, receive cash, shares or other property in exchange for or in connection with their Common Shares, any Option granted hereunder shall terminate, but the Holder shall have the right to exercise such Holder's Option immediately prior to any such merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, reorganization or liquidation, and to be treated as a shareholder of record for the purposes thereof, to the extent the vesting requirements set forth in the Option agreement have been satisfied.
- If the shareholders of the Corporation receive shares in the capital of another corporation ("Exchange Shares") in exchange for their Common Shares in any transaction involving a merger (other than a merger of the Corporation in which the holders of Common Shares immediately prior to the merger have the same proportionate ownership of Common Shares in the surviving corporation immediately after the merger), consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation or reorganization (other than a mere re-incorporation or the creation of a holding Corporation), all Options granted hereunder shall be converted into options to purchase Exchange Shares unless the Corporation and the corporation issuing the Exchange Shares, in their sole discretion, determine that any or all such Options granted hereunder shall not be converted into options to purchase Exchange Shares but instead shall terminate in accordance with, and subject to the Holder's right to exercise the Holder's Options pursuant to, the provisions of Section 5.1(m)(ii). The amount and price of converted options shall be determined by adjusting the amount and price of the Options granted hereunder in the same proportion as used for determining the number of Exchange Shares the holders of the Common Shares receive in such merger, consolidation, acquisition or property or stock, separation or reorganization. Unless accelerated by the Board, the vesting schedule set forth in the option agreement shall continue to apply to the options granted for the Exchange Shares.
- In the event of any adjustment in the number of Common Shares covered by any Option, any fractional shares resulting from such adjustment shall be disregarded and each such Option shall cover only the number of full shares resulting from such adjustment.
- All adjustments pursuant to Section 5.1(m) shall be made by the Plan Administrator, and its determination as to what adjustments shall be made, and the extent thereof, shall be final, binding and conclusive.
- The grant of an Option shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Corporation to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure, to merge, consolidate or dissolve, to liquidate or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
