(i) “Guidelines” means the guidelines that are approved by the Committee for the administration of the awards granted under this Plan. To the extent that there is any inconsistency between the Guidelines and this Plan on matters other than the time and form of payment of the Awards, the Guidelines will control, so long as this Plan could have been amended to resolve such inconsistency without the need for further stockholder approval.
(j) “Participant” means any person who is classified as a salaried employee of the Employers on a U.S. payroll (including directors of the Employers who are also salaried employees of the Employers) who, in the judgment of the Committee, occupies an executive position in which his or her efforts may contribute to the interests of the Company and who is designated by the Committee as a Participant in the Plan for a particular Performance Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) leased employees (as defined in Code Section 414) shall not be eligible to participate in this Plan and (ii) persons who are participants in the Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (or any successor plan) for a particular Performance Period shall not be eligible to participate in this Plan for the same Performance Period.
(k) “Payment Period” means, with respect to any Performance Period, the period from January 1 to March 15 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which such Performance Period ends.
(l) “Performance Objectives” shall mean the measurable performance objectives established pursuant to this Plan for Participants. Performance Objectives may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or objectives that are related to the performance of the individual Participant or one or more of the subsidiaries, divisions, business units, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units of the Company or its subsidiaries. Performance Objectives may be measured on an absolute or relative basis. Different groups of Participants may be subject to different Performance Objectives for the same Performance Period. Relative performance may be measured against other companies or subsidiaries, divisions, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units within such other companies, or against an index or one or more of the Performance Objectives themselves. Any Performance Objectives applicable to an Award may be based on one or more, or a combination, of the following criteria, or the attainment of specified levels of growth or improvement in one or more, or a combination, of the following criteria, or such other criteria as may be determined by the Committee (which criteria may be applied to the Company and all of its subsidiaries, divisions, business units, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units or to only one or any combination of the Company and its subsidiaries, divisions, business units, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units): return on equity, return on total capital employed, diluted earnings per share, total earnings, earnings growth, return on capital, return on assets, return on sales, earnings before interest and taxes, revenue, revenue growth, gross margin, net or standard margin, return on investment, increase in the fair market value of shares, share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return), profit, net earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), inventory turns, financial return ratios, market share, earnings measures/ratios, economic value added, balance sheet measurements (such as receivable turnover), internal rate of return, customer satisfaction surveys or productivity, net income, operating profit or increase in operating profit, market share, increase in market share, sales value increase over time, economic value income, economic value increase over time, expected value of new projects or extensions of new or existing projects, development of new or existing projects, adjusted standard margin or net sales, safety, and compliance with regulatory/environmental requirements.
(m) “Performance Period” means any period of one or more years (or portion thereof) on which an Award is based, as established by the Committee and specified in the Guidelines.
(n) “Retire” means either:
(i) to terminate employment under circumstances that entitle the Participant to immediate commencement of his pension benefits under any of the qualified defined benefit pension plans sponsored by the Employers; or
(ii) for Participants who are not members of such a plan, to terminate employment after reaching: (A) age 65; or (B) age 60 with at least 5 years of service.
(o) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (or any successor rule to the same effect), as in effect from time to time.
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