regarding material non-public information about SCHMID must be forwarded to the Legal Affairs department of SCHMID or CFO.
No Insider may give trading advice of any kind about SCHMID to anyone, whether or not such Insider is aware of material non-public information about SCHMID.
No Insider may trade in any interest or position relating to the future price of Company Securities, such as a put, call or short sale.
Without the specific prior approval of the Legal Affairs department, the CEO or the audit committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”), no Insider shall accept outside employment, as a consultant, independent contractor or employee, where the Insider is being compensated for the Insider’s knowledge of SCHMID or the industry or potential products of SCHMID.
Without the specific prior approval of the Legal Affairs department of SCHMID, the CEO or the Audit Committee, no Insider shall respond to market rumors or otherwise make any public statements regarding SCHMID or its prospects. This includes responding to or commenting on Internet-based bulletin boards or social media platforms. If you become aware of any rumors or false statements, you should report them to the Legal Affairs department of SCHMID or CFO.
B. | Trading Windows and Blackout Periods |
Provided that no other restrictions on trading in Company Securities apply, Insiders may trade in Company Securities during and only during the period beginning at the close of trading three full trading days following the Company’s widespread public release of quarterly or year-end earnings and ending on the last trading day of the second month following the end of the preceding quarter.
Notwithstanding the above provisions, any Insider who is aware of material non-public information concerning SCHMID may not trade in Company Securities even during a trading window until two trading days after such material non-public information has been subject to the Company’s widespread public release of the information.
No Insiders identified by the Legal Affairs department of SCHMID or CFO as being subject to a special blackout period (the Legal Affairs department of SCHMID and/or the CFO may, in their sole discretion, maintain a list of such Insiders) may trade in Company Securities during such special blackout period. The Legal Affairs department or CFO may, following consultation with the CEO, declare such special blackout periods from time-to-time as conditions warrant. No Insider, whether or not subject to a special blackout period, may disclose to any outside third party that a special blackout period has been designated.
V. | EXCEPTIONS TO APPLICATION OF POLICY |
A. | Employee Benefit Plans / Stock Option Plans |
The trading prohibitions and restrictions set forth in this Policy do not apply to periodic contributions by the Company or employees to the Schmid Stock Option Plan (“SSOP”) pursuant to the terms and conditions of those plans. However, no officer or employee of SCHMID may alter his or her instructions regarding the purchase or sale of Company Securities in such plans while they are aware of material non-public information. The sale of Company Securities received under a certain Option Plan is subject to the terms of this Policy.
Insiders may exercise company stock options where no company stock is sold in the market. Cashless sales - e.g., “cashless sales” where company stock is sold to pay for exercising the options - are considered under this Policy to be transactions in Company Securities and must comply with the provisions of this Policy, including the applicability of any prior approval, trading window or blackout