| • | | “Beginning Price” is the average Price for the period of 20 trading days immediately preceding the first day of the Performance Period; provided, however, that if the applicable common stock has not been trading for a full 20 trading day period prior to the applicable measurement date, the average closing price shall be determined based on such shorter number of days that such common stock has been trading as of such measurement date; and |
| • | | “Ending Price” is the average Price for the period of 20 trading days immediately preceding and including the final day of the Performance Period. |
| • | | “Relative TSR” means the percentile rank of the TSR of the Company relative to the Comparison Index over the Performance Period. |
3. Prohibition Against Transfer. Until the payout of the Award following the expiration of the Performance Period (or, if applicable, such later time provided under the Deferred Compensation Program), the Award, the Performance Units and any interest in Shares related thereto, may not be sold, exchanged, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, encumbered or otherwise disposed of, shall not be assignable by operation of law, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, charge, alienation or similar process. Any attempt to effect any of the foregoing shall be null and void and without effect.
4. Securities Law Requirements. The Company shall not be required to issue Shares pursuant to the Award, to the extent required, unless and until (a) such Shares have been duly listed upon each stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then registered; and (b) a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to such Shares is then effective.
5. Incorporation of Plan Provisions. This Agreement is made pursuant to the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth for such terms in the Plan. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern.
6. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, it is intended that the Agreement and the Plan comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, so that the income inclusion provisions of Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code do not apply to the Grantee. The Agreement and the Plan shall be administered and interpreted in a manner consistent with this intent, and any provision that would cause the Agreement or the Plan to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the Code shall have no force and effect until amended to comply with Section 409A of the Code (which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code and may be made by the Corporation without the consent of the Grantee). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no particular tax result for the Grantee with respect to any income recognized by the Grantee in connection with the Agreement is guaranteed, and the Grantee solely shall be responsible for any taxes, penalties or interest imposed on the Grantee in connection with the Agreement. Reference to Section 409A of the Code will also include any regulations, or any other guidance, promulgated with respect to such Section by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service.
7. Tax Withholding. The Grantee shall pay all applicable income and employment taxes (including taxes of any foreign jurisdiction, and any taxes payable in connection with a Dividend Equivalent Right or in connection with Article 10 of this Agreement (Beneficiary Designation)) which the Company or a Subsidiary is required to withhold at any time with respect to the Performance Units. Such payment shall be made in full, at the Grantee’s election, in cash or check, by withholding from the Grantee’s next normal payroll check, or by the relinquishment of Shares that otherwise would be issued to the Grantee pursuant to this Agreement. If payment of withholding tax obligations, or satisfactory payment arrangements, are not made by the Grantee on a timely basis, payment will be made by the relinquishment of Shares method. Shares tendered as payment of required withholding shall be valued at the closing price per share of the Company’s common shares on the date such withholding obligation arises.
8. Employment. The rights and obligations of the Grantee under the terms of his or her office or employment with the Employer will not be affected by his or her participation in the Plan or any right which he or she may have under this Agreement and this Agreement does not form part of any contract of employment between the Grantee and the Employer. If the Grantee’s office or employment is terminated for any reason whatsoever (and whether lawful or otherwise) he or she will not be entitled to claim any compensation for or in respect of any consequent diminution or extinction of his or her rights or benefits (actual or prospective) under this Agreement or otherwise in connection with the Plan.