Exhibit 4.1
WESCO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1999 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Restated to be Effective May 21, 2008)
1999 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Restated to be Effective May 21, 2008)
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN
PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN
1.01 Purpose.The purpose of the WESCO International, Inc. 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Plan”) is to assist WESCO International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) in attracting and retaining highly competent key employees and non-employee directors and to act as an incentive in motivating selected key employees and non-employee directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) to achieve long-term corporate objectives.
1.02 Adoption and Term.The Plan was initially approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) and the stockholders of the Company to be effective as of May 11, 1999, the effective date of the initial public offering of the Company’s Common Stock. This is a complete restatement of the Plan to be effective as of May 21, 2008 (the “Effective Date”), the date of approval of the Plan as restated herein by the stockholders of the Company. The Plan shall remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, unless terminated earlier by the Board. In addition, the Performance Goals (as defined below) must be reapproved by the Company’s stockholders at least every five (5) years for purposes of complying with the deductibility requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code (as defined below) applicable to performance-based awards to “covered employees” as defined in Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this Plan, capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:
2.01 Accelerated Ownership Optionsshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 6.04.
2.02 Acquiring Corporationshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 11.08(b).
2.03 Awardmeans any grant to a Participant of one or a combination of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or Stock Units described in Article VI, Restricted Shares or Restricted Units described in Article VII, Performance Awards described in Article VIII, other stock-based Awards described in Article IX and short-term cash incentive Awards described in Article X.
2.04 Award Agreementmeans a written agreement between the Company and a Participant or a written notice from the Company to a Participant specifically setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award granted under the Plan.
2.05 Award Periodmeans, with respect to an Award, the period of time set forth in the Award Agreement during which specified target performance goals must be achieved or other conditions set forth in the Award Agreement must be satisfied.
2.06 Beneficiarymeans an individual, trust or estate who or which, by a written designation of the Participant filed with the Company or by operation of law, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant under the Plan and an Award Agreement upon the Participant’s death.
2.07 Boardshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 1.02.
2.08 Change in Controlmeans the first to occur of the following events after the Effective Date: (a) the acquisition by any person, entity or “group” (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than the Company, its Subsidiaries, any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or Cypress Merchant Banking Partners L.P. or any successor investment vehicle, of 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities; (b) the merger or consolidation of the Company, as a result of which persons who were stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger or consolidation, do not, immediately thereafter, own, directly or indirectly, more than 70% of the combined voting power entitled to
vote generally in the election of directors of the merged or consolidated company; (c) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; (d) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to one or more persons or entities that are not, immediately prior to such sale, transfer or other disposition, affiliates of the Company; and (e) during any period of not more than two years, individuals who constitute the Board as of the beginning of the period and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in clause (a) or (b) of this sentence) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who were directors at such time or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board.
2.09 Codemeans the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. References to a section of the Code include that section and any comparable section or sections of any future legislation that amends, supplements or supersedes said section.
2.10 Committeemeans the Compensation Committee of the Board.
2.11 Companyshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 1.01.
2.12 Common Stockmeans Common Stock of the Company.
2.13 Date of Grantmeans the date as of which the Committee grants an Award. If the Committee contemplates an immediate grant to a Participant, the Date of Grant shall be the date of the Committee’s action. If the Committee contemplates a date on which the grant is to be made other than the date of the Committee’s action, the Date of Grant shall be the date so contemplated and set forth in or determinable from the records of action of the Committee; provided, however,that the Date of Grant shall not precede the date of the Committee’s action.
2.14 Effective Dateshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 1.02.
2.15 Exchange Actmeans the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.16 Exercise Priceshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 6.01(b).
2.17 Extraordinary Terminationshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 6.03(e).
2.18 Fair Market Valuemeans a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low, or average selling prices of a share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or other established stock exchange (or exchanges) on the applicable date, the preceding trading day, the next succeeding trading day, or an average of trading days, as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Such definition of Fair Market Value shall be specified in the Award Agreement and may differ depending on whether Fair Market Value is in reference to the grant, exercise, vesting, or settlement or payout of an Award. If, however, the accounting standards used to account for equity awards granted to Participants are substantially modified subsequent to the Effective Date of the Plan, the Committee shall have the ability to determine Fair Market Value based on the relevant facts and circumstances. If shares of Common Stock are not traded on an established stock exchange, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in good faith.
2.19 Incentive Stock Optionmeans a stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
2.20 Mergermeans any merger, reorganization, consolidation, share exchange, transfer of assets or other transaction having similar effect involving the Company.
2.21 Non-Qualified Stock Optionmeans a stock option which is not an Incentive Stock Option.
2.22 Optionsmeans all Non-Qualified Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options.
2.23 Original Optionshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 6.04.
2.24 Participantmeans a person designated to receive an Award under the Plan in accordance with Section 5.01.
2.25 Performance Awardsmeans Awards granted in accordance with Article VIII.
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2.26 Performance Goalsmeans any of the following (in absolute terms or relative to one or more other companies or indices): operating income, return on stockholders’ equity, return on investment, return on invested assets, stock price appreciation, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, cash flow, sales growth, margin improvement, income before taxes (IBT), IBT margin, working capital performance, earnings per share, growth in earnings per share, expense targets, productivity targets or ratios, attainment of specific milestones in connection with strategic initiatives and/or customer satisfaction.
2.27 Permanent Disabilitymeans a physical or mental disability or infirmity that prevents the performance of a Participant’s employment-related duties lasting (or likely to last, based on competent medical evidence presented to the Board) for a period of six months or longer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of the provisions of the Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options, “Permanent Disability” shall have the same meaning as under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. The Board’s reasoned and good faith judgment of Permanent Disability shall be final and shall be based on such competent medical evidence as shall be presented to it by such Participant or by any physician or group of physicians or other competent medical expert employed by the Participant or the Company to advise the Board.
2.28 Planshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 1.01.
2.29 Prior Plansshall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.01.
2.30 Restricted Sharesmeans Common Stock subject to restrictions imposed in connection with Awards granted under Article VII.
2.31 Restricted Unitmeans units representing the right to receive Common Stock in the future subject to restrictions imposed in connection with Awards granted under Section 8.
2.32 Retirementmeans a Participant’s retirement at or after age 65.
2.33 Stock Appreciation Rightsmeans Awards granted in accordance with Article VI.
2.34 Stock Unitsmeans Awards consisting of the right to receive shares of Common Stock in the future.
2.35 Subsidiarymeans a subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.
ARTICLE III
ADMINISTRATION
ADMINISTRATION
3.01 Committee.The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have exclusive and final authority in each determination, interpretation or other action affecting the Plan and its Participants. The Committee shall have the sole discretionary authority to interpret the Plan, to establish and modify administrative rules for the Plan, to impose such conditions and restrictions on Awards as it determines appropriate, and to take such steps in connection with the Plan and Awards granted hereunder as it may deem necessary or advisable. The Committee may, subject to compliance with applicable legal requirements, with respect to Participants who are not subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code, delegate such of its powers and authority under the Plan as it deems appropriate to designated officers or employees of the Company. In addition, the Board may exercise any of the authority conferred upon the Committee hereunder. In the event of any such delegation of authority or exercise of authority by the Board, references in the Plan to the Committee shall be deemed to refer to the delegate of the Committee or the Board, as the case may be.
3.02 Indemnification.Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an officer of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with the Plan shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf; provided, however,that the foregoing indemnification shall not apply to any loss, cost, liability, or expense that is a result of his
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or her own willful misconduct. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
ARTICLE IV
SHARES
SHARES
4.01 Number of Shares Issuable.The total number of shares of Common Stock authorized to be issued under the Plan shall be the sum of (a) 6,936,000 shares, (b) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by any unexercised portions of stock options granted under the Company’s 1994 Stock Option Plan, 1998 Stock Option Plan or Stock Option Plan for Branch Employees (the “Prior Plans”) that are canceled or terminated after the Effective Date and (c) the number of shares of Common Stock surrendered by Participants after the Effective Date to pay all or a portion of the exercise price and/or withholding taxes with respect to the exercise of stock options granted under any of the Prior Plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no more than a total of 800,000 shares of Common Stock may be awarded as Incentive Stock Options or issued under the Plan as Awards under Articles VII, VIII and IX. The number of shares available for issuance under the Plan and as specific types of Awards shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11.08. The shares to be offered under the Plan shall be authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock, or issued shares of Common Stock which will have been reacquired by the Company.
4.02 Shares Subject to Terminated Awards.Shares of Common Stock covered by any unexercised portions of terminated Options (including canceled Options), Stock Appreciation Rights or Stock Units granted under Article VI, terminated Restricted Units or shares of Common Stock forfeited as provided in Article VII and shares of Common Stock subject to any Award that are otherwise surrendered by a Participant or terminated may be subject to new Awards under the Plan.
ARTICLE V
PARTICIPATION
PARTICIPATION
5.01 Eligible Participants.Participants in the Plan shall be such key employees and non-employee directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may designate from time to time. The Committee’s designation of a Participant in any year shall not require the Committee to designate such person to receive Awards in any other year. The designation of a Participant to receive an Award under one portion of the Plan does not require the Committee to include such Participant under other portions of the Plan. The Committee shall consider such factors as it deems pertinent in selecting Participants and in determining the types and amounts of their respective Awards. The Committee may grant Awards from time to time on a discretionary basis and/or provide for automatic Awards on a formula basis to a Participant or designated group of Participants. Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11.08, during any calendar year no Participant shall be granted Awards in respect of more than 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock (whether through grants of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or other Awards of Common Stock or rights with respect thereto) and $2 million in cash;provided, however,that if it is the Committee’s intention as of the Date of Grant of an Award, as evidenced by the applicable Award Agreement, that such Award shall be earned by the Participant over a period of more than one calendar year, then for purposes of applying the foregoing per calendar year limitations, the shares of Common Stock and/or cash subject to such Award shall be allocated to the first calendar year in which such shares and/or cash may be earned (determined without regard to possible vesting as a result of a Change in Control or pursuant to any provision of this Plan authorizing the Committee to accelerate the vesting of an Award).
ARTICLE VI
STOCK OPTIONS
STOCK OPTIONS
6.01 Option Awards.
(a) Grant of Options.The Committee may grant, to such Participants as the Committee may select, Options entitling the Participants to purchase shares of Common Stock from the Company in such numbers, at such prices, and on such terms and subject to such conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as may be established by the Committee. The terms of any Option granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.
(b) Exercise Price of Options.The exercise price of each share of Common Stock which may be purchased upon exercise of any Option granted under the Plan (the “Exercise Price”) shall be determined by the
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Committee;provided, however,that, except in the case of any substituted Options described in Section 11.08(c), the Exercise Price shall in all cases be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.
(c) Designation of Options.Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the Committee may designate, at the time of the grant of an Option, such Option as an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option;provided, however,that an Option may be designated as an Incentive Stock Option only if the applicable Participant is an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary on the Date of Grant.
(d) Special Incentive Stock Option Rules.No Participant may be granted Incentive Stock Options under the Plan (or any other plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries) that would result in Incentive Stock Options to purchase shares of Common Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the Date of Grant) of more than $100,000 first becoming exercisable by such Participant in any one calendar year. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock (including stock owned by application of the constructive ownership rules in Section 424(d) of the Code) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, unless at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted the Exercise Price is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant of the Common Stock subject to the Incentive Stock Option and the Incentive Stock Option by its terms is not exercisable for more than five (5) years from the Date of Grant.
(e) Rights as a Stockholder.A Participant or a transferee of an Option pursuant to Section 11.04 shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by an Option until that Participant or transferee shall have become the holder of record of any such shares, and no adjustment shall be made with respect to any such shares of Common Stock for dividends in cash or other property or distributions of other rights on the Common Stock for which the record date is prior to the date on which that Participant or transferee shall have become the holder of record of any shares covered by such Option;provided, however,that Participants are entitled to the adjustments set forth in Section 11.08.
6.02 Stock Appreciation Rights.
(a) Stock Appreciation Right Awards.The Committee is authorized to grant to any Participant one or more Stock Appreciation Rights. Such Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted either independent of or in tandem with Options granted to the same Participant (including Options granted under this Plan or any other plans of the Company). Stock Appreciation Rights granted in tandem with Options may be granted simultaneously with, or, in the case of Non-Qualified Stock Options, subsequent to, the grant to such Participant of the related Option;provided, however,that: (i) any Option covering any share of Common Stock shall expire and not be exercisable upon the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right with respect to the same share, (ii) any Stock Appreciation Right covering any share of Common Stock shall expire and not be exercisable upon the exercise of any related Option with respect to the same share, and (iii) an Option and Stock Appreciation Right covering the same share of Common Stock may not be exercised simultaneously. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right with respect to a share of Common Stock, the Participant shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over (B) the Exercise Price of such Stock Appreciation Right established in the Award Agreement, which amount shall be payable as provided in Section 6.02(c).
(b) Exercise Price.The Exercise Price established under any Stock Appreciation Right granted under this Plan shall be determined by the Committee;provided, however,that in any event the Exercise Price shall be equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant and, in the case of Stock Appreciation Rights granted in tandem with Options, the Exercise Price shall not be less than the Exercise Price of the related Option and, upon exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights, the number of shares subject to exercise under any related Option shall automatically be reduced by the number of shares of Common Stock represented by the Option or portion thereof which are surrendered as a result of the exercise of such Stock Appreciation Rights.
(c) Payment of Incremental Value.Any payment which may become due from the Company by reason of a Participant’s exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right may be paid to the Participant as determined by the Committee (i) all in cash, (ii) all in Common Stock, or (iii) in any combination of cash and Common Stock. In the event that all or a portion of the payment is made in Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock delivered in satisfaction of such payment shall be determined by dividing the amount of such payment or portion thereof by the Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date. No fractional share of Common Stock shall be issued to make any payment in respect of Stock Appreciation Rights; if any fractional share would be issuable, the combination of cash and Common Stock payable to the Participant shall be adjusted as directed by the Committee to avoid the issuance of any fractional share.
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(d) Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights for Options.The Committee shall have the ability, without Participant consent, to substitute Stock Appreciation Rights paid only in shares of Common Stock for outstanding Options (including Options granted under this Plan or any other plans of the Company); provided, the terms of the substituted Stock Appreciation Rights are the same as the terms for the Options and the difference between the Fair Market Value of the underlying shares of Common Stock and the Exercise Price of the Stock Appreciation Rights is equivalent to the difference between the Fair Market Value of the underlying shares of Common Stock and the Exercise Price of the Options. If this provision creates material adverse accounting consequences for the Company, it shall be considered null and void.
(e) Rights as a Stockholder.A Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by an Award of Stock Appreciation Rights unless and until that Participant shall have become the holder of record of any such shares, and no adjustment shall be made with respect to any such shares of Common Stock for dividends in cash or other property or distributions of other rights on the Common Stock for which the record date is prior to the date on which that Participant shall have become the holder of record of any shares covered by such Stock Appreciation Rights;provided, however, that Participants are entitled to the adjustments set forth in Section 11.08.
6.03 Terms of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights
(a) Conditions on Exercise.An Award Agreement with respect to Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may contain such waiting periods, exercise dates and restrictions on exercise (including, but not limited to, periodic installments) as may be determined by the Committee at the time of grant;provided,that, for Awards granted after the Effective Date, and subject to the provisions of any applicable retirement, severance or employment agreement or such terms as may be approved by the Committee relating to the Participant’s Permanent Disability, death or other termination of service, the vesting schedule (i) for a non-performance-based Option or Stock Appreciation Right Award shall not be less than three years or (ii) for a performance-based Option or Stock Appreciation Right Award shall not be less than one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the vesting of an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right may, but need not, lapse in installments.
(b) Duration of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate after the first to occur of the following events:
(i) Expiration of the Option and Stock Appreciation Rights as provided in the related Award Agreement; or
(ii) Termination of the Award as provided in Section 6.03(e) following the Participant’s Termination of Employment; or
(iii) Ten years from the Date of Grant.
(c) Acceleration of Exercise Time.The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated), exercisable at any time after the Date of Grant, to permit the exercise of any Option and Stock Appreciation Rights prior to the time such Option and Stock Appreciation Rights would otherwise become exercisable under the terms of the related Award Agreement.
(d) Extension of Exercise Time.In addition to the extensions permitted under Section 6.03(e) in the event of Termination of Employment, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the right (but shall not in any case be obligated), exercisable on or at any time after the Date of Grant, to permit the exercise of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right after its expiration date described in Section 6.03(e), subject, however, to the limitations described in Sections 6.03(b)(i) and (iii).
(e) Exercise of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights Upon Termination of Employment.
(i) Extraordinary Termination. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee at the Date of Grant, in the event that a Participant’s employment with the Company and the Subsidiaries terminates by reason of the Participant’s death, Permanent Disability or Retirement (each an “Extraordinary Termination”), then any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights held by the Participant and then exercisable shall remain exercisable solely until the first to occur of (A) the first anniversary of the Participant’s termination of employment or (B) the expiration of the term of the Option or Stock Appreciation Rights unless the exercise period is extended by the Committee in accordance with Section 6.03(d). Any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights held by the Participant that are not exercisable at the date of the Extraordinary Termination shall terminate and be cancelled immediately upon such Extraordinary Termination, and any Options and Stock
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Appreciation Rights described in the preceding sentence that are not exercised within the period described in such sentence shall terminate and be cancelled upon the expiration of such period.
(ii) Other Termination of Employment. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee at or after the Date of Grant, in the event that a Participant’s employment with the Company and the Subsidiaries terminates for any reason other than an Extraordinary Termination, any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights held by such Participant that are exercisable as of the date of such termination shall remain exercisable for a period of 60 days (or, if shorter, during the remaining term of the Options and Stock Appreciation Rights), unless the exercise period is extended by the Committee in accordance with Section 6.03(d). Any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights held by the Participant that are not exercisable at the date of the Participant’s termination of employment shall terminate and be cancelled immediately upon such termination, and any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights described in the preceding sentence that are not exercised within the period described in such sentence shall terminate and be cancelled upon the expiration of such period.
(iii) Treatment of Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option that may be exercisable under the terms of this Section 6.03(e) or the provisions of the applicable Award Agreement beyond the maximum periods permitted under Section 422 of the Code, such Options shall be deemed to be Non-Qualified Stock Options.
6.04 Accelerated Ownership Options.With respect to any Option or any stock option granted under the terms of one of the Prior Plans or otherwise (an “Original Option”), the Committee shall have the authority to specify, at or after the time of grant of such Original Option, that, subject to the availability of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, a Participant shall be granted a new option (referred to as an “Accelerated Ownership Option”) in the event (i) such Participant exercises all or a part of such Original Option by surrendering previously acquired shares of Common Stock in full or partial payment of the exercise price under such Original Option, and/or (ii) a Participant’s withholding tax obligation with respect to the exercise of an Original Option is satisfied in whole or in part by the delivery of previously acquired shares of Common Stock by the Participant to the Company or the withholding of shares of Common Stock from the shares otherwise issuable to the Participant upon the exercise of the Original Option. Each such Accelerated Ownership Option shall cover a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of Common Stock surrendered in payment of the exercise price under such Original Option and/or surrendered or withheld to pay withholding taxes with respect to such Original Option. Each such Accelerated Ownership Option shall have an Exercise Price per share of Common Stock equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of exercise of the Original Option in respect of which the Accelerated Ownership Option was granted and shall expire on the stated expiration date of the Original Option. An Accelerated Ownership Option shall be exercisable at any time and from time to time from and after the Date of Grant of such Accelerated Ownership Option, subject to such restrictions on exercisability as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee. Any Accelerated Ownership Option may provide for the grant, when exercised, of subsequent Accelerated Ownership Options to the extent and upon such terms and conditions, consistent with this Section 6.04, as the Committee in its sole discretion shall specify at or after the time of grant of such Accelerated Ownership Option. An Accelerated Ownership Option shall contain such other terms and conditions, which may include a restriction on the transferability of the shares of Common Stock received upon exercise of the Accelerated Ownership Option, as the Committee in its sole discretion shall deem desirable and which may be set forth in rules or guidelines adopted by the Committee or in the Award Agreements evidencing the Accelerated Ownership Options.
6.05 Option Exercise Procedures.Each Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be exercised by written notice to the Company which must be received by the officer or employee of the Company designated in the Award Agreement at or before the close of business on the expiration date of the Award. The Exercise Price of shares purchased upon exercise of an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid in full in cash by the Participant pursuant to the Award Agreement;provided, however,that in lieu of such cash a Participant may (if authorized by the Committee) pay the Exercise Price in whole or in part by delivering (actually or by attestation) to the Company shares of the Common Stock (which may include Restricted Shares or shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option, subject to such rules as the Committee deems appropriate) having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the Option equal to the Exercise Price for the shares being purchased; except that any portion of the Exercise Price representing a fraction of a share shall in any event be paid in cash. Payment may also be made, in the discretion of the Committee and subject to applicable law, by the delivery (including, without limitation, by fax) to the Company or its designated agent of an executed irrevocable option exercise form together with irrevocable instructions to a broker-dealer to sell or margin a sufficient portion of the shares and deliver the sale or margin loan proceeds directly to the Company to pay for the Exercise Price. The date of exercise of an Option shall be determined under procedures established by the Committee, and as of the date of exercise the person exercising the Option shall, as between the Company and such person, be considered for all purposes to be the owner of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Option has been exercised. Any part of the Exercise Price paid in cash upon the exercise of any Option shall be added to the general funds of the
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Company and may be used for any proper corporate purpose. Unless the Committee shall otherwise determine, any shares of Common Stock transferred to the Company as payment of all or part of the Exercise Price upon the exercise of any Option shall be held as treasury shares.
6.06 Deferred Delivery of Option Shares.In lieu of exercising an Option for the immediate delivery of the underlying shares of Common Stock, a Participant shall have the right, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, to elect to receive Stock Units which do not reflect current ownership of shares of Common Stock, but rather the right to receive delivery of shares at a later date. Upon such an exercise of an Option, a book account maintained by the Company for the Participant shall be credited with the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon the exercise. The number of shares of Common Stock credited to the account shall be delivered to the Participant at a later date specified by the Participant at the time of the election. During the deferral period, in the discretion of the Committee, either (i) the account shall be credited with additional Stock Units reflecting the dividends that would have been received on the Stock Units if those dividends were reinvested in additional shares of Common Stock or (ii) the deemed dividends shall be paid to the Participant currently in cash. During the deferral period, the Company’s obligation to the Participant shall be an unfunded, unsecured promise to deliver shares of Common Stock at the end of the deferral period.
6.07 Change in Control.Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding on the date of such Change in Control shall become immediately and fully exercisable. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the provisions of this Section 6.07 shall not be applicable to any Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted to a Participant if any Change in Control results from such Participant’s beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Common Stock.
ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTED SHARES AND RESTRICTED UNITS
RESTRICTED SHARES AND RESTRICTED UNITS
7.01 Restricted Share and Restricted Unit Awards.The Committee may grant to any Participant a Restricted Share Award consisting of such number of shares of Common Stock on such terms, conditions and restrictions, whether based on performance standards, periods of service, retention by the Participant of ownership of specified shares of Common Stock or other criteria, as the Committee shall establish. The Committee may also grant Restricted Stock Units representing the right to receive shares of Common Stock in the future subject to the achievement of one or more goals relating to the completion of service by the Participant and/or the achievement of performance or other objectives. With respect to performance-based Awards of Restricted Shares or Restricted Units intended to qualify for deductibility under the “performance-based” compensation exception contained in Section 162(m) of the Code, performance targets will consist of specified levels of one or more of the Performance Goals. The terms of any Restricted Share and Restricted Unit Awards granted under this Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with this Plan.
(a) Issuance of Restricted Shares.As soon as practicable after the Date of Grant of a Restricted Share Award by the Committee, the Company shall cause to be transferred on the books of the Company or its agent, shares of Common Stock, registered on behalf of the Participant, evidencing the Restricted Shares covered by the Award, subject to forfeiture to the Company as of the Date of Grant if an Award Agreement with respect to the Restricted Shares covered by the Award is not duly executed by the Participant and timely returned to the Company. All shares of Common Stock covered by Awards under this Article VII shall be subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions contained in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreements entered into by the appropriate Participants. Until the lapse or release of all restrictions applicable to an Award of Restricted Shares the share certificates representing such Restricted Shares may be held in custody by the Company, its designee, or, if the certificates bear a restrictive legend, by the Participant. Upon the lapse or release of all restrictions with respect to an Award as described in Section 7.01(d), one or more share certificates, registered in the name of the Participant, for an appropriate number of shares as provided in Section 7.01(d), free of any restrictions set forth in the Plan and the related Award Agreement shall be delivered to the Participant.
(b) Stockholder Rights.Beginning on the Date of Grant of a Restricted Share Award and subject to execution of the related Award Agreement as provided in Section 7.01(a), and except as otherwise provided in such Award Agreement, the Participant shall become a stockholder of the Company with respect to all shares subject to the Award Agreement and shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including, but not limited to, the right to vote such shares and the right to receive dividends;provided, however,that any shares of Common Stock distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to any Restricted Shares as to which the restrictions have not yet lapsed, shall be subject to the same restrictions as such Restricted Shares and held or restricted as provided in Section 7.01(a).
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(c) Restriction on Transferability.None of the Restricted Shares may be assigned or transferred (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to aninter vivostrust with respect to which the Participant is treated as the owner under Sections 671 through 677 of the Code), pledged or sold prior to the lapse of the restrictions applicable thereto.
(d) Delivery of Shares Upon Vesting.Upon expiration or earlier termination of the forfeiture period without a forfeiture and the satisfaction of or release from any other conditions prescribed by the Committee, or at such earlier time as provided under the provisions of Section 7.03, the restrictions applicable to the Restricted Shares shall lapse. As promptly as administratively feasible thereafter, subject to the requirements of Section 11.05, the Company shall deliver to the Participant or, in case of the Participant’s death, to the Participant’s Beneficiary, one or more share certificates for the appropriate number of shares of Common Stock, free of all such restrictions, except for any restrictions that may be imposed by law.
7.02 Terms of Restricted Shares.
(a) Forfeiture of Restricted Shares.Subject to Sections 7.02(b) and 7.03, Restricted Shares shall be forfeited and returned to the Company and all rights of the Participant with respect to such Restricted Shares shall terminate unless the Participant continues in the service of the Company or a Subsidiary until the expiration of the forfeiture period for such Restricted Shares and satisfies any and all other conditions set forth in the Award Agreement. The Committee shall determine the forfeiture period and any other terms and conditions applicable with respect to any Restricted Share Award;provided,that, for Awards granted after the Effective Date, and subject to the provisions of any applicable retirement, severance or employment agreement or such terms as may be approved by the Committee relating to the Participant’s Permanent Disability, death or other termination of service, the forfeiture period (i) for a non-performance-based Restricted Share Award shall not be less than three years or (ii) for a performance-based Restricted Share Award shall not be less than one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the forfeiture period of a Restricted Share Award may, but need not, lapse in installments.
(b) Waiver of Forfeiture Period.Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article VII to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture period and any other conditions set forth in any Award Agreement under appropriate circumstances (including the death, disability or Retirement of the Participant or a material change in circumstances arising after the date of an Award) and subject to such terms and conditions (including forfeiture of a proportionate number of the Restricted Shares) as the Committee shall deem appropriate.
7.03 Restricted Stock Units.Restricted Unit Awards shall be subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions contained in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreements entered into by the appropriate Participants;provided,that, for Awards granted after the Effective Date, and subject to the provisions of any applicable retirement, severance or employment agreement or such terms as may be approved by the Committee relating to the Participant’s Permanent Disability, death or other termination of service, the forfeiture period (i) for a non-performance-based Restricted Unit Award shall not be less than three years or (ii) for a performance-based Restricted Unit Award shall not be less than one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the forfeiture period of a Restricted Unit Award may, but need not, lapse in installments. Until the lapse or release of all restrictions applicable to an Award of Restricted Units, no shares of Common Stock shall be issued in respect of such Awards and no Participant shall have any rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares of Common Stock covered by such Restricted Unit Award. Upon the lapse or release of all restrictions with respect to a Restricted Unit Award, one or more share certificates, registered in the name of the Participant, for an appropriate number of shares, free of any restrictions set forth in the Plan and the related Award Agreement shall be delivered to the Participant. A Participant’s Restricted Unit Award shall not be contingent on any payment by or consideration from the Participant other than the rendering of services. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 7.03 to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture period and any other conditions set forth in any Award Agreement under appropriate circumstances (including the death, Permanent Disability or Retirement of the Participant or a material change in circumstances arising after the date of an Award) and subject to such terms and conditions (including forfeiture of a proportionate number of the Restricted Units) as the Committee shall deem appropriate.
7.04 Change in Control.Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, all restrictions applicable to Restricted Share and Restricted Unit Awards shall terminate fully and the Participant shall immediately have the right to the delivery of share certificates. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the provisions of this Section 7.04 shall not be applicable to any Restricted Shares and Restricted Units granted to a Participant if any Change in Control results from such Participant’s beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Common Stock.
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ARTICLE VIII
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
8.01 Performance Awards.
(a) Award Periods and Determinations of Awards.The Committee may grant Performance Awards to Participants. A Performance Award shall consist of the right to receive a payment (measured by the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock, increases in such Fair Market Value during the Award Period and/or a fixed cash amount) contingent upon the extent to which certain predetermined performance targets have been met during an Award Period. Performance Awards may be made in conjunction with, or in addition to, Restricted Share Awards made under Article VII. The Award Period shall be two or more fiscal or calendar years or other annual periods as determined by the Committee. The Committee, in its discretion and under such terms as it deems appropriate, may permit newly eligible Participants, such as those who are promoted or newly hired, to receive Performance Awards after an Award Period has commenced.
(b) Performance Targets.The performance targets may include such goals related to the performance of the Company and/or the performance of a Participant as may be established by the Committee in its discretion. In the case of Performance Awards intended to qualify for deductibility under the “performance-based” compensation exception contained in Section 162(m) of the Code, the targets will consist of specified levels of one or more of the Performance Goals. The performance targets established by the Committee may vary for different Award Periods and need not be the same for each Participant receiving a Performance Award in an Award Period. Except to the extent inconsistent with the performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) of the Code, in the case of Performance Awards granted to Participants to whom such section is applicable, the Committee, in its discretion, but only under extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Committee, may change any prior determination of performance targets for any Award Period at any time prior to the final determination of the value of a related Performance Award when events or transactions occur to cause such performance targets to be an inappropriate measure of achievement.
(c) Earning Performance Awards.The Committee, on or as soon as practicable after the Date of Grant, shall prescribe a formula to determine the percentage of the applicable Performance Award to be earned based upon the degree of attainment of performance targets.
(d) Payment of Earned Performance Awards.Payments of earned Performance Awards shall be made in cash or shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide such terms and conditions with respect to the payment of earned Performance Awards as it may deem desirable.
8.02 Terms of Performance Awards.
(a) Termination of Employment.Unless otherwise provided below or in Section 8.03, in the case of a Participant’s Termination of Employment prior to the end of an Award Period, the Participant will not have earned any Performance Awards for that Award Period.
(b) Retirement.If a Participant’s Termination of Employment is because of Retirement prior to the end of an Award Period, the Participant will not be paid any Performance Award, unless the Committee, in its sole and exclusive discretion, determines that an Award should be paid. In such a case, the Participant shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata portion of his or her Award as determined under subsection (d).
(c) Death or Disability.If a Participant’s Termination of Employment is due to death or to disability (as determined in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee) prior to the end of an Award Period, the Participant or the Participant’s personal representative shall be entitled to receive a pro-rata share of his or her Award as determined under subsection (d).
(d) Pro-Rata Payment.The amount of any payment to be made to a Participant whose employment is terminated by Retirement, death or disability (under the circumstances described in subsections (b) and (c)) will be the amount determined by multiplying (i) the amount of the Performance Award that would have been earned through the end of the Award Period had such employment not been terminated by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of whole months such Participant was employed during the Award Period, and the denominator of which is the total number of months of the Award Period. Any such payment made to a Participant whose employment is terminated prior to the end of an Award Period shall be made at the end of such Award Period, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any partial payment previously made or credited to a deferred
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account for the benefit of a Participant in accordance with Section 8.01(d) of the Plan shall be subtracted from the amount otherwise determined as payable as provided in this Section 8.02(d).
(e) Other Events.Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, the Committee may, in its sole and exclusive discretion, determine to pay all or any portion of a Performance Award to a Participant who has terminated employment prior to the end of an Award Period under certain circumstances (including the death, disability or Retirement of the Participant or a material change in circumstances arising after the Date of Grant), subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall deem appropriate.
8.03 Change in Control.Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, all Performance Awards for all Award Periods shall immediately become fully payable (at the maximum level) to all Participants and shall be paid to Participants within thirty (30) days after such Change in Control. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the provisions of this Section 8.03 shall not be applicable to any Performance Awards granted to a Participant if any Change in Control results from such Participant’s beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Common Stock.
ARTICLE IX
OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS
OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS
9.01 Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards.Other stock-based awards, consisting of stock purchase rights, Awards of Common Stock, or Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, may be granted either alone or in addition to or in conjunction with other Awards under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Awards shall be made, the number of shares of Common Stock to be granted pursuant to such Awards, and all other conditions of the Awards. Any such Award shall be confirmed by an Award Agreement executed by the Company and the Participant, which Award Agreement shall contain such provisions as the Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of this Plan with respect to such Award.
9.02 Terms of Other Stock-Based Awards.In addition to the terms and conditions specified in the Award Agreement, Awards made pursuant to this Article IX shall be subject to the following:
(a) Non-Transferability.Any Common Stock subject to Awards made under this Article IX may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered prior to the date on which the shares are issued, or, if later, the date on which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral period lapses; and
(b) Interest and Dividends.If specified by the Committee in the Award Agreement, the recipient of an Award under this Article IX shall be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, interest or dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to the Common Stock or other securities covered by the Award; and
(c) Termination of Service.The Award Agreement with respect to any Award shall contain provisions dealing with the disposition of such Award in the event of a termination of service prior to the exercise, realization or payment of such Award, whether such termination occurs because of Retirement, Permanent Disability, death or other reason, with such provisions to take account of the specific nature and purpose of the Award.
(d) Performance-Based Awards.With respect to Awards under this Article IX intended to qualify for deductibility under the “performance-based” compensation exception contained in Section 162(m) of the Code, performance targets will consist of specified levels of one or more of the Performance Goals.
(e) Vesting or Forfeiture of Other Stock-Based Awards.For Awards granted under this Article IX after the Effective Date, and subject to the provisions of any applicable retirement, severance or employment agreement or such terms as may be approved by the Committee relating to the Participant’s Permanent Disability, death or other termination of service, the vesting schedule or forfeiture period (i) for a non-performance-based Award shall not be less than three years or (ii) for a performance-based Award shall not be less than one year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the vesting schedule or forfeiture period of an Award may, but need not, lapse in installments.
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ARTICLE X
SHORT-TERM CASH INCENTIVE AWARDS
SHORT-TERM CASH INCENTIVE AWARDS
10.01 Eligibility.This Article X is a limited purpose provision that shall apply only in the event the Committee deems it appropriate that the Company’s short-term cash incentives for executive officers of the Company who are from time to time determined by the Committee to be “covered employees” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code qualify for deductibility under the “performance-based” compensation exception contained in Section 162(m).
10.02 Awards.
(a) Performance Targets.For each fiscal year of the Company with respect to which the Committee determines this Article X to be in effect, the Committee shall establish objective performance targets based on specified levels of one or more of the Performance Goals. Such performance targets shall be established by the Committee on a timely basis to ensure that the targets are considered “pre-established” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(b) Amounts of Awards.In conjunction with the establishment of performance targets for a fiscal year, the Committee shall adopt an objective formula (on the basis of percentages of Participants’ salaries, shares in a bonus pool or otherwise) for computing the respective amounts payable under the Plan to Participants if and to the extent that the performance targets are attained. Such formula shall comply with the requirements applicable to performance-based compensation plans under Section 162(m) of the Code and, to the extent based on percentages of a bonus pool, such percentages shall not exceed 100% in the aggregate.
(c) Payment of Awards.Awards will be payable to Participants in cash each year upon prior written certification by the Committee of attainment of the specified performance targets for the preceding fiscal year.
(d) Negative Discretion.Notwithstanding the attainment by the Company of the specified performance targets, the Committee shall have the discretion, which need not be exercised uniformly among the Participants, to reduce or eliminate the award that would be otherwise paid.
�� (e) Guidelines.The Committee may adopt from time to time written policies for its implementation of this Article X. Such guidelines shall reflect the intention of the Company that all payments hereunder qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.
10.03 Non-Exclusive Arrangement.The adoption and operation of this Article X shall not preclude the Board or the Committee from approving other short-term incentive compensation arrangements for the benefit of individuals who are Participants hereunder as the Board or Committee, as the case may be, deems appropriate and in the best interests of the Company.
ARTICLE XI
TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN
TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN
11.01 Plan Provisions Control Award Terms; Successors.The terms of the Plan shall govern all Awards granted under the Plan, and in no event shall the Committee have the power to grant any Award under the Plan the terms of which are contrary to any of the provisions of the Plan. In the event any provision of any Award granted under the Plan shall conflict with any term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award, the term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award shall control. All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.
11.02 Award Agreement.No person shall have any rights under any Award granted under the Plan unless and until the Company and the Participant to whom such Award shall have been granted shall have executed and delivered an Award Agreement or the Participant shall have received and acknowledged notice of the Award authorized by the Committee expressly granting the Award to such person and containing provisions setting forth the terms of the Award.
11.03 Modification of Award After Grant.No Award granted under the Plan to a Participant may be modified (unless such modification does not materially decrease the value of that Award) after its Date of Grant except by express written agreement between the Company and such Participant, provided that any such change (a) may not be inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, and (b) shall be approved by the Committee.
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11.04 Limitation on Transfer.Except as provided in Section 7.01(c) in the case of Restricted Shares, a Participant’s rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and, during the lifetime of a Participant, only the Participant personally (or the Participant’s personal representative) may exercise rights under the Plan. The Participant’s Beneficiary may exercise the Participant’s rights to the extent they are exercisable under the Plan following the death of the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may grant Non-Qualified Stock Options that are transferable, without payment of consideration, to immediate family members of the Participant, to trusts or partnerships for such family members, or to such other parties as the Committee may approve (as evidenced by the applicable Award Agreement or an amendment thereto), and the Committee may also amend outstanding Non-Qualified Stock Options to provide for such transferability.
11.05 Withholding Taxes.The Company shall be entitled, if the Committee deems it necessary or desirable, to withhold (or secure payment from the Participant in lieu of withholding) the amount of any withholding or other tax required by law to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect to any amount payable and/or shares issuable under such Participant’s Award or with respect to any income recognized upon a disqualifying disposition of shares received pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, and the Company may defer payment of cash or issuance of shares upon exercise or vesting of an Award unless indemnified to its satisfaction against any liability for any such tax. The amount of such withholding or tax payment shall be determined by the Committee and shall be payable by the Participant at such time as the Committee determines. With the approval of the Committee, the Participant may elect to meet his or her withholding requirement (i) by having withheld from such Award at the appropriate time that number of shares of Common Stock the Fair Market Value of which is equal to the amount of withholding taxes due (the amount of withholding that may be satisfied in this manner may be limited by the Committee, in its discretion, in order to avoid adverse financial accounting consequences to the Company), (ii) by direct payment to the Company in cash of the minimum amount of any taxes required to be withheld with respect to such Award or (iii) by a combination of withholding such shares and paying cash.
11.06 Surrender of Awards.Any Award granted under the Plan may be surrendered to the Company for cancellation on such terms as the Committee and the Participant approve.
11.07 Cancellation and Rescission of Awards.
(a) Detrimental Activities.Unless the Award Agreement specifies otherwise, the Committee may cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold or otherwise limit or restrict any unexpired, unpaid, or deferred Awards at any time if the Participant is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Award Agreement and the Plan, or if the Participant engages in any “Detrimental Activity.” For purposes of this Section 11.07, “Detrimental Activity” shall include: (i) the rendering of services for any organization or engaging directly or indirectly in any business which is or becomes competitive with the Company, or which organization or business, or the rendering of services to such organization or business, is or becomes otherwise prejudicial to or in conflict with the interests of the Company; (ii) the disclosure to anyone outside the Company, or the use in other than the Company’s business, without prior written authorization from the Company, of any confidential information or material relating to the business of the Company, acquired by the Participant either during or after employment with the Company; (iii) any attempt directly or indirectly to induce any employee of the Company to be employed or perform services elsewhere or any attempt directly or indirectly to solicit the trade or business of any current or prospective customer, supplier or partner of the Company; or (iv) any other conduct or act determined to be injurious, detrimental or prejudicial to any interest of the Company.
(b) Enforcement.Upon exercise, payment or delivery pursuant to an Award, the Participant shall certify in a manner acceptable to the Company that he or she is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Plan. In the event a Participant fails to comply with the provisions of paragraphs (a)(i)-(iv) of this Section 11.07, if applicable, prior to, or during the six months after, any exercise, payment or delivery pursuant to an Award, such exercise, payment or delivery may be rescinded within two years thereafter. In the event of any such rescission, the Participant shall pay to the Company the amount of any gain realized or payment received as a result of the rescinded exercise, payment or delivery, in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be required, and the Company shall be entitled to set-off against the amount of any such gain any amount owed to the Participant by the Company.
11.08 Adjustments to Reflect Capital Changes.
(a) Recapitalization.The number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards, the Exercise Price for such shares, the number and kind of shares available for Awards subsequently granted under the Plan, the maximum number of shares in respect of which Awards can be made to any Participant in any calendar year and the Performance Goals and Award Periods applicable to outstanding Awards shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect
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any stock dividend, stock split, or share combination or any recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, liquidation or dissolution of the Company or other change in capitalization with a similar substantive effect upon the Plan or the Awards granted under the Plan. The Committee shall have the power and sole discretion to determine the amount of the adjustment to be made in each case.
(b) Certain Mergers.After any Merger in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or pursuant to which a majority of the shares which are of the same class as the shares that are subject to outstanding Options are exchanged for, or converted into, or otherwise become shares of another corporation, the surviving, continuing, successor or purchasing corporation, as the case may be (the “Acquiring Corporation”), will either assume the Company’s rights and obligations under outstanding Award Agreements or substitute awards in respect of the Acquiring Corporation’s stock for outstanding Awards, provided, however,that if the Acquiring Corporation does not assume or substitute for such outstanding Awards, the Board shall provide prior to the Merger that any unexercisable and/or unvested portion of the outstanding Awards shall be immediately exercisable and vested as of a date prior to such Merger, as the Board so determines. The exercise and/or vesting of any Award that was permissible solely by reason of this Section 11.08 shall be conditioned upon the consummation of the Merger. Any Awards which are neither assumed by the Acquiring Corporation nor exercised as of the date of the Merger shall terminate effective as of the effective date of the Merger. Comparable rights shall accrue to each Participant in the event of successive Mergers of the character described above.
(c) Options to Purchase Shares or Stock of Acquired Companies.After any Merger in which the Company or a Subsidiary shall be a surviving corporation, the Committee may grant Options or other Awards under the provisions of the Plan, pursuant to Section 424 of the Code or as is otherwise permitted under the Code, in full or partial replacement of or substitution for old stock options granted under a plan of another party to the merger whose shares of stock subject to the old options may no longer be issued following the Merger. The manner of application of the foregoing provisions to such options and any appropriate adjustments in the terms of such stock options shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any such adjustments may provide for the elimination of any fractional shares which might otherwise become subject to any Options. The foregoing shall not be deemed to preclude the Company from assuming or substituting for stock options of acquired companies other than pursuant to this Plan.
11.09 Legal Compliance.Shares of Common Stock shall not be issued hereunder unless the issuance and delivery of such shares shall comply with applicable laws and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan or any applicable Award Agreement to the contrary, the Committee shall have the sole discretion to impose such conditions, restrictions and limitations (including suspending exercises of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights and the tolling of any applicable exercise period during such suspension) on the issuance of shares with respect to any Award unless and until the Committee determines that such issuance complies with (i) any applicable securities registration requirements or the Committee has determined that an exemption therefrom is available, (ii) any applicable listing requirement of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed, (iii) any applicable Company policy or administrative rules, and (iv) any other applicable provision of law, including foreign securities laws where applicable.
11.10 No Right to Employment.No Participant or other person shall have any claim of right to be granted an Award under the Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the service of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
11.11 Awards Not Includable for Benefit Purposes.Payments received by a Participant pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall not be included in the determination of benefits under any pension, group insurance or other benefit plan applicable to the Participant which is maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as may be provided under the terms of such plans or determined by the Board.
11.12 Governing Law.All determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, other than the conflict of laws provisions thereof, and construed in accordance therewith.
11.13 No Strict Construction.No rule of strict construction shall be implied against the Company, the Committee or any other person in the interpretation of any of the terms of the Plan, any Award granted under the Plan or any rule or procedure established by the Committee.
11.14 Captions.The captions (i.e., all Section headings) used in the Plan are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Plan, and shall not be deemed to limit, characterize or affect in any way any provisions of the Plan, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed as if no captions had been used in the Plan.
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11.15 Severability.Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and every Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of the Plan or any Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, then (a) such provision shall be deemed amended to accomplish the objectives of the provision as originally written to the fullest extent permitted by law and (b) all other provisions of the Plan, such Award and every other Award at any time granted under the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.
11.16 Amendment and Termination.
(a) Amendment.The Board shall have complete power and authority to amend the Plan at any time; provided, thatno termination or amendment of the Plan may, without the consent of the Participant to whom any Award shall theretofore have been granted under the Plan, materially adversely affect the right of such individual under such Award; and provided further,that the Board shall not, without approval by the stockholders of the Company, make any amendment which requires stockholder approval under the Code or under any other applicable law or rule of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, except in connection with adjustments to reflect changes in capitalization in accordance with Section 11.08, the terms of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may not be amended or modified, without approval by the stockholders of the Company, to reduce the Exercise Price, to cancel the Option or Stock Appreciation Rights when the Exercise Price exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Common Stock in exchange for another Award, or in any other circumstance meeting the definition of a “repricing” under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (or any similar rule of a stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed).
(b) Termination.The Board shall have the right and the power to terminate the Plan at any time. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the termination of the Plan, but the termination of the Plan shall not have any other effect and any Award outstanding at the time of the termination of the Plan may be exercised after termination of the Plan at any time prior to the expiration date of such Award to the same extent such Award would have been exercisable had the Plan not been terminated.
11.17 Employees Based Outside of the United States.Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have employees or directors, the Board, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:
(a)Determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan;
(b)Determine which employees or directors outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan;
(c)Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to employees or directors outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws;
(d)Establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable. Any subplans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 11.17 by the Board shall be attached to this Plan document as appendices; and
(e)Take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals.
Notwithstanding the above, the Board may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act, the Code, any securities law, or governing statute or any other applicable law.
11.18 Deferred Compensation.No Award shall provide for a deferral of compensation under Section 409A of the Code unless the Committee specifically provides that the Award is intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code and the Committee shall interpret this Plan in a manner consistent with an Award’s designation as either subject to or exempt from Section 409A of the Code, as applicable.
11.19 Leaves of Absence.Unless the Committee provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence, but such leave of absence (if approved by the Company) shall not be deemed a termination of employment or service for purposes of the Plan. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed 90 days unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company
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is not so guaranteed, then three (3) months following the 91st day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant will cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and will be treated for tax purposes as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
11.20 Electronic Delivery of Plan Information and Electronic Signatures.To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company may deliver by email or other electronic means (including posting on a web site maintained by the Company or by a third party under contract with the Company) all documents relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder (including without limitation, prospectuses required by applicable securities law) and all other documents that the Company is required to deliver to its security holders (including without limitation, annual reports and proxy statements). To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Participant’s execution of an Award Agreement may be made by electronic facsimile or other method of recording of the Participant’s signature in a manner that is acceptable to the Committee.
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