EXHIBIT 10 January 16, 1998 AMENDMENT to THE ANNTAYLOR STORES CORPORATION 1992 STOCK OPTION AND RESTRICTED STOCK AND UNIT AWARD PLAN The AnnTaylor Stores Corporation 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock and Unit Award Plan, amended and restated as of February 23, 1994 and subsequently amended as of February 20, 1997 (the "Plan"), is hereby further amended, effective as of January 16, 1998, as follows: 1. Section 3 of the Plan is hereby amended by restating the first paragraph thereof to read in its entirety as follows: The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board"). The Committee shall consist of two or more members of the Board, each of whom shall be both an "outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and a "nonemployee director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3, as from time to time amended ("Rule 16b-3"), promulgated under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). 2. Section 3 of the Plan is hereby further amended by adding the following new sentence at the end of the third paragraph of that Section: The Committee shall have the authority in its discretion to delegate to specified officers of the Corporation the power to make Grants, including to determine the terms of such Grants, and the power to extend the exercisability of Options pursuant to Section 6(f) or 6(g) hereof, in each case consistent with the terms of this Plan and subject to such restrictions, if any, as the Committee may specify when making such delegation; provided that the delegates shall not -------- have authority to make Grants to, or extend the exercisability of Options held by, such delegates or any Executive Officer (as defined below in this Section 3). Appendix A Page A1 ============================================================== 3. The fifth paragraph of Section 3 of the Plan is hereby amended by changing the words "disinterested persons" in the twelfth line thereof to the words "nonemployee directors". 4. Section 4 of the Plan is hereby amended by restating the first sentence of the first paragraph thereof to read in its entirety as follows: Options, Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Unit Awards may be granted to employees (including, without limitation, officers who are employees) of the Corporation or its present or future divisions and Subsidiary Corporations, and to directors (whether or not employees) of the Corporation or its present or future divisions and Subsidiary Corporations. 5. Section 5 of the Plan is hereby amended by restating the second and third sentences thereof to read in their entirety as follows: Subject to the next sentence of this paragraph, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock as to which Options alone may be granted from time to time under this Plan shall not exceed 2,850,000; the number of shares of Common Stock as to which Restricted Stock Awards alone may be granted from time to time under this Plan shall not exceed 67,000; and the number of Restricted Units that may be awarded from time to time under this Plan shall not exceed 33,000. In addition to the shares of Common Stock and Restricted Units made available for Grants under the preceding sentence, there may be granted from time to time under this Plan additional Options, Restricted Shares and Restricted Units for an aggregate of an additional 250,000 shares of Common Stock (for purposes of this calculation, counting each such additional Restricted Unit as one share of Common Stock). 6. Section 6 of the Plan is hereby amended by restating the second sentence of Section 6(f) to read in its entirety as follows, effective with respect to Grants made on or after the date on which this Amendment is adopted by the Board: Appendix A Page A2 ============================================================== In the event that the employment of an Optionee shall terminate other than by reason of death, Disability or Retirement, all Options theretofore granted to such Optionee shall, to the extent not theretofore exercised or canceled, terminate immediately upon such separation of employment; provided, however, that the Committee may in its -------- ------- discretion extend the period for exercise of Options that were exercisable at the time of separation of employment to a date later than such separation date, but in any event not beyond the date on which the Option would otherwise expire pursuant to Section 6(e) hereof. 7. Section 6 of the Plan is hereby amended by restating Section 6(g) to read in its entirety as follows: (g) DEATH, DISABILITY OR RETIREMENT OF OPTIONEE. If an Optionee shall die while employed by the Corporation or a Subsidiary Corporation, or if the Optionee's employment shall terminate by reason of Disability or Retirement, all Options theretofore granted to such Optionee, to the extent exercisable on the date of death or separation, may be exercised by the Optionee or by the Optionee's estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise such Option by bequest or inheritance or otherwise by reason of the death or Disability of the Optionee, at any time within three (3) years after the date of death or termination by reason of Disability or Retirement, or at such later time as the Committee may in its discretion determine, but in any event not beyond the date on which the Option would otherwise expire pursuant to Section 6(e) hereof. The Plan, as amended hereby, is hereby ratified and affirmed in all respects. Appendix A Page A3