EXHIBIT 10.1
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
2004 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
I. DEFINITIONS
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ACCOUNT means the Employee Stock Purchase Plan Account established for a
Participant under Section IX hereunder.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
COMMITTEE shall mean the Compensation Committee appointed and acting in
accordance with the terms of the Plan.
COMMON STOCK shall mean shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share, and any security into which such stock shall be converted
or shall become by reason of changes in its nature such as by way of
recapitalization, reclassification, changes in par value, merger, consolidation
or similar transaction.
COMPANY shall mean Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, a Delaware
corporation. When used in the Plan with reference to employment, Company shall
include Designated Subsidiaries.
COMPENSATION shall mean the total cash compensation paid to an Eligible
Employee by the Company, as reportable on IRS Form W-2. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Compensation shall exclude severance pay, stay-on bonuses, long term
bonuses, retirement income, change-in-control payments, contingent payments,
income derived from stock options, stock appreciation rights and other
equity-based compensation and other forms of special remuneration.
EFFECTIVE DATE shall mean April 1, 2004.
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES shall mean only those persons who, as of the first day
of a Purchase Period, are Employees of the Company or any Subsidiary designated
by the Committee from time to time (a "Designated Subsidiary") and who are not,
as of the day preceding the first day of the Purchase Period, deemed for
purposes of Section 423(b)(3) of the Code to own stock possessing 5% or more of
the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company.
EMPLOYEES shall mean all persons who are employed by the Company as
common-law employees, excluding persons (i) whose customary employment is 20
hours or less per week, or (ii) whose customary employment is for not more than
five months in a calendar year.
EXCHANGE ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
EXERCISE DATE shall mean the last day of a Purchase Period.
FAIR MARKET VALUE shall mean as of any date: (i) the average of the
closing bid and asked prices on such date of the Common Stock as quoted by
Nasdaq; or (ii), as the case may be, the last reported sales price of the Common
Stock on such date as reported by the Nasdaq National Market or the principal
national securities exchange on which such stock is listed and traded, or in
each such case where there is no trading on such date, on the first previous
date on which there is such trading.
PARTICIPANT shall mean an Eligible Employee who elects to participate in
the Plan under Section VII hereunder.
PLAN shall mean the Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation Employee
Stock Purchase Plan, as set forth herein and as amended from time to time.
PURCHASE PERIOD shall mean (a) for 2004, the purchase periods shall be
quarterly commencing on the Effective Date and ending on December 31, 2004; and
(b) thereafter, purchase periods shall remain quarterly, unless modified by the
Committee not less than 60 days in advance of the commencement of such modified
period. A Purchase Period shall begin on the first business day of, and end on
the last business day of, each such calendar period. The last Purchase Period
under the Plan shall terminate on or before the date of termination of the Plan
provided in Section XXIV.
SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation which is a subsidiary of the Company
within the meaning of Section 425(f) of the Code.
TERMINATION OF SERVICE shall mean the earliest of the following events
with respect to a Participant: his retirement, death, quit, discharge or
permanent separation from service with the Company.
The masculine gender includes the feminine, the singular number includes
the plural and the plural number includes the singular unless the context
otherwise requires.
II. PURPOSE
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It is the purpose of this Plan to provide a means whereby Eligible
Employees may purchase Common Stock through payroll deductions. It is intended
to provide a further incentive for Employees to promote the best interests of
the Company and to encourage stock ownership by Employees in order to
participate in the Company's economic progress.
It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an
"employee stock purchase plan" within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code and
the provisions of the Plan shall be construed in a manner consistent with the
Code.
III. ADMINISTRATION
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The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board
of Directors. The Committee shall have authority to make rules and regulations
for the administration of the Plan, and its interpretations and decisions with
regard thereto shall be final and conclusive. The Committee shall have all
necessary authority to communicate, from time to time, with Eligible Employees
and
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Participants for purposes of administering the Plan, and shall notify Eligible
Employees promptly of its election of the term of each forthcoming Purchase
Period, if other than a quarterly, and of its election to utilize the Trust
Administration Option referred to in Section IX.
IV. SHARES
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There shall be 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance to
and purchase by Participants under the Plan, subject to adjustment in accordance
with Section XXI hereof. The shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan shall be
either shares of authorized but unissued Common Stock or shares of Common Stock
reacquired by the Company. Shares of Common Stock involved in any unexercised
portion of any terminated option may again be subject to options to purchase
granted under the Plan.
V. PURCHASE PRICE
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The purchase price per share of the shares of Common Stock sold to
Participants under this Plan for any Purchase Period shall be the lesser of (a)
90% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the first day of such
Purchase Period, or (b) 90% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock
on the Exercise Date of such Purchase Period.
VI. GRANT OF OPTION TO PURCHASE SHARES
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Each Eligible Employee shall be granted an option effective on the first
day of each Purchase Period to purchase a number of full shares of Common Stock
(subject to adjustment as provided in Section XXI). No Eligible Employee shall
be permitted to purchase shares under this Plan (or under any other "employee
stock purchase plan" within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code, of the
Company ) with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as determined as of the first day
of the Purchase Period) in excess of $25,000 for any one calendar year within
the meaning of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code. For a given Purchase Period,
payroll deductions shall commence on the first day of the Purchase Period and
shall end on the related Exercise Date, unless sooner altered or terminated as
provided in the Plan.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, if, as of the first day
of a Purchase Period, any Eligible Employee entitled to purchase shares
hereunder would be deemed for the purposes of Section 423(b)(3) of the Code to
own stock (including any number of shares which such person would be entitled to
purchase hereunder) possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or
value of all classes of stock of the Company, the maximum number of shares which
such person shall be entitled to purchase pursuant to the Plan shall be reduced
to that number which when added to the number of shares of stock of the Company
which such person is so deemed to own (excluding any number of shares which such
person would be entitled to purchase hereunder), is one less than such 5%.
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VII. ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE
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An Eligible Employee may elect to become a Participant in this Plan by
completing a "Stock Purchase Agreement" form or otherwise indicating an election
via electronic enrollment prior to the first day of the Purchase Period. In the
Stock Purchase Agreement, the Eligible Employee shall authorize regular payroll
deductions from his Compensation subject to the limitations in Section VIII
below. Options granted to Eligible Employees who fail to authorize payroll
deductions will automatically lapse. If a Participant's payroll deductions allow
him to purchase fewer than the maximum number of shares of Common Stock to which
his option entitles him, the option with respect to the shares which he does not
purchase will lapse as of the last day of the Purchase Period.
The execution and delivery of the Stock Purchase Agreement as between the
Participant and the Company shall be conditioned upon the compliance by the
Company at such time with Federal (and any applicable state) securities laws.
VIII. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
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An Eligible Employee may authorize payroll deductions from his
Compensation for each payroll period of a specified percentage of such
Compensation, not less than 1% and not more than 15%, in multiples of 1%.
The amount of payroll deduction shall be established prior to the
beginning of a Purchase Period and may not be altered, except for complete
discontinuance under Section XI, XIII or XIV hereunder.
IX. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE ACCOUNT
AND TRUST ADMINISTRATION OPTION
-----------------------------------
An Employee Stock Purchase Account will be established for each
Participant in the Plan. Payroll deductions made under Section VIII will be
credited to the individual Accounts. In the event the Committee determines with
respect to any Purchase Period, not to utilize the "Trust Administration Option"
set forth in the next paragraph, no interest or other earnings will be credited
to a Participant's Account.
With respect to any one or more Purchase Periods, the Committee may elect
to utilize, in addition to the separate accounting for payroll deductions
provided in the Plan, the option to administer the funding of the Accounts
through a trust established pursuant to a trust agreement between the Company
and an institution exercising fiduciary powers (the "Trust Administration
Option") as hereinafter set forth in this paragraph. The Company shall provide
for the funding of each Account on a regular basis during each Purchase Period
reflecting payroll deductions of Participants and shall cause such sums to be
deposited within 15 days following such deductions in a trust account at such
institution and upon such terms as are established by the Committee. The trust
account assets shall be invested in shares of a tax-exempt money-market
registered investment company designated in the trust agreement, which
designation shall not be changed during the Purchase Period. Assets deposited in
the aforesaid trust account shall be commingled, but a separate accounting shall
be kept for each Participant's interest therein. Each Participant shall be
credited with his allocable share of the earnings of the trust account, which
credits shall be reflected in each Participant's Account balance hereunder. At
all times, the funds in such trust account shall be considered the property of
the respective
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Participants, and no part of the trust account assets may at any time revert to,
or be subject to any lien or claim of, the Company; provided, however, that such
trust account assets may be used only for the purchase of shares as provided in
Section X hereof or for withdrawal by or return to Participants (or their
beneficiaries) as provided in Sections XI, XIII or XXIV hereof.
X. PURCHASE OF SHARES
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If, as of any Exercise Date, there is credited to the Account of a
Participant an amount at least equal to the purchase price of one share of
Common Stock for the current Purchase Period, as determined in Section V, the
Participant shall buy and the Company shall sell at such price the largest
number of whole shares of Common Stock which can be purchased with the amount in
his Account.
Any balance remaining in a Participant's Account at the end of a Purchase
Period will be carried forward into the Participant's Account for the following
Purchase Period. In no event will the balance carried forward be equal to or
exceed the purchase price of one share of Common Stock as determined in Section
V above. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, if as of
any Exercise Date the provisions of Section XV are applicable to the Purchase
Period ending on such Exercise Date, and the Committee reduces the number of
shares which would otherwise be purchased by Participants on such Exercise Date,
the entire balance remaining credited to the Account of each Participant after
the purchase of the applicable number of shares of Common Stock on such Exercise
Date shall be refunded to each such Participant. Except with respect to a
Purchase Period for which the Trust Administration Option has been elected, no
refund of an Account balance made pursuant to the Plan shall include any amount
in respect of interest or other imputed earnings.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no Participant may, in
any calendar year, purchase a number of shares of Common Stock under this Plan
which, together with all other shares of stock of the Company and its
Subsidiaries which he may be entitled to purchase in such year under all other
employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its subsidiaries which meet the
requirements of Section 423(b) of the Code, have an aggregate Fair Market Value
(measured as of the first day of each applicable Purchase Period) in excess of
$25,000. The limitation described in the preceding sentence shall be applied in
a manner consistent with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.
XI. WITHDRAWAL
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A Participant may withdraw from the Plan at any time prior to the Exercise
Date of a Purchase Period by filing a notice of withdrawal. Upon a Participant's
withdrawal, the payroll deductions shall cease for the next payroll period and
the entire amount credited to his Account shall be refunded to him. Any
Participant who withdraws from the Plan may again become a Participant hereunder
at the start of the next Purchase Period in accordance with Section VII.
XII. ISSUANCE OF STOCK CERTIFICATES
-----------------------------------
The shares of Common Stock purchased by a Participant shall, for all
purposes, be deemed to have been issued and sold at the close of business on the
Exercise Date. Prior to that date, none of the rights or privileges of a
stockholder of the Company shall exist with respect to such shares. Stock
certificates shall be registered either in the Participant's name or jointly in
the names of the Participant
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and his spouse, as the Participant shall designate in his Stock Purchase
Agreement. Such designation may be changed at any time by filing notice thereof.
Certificates representing shares of purchased Common Stock shall be delivered
promptly to the Participant following issuance.
XIII. TERMINATION OF SERVICE
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(a) Upon a Participant's Termination of Service for any reason other than
death or voluntary termination of employment on or after attaining age 55
("Retirement"), no payroll deduction may be made from any Compensation due him
as of the date of his Termination of Service and the entire balance credited to
his Account shall be automatically refunded to him.
(b) Upon a Participant's Retirement, no payroll deduction shall be made
from any Compensation due him as of the date of his retirement. Such a
Participant may, prior to Retirement, elect:
(1) to have the entire amount credited to his Account as of the date of
his Retirement refunded to him, or
(2) to have the entire amount credited to his Account held therein and
utilized to purchase shares on the Exercise Date as provided in Section X.
(c) Upon the death of a Participant, no payroll deduction shall be made
from any Compensation due him at time of death, and the entire balance in the
deceased Participant's Account shall be paid to the Participant's designated
beneficiary, or otherwise to his estate.
XIV. AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE, DISABILITY
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Payroll deductions shall cease during a period of absence without pay from
work due to a Participant's authorized leave of absence, disability or for any
other reason. If such Participant shall return to active service prior to the
Exercise Date for the current Purchase Period, payroll deductions shall be
resumed in accordance with his prior authorization.
If the Participant shall not return to active service prior to the
Exercise Date for the current Purchase Period, the balance of his Stock Purchase
Account will be used to purchase shares on the Exercise Date as provided in
Section X, unless the Participant elects to withdraw from the Plan in accordance
with Section XI.
XV. PROCEDURE IF INSUFFICIENT SHARES AVAILABLE
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In the event that on any Exercise Date the aggregate funds available for
the purchase of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section X hereof would result
in purchases of shares in excess of the number of shares of Common Stock then
available for purchase under the Plan, the Committee shall proportionately
reduce the number of shares which would otherwise be purchased by each
Participant on the Exercise Date in order to eliminate such excess, and the
provisions of the second paragraph of Section X shall apply.
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XVI. RIGHTS NOT TRANSFERABLE
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The right to purchase shares of Common Stock under this Plan is
exercisable only by the Participant during his lifetime and is not transferable
by him. If a Participant attempts to transfer his right to purchase shares under
the Plan, he shall be deemed to have requested withdrawal from the Plan and the
provisions of Section XI hereof shall apply with respect to such Participant.
XVII. NO OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE OPTION
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Granting of an option under this Plan shall impose no obligation on an
Eligible Employee to exercise such option.
XVIII. NO GUARANTEE OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT
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Granting of an option under this Plan shall imply no right of continued
employment with the Company for any Eligible Employee.
XIX. NOTICE
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Any notice which an Eligible Employee or Participant files pursuant to
this Plan shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or by mail
addressed to the Committee, c/o Chief Executive Officer at 500 Glenpointe Center
West, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666 or such other person or location as may be
specified by the Committee.
XX. REPURCHASE OF STOCK
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The Company shall not be required to repurchase from any Participant
shares of Common Stock acquired under this Plan.
XXI. ADJUSTMENT FOR RECAPITALIZATION, MERGER, ETC.
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The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which may be purchased
pursuant to options granted hereunder, the number of shares of Common Stock
covered by each outstanding option, and the purchase price thereof for each such
option shall be appropriately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the
number of outstanding shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split or
other subdivision or consolidation of shares of Common Stock or for other
capital adjustments or payments of stock dividends or distributions or other
increases or decreases in the outstanding shares of Common Stock affected
without receipt of consideration of the Company.
Subject to any required action by the stockholders, if the Company shall
be the surviving corporation in any merger, reorganization or other business
combination, any option granted hereunder shall cover the securities or other
property to which a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock would have
been entitled pursuant to the terms of the merger. A dissolution or liquidation
of the
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Company or a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving
entity shall cause every option outstanding hereunder to terminate.
The foregoing adjustments and the manner of application of the foregoing
provisions shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any such
adjustment shall provide for the elimination of any fractional share which might
otherwise become subject to an option.
XXII. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN
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The Board of Directors may, without the consent of the Participants, amend
the Plan at any time, provided that no such action shall adversely affect
options theretofore granted hereunder, and provided that no such action by the
Board of Directors, without approval of the Company's stockholders, may:
(a) increase the total number of shares of Common Stock which may be
purchased by all Participants, except as contemplated in Section XXI;
(b) change the class of Employees eligible to receive options under the
Plan;
(c) decrease the minimum purchase price under Section V;
(d) extend a Purchase Period hereunder; or
(e) extend the term of the Plan.
XXIII. INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS
---------------------------------
With respect to Eligible Employees who reside or work outside the United
States of America, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend the terms of
the Plan with respect to such Eligible Employees in order to conform such terms
with the requirements of local law.
XXIV. TERM OF THE PLAN
----------------------
This Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date upon its
adoption by the Board of Directors, provided that it is approved at a duly-held
meeting of stockholders of the Company, by an affirmative majority of the total
votes present and voting thereat, within 12 months after the earlier of the
Effective Date or the date of adoption by the Board of Directors. If the Plan is
not so approved, no Common Stock shall be purchased under the Plan and the
balance of each Participant's Account shall be promptly returned to the
Participant. The Plan shall continue in effect until all shares reserved for
issuance pursuant to Article IV have been granted to Participants, unless
terminated prior thereto pursuant to Section XV or XXI hereof, or pursuant to
the next succeeding sentence. The Board of Directors shall have the right to
terminate the Plan at any time, effective as of the next succeeding Exercise
Date. In the event of the termination of the Plan, outstanding options shall not
be affected, except to the extent provided in Section XV and any remaining
balance credited to the Account of each Participant as of the applicable
Exercise Date shall be refunded to each such Participant.
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