1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
of
MOTORCAR PARTS & ACCESSORIES, INC.
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1. PURPOSES OF THE PLAN. This stock option plan (the "Plan") is
designed to provide an incentive to key employees (including officers and
directors who are key employees), Outside Directors (as defined in Paragraph 19)
and consultants of Motorcar Parts & Accessories, Inc., a New York corporation
(the "Company"), and its present and future subsidiary corporations, as defined
in Paragraph 19 ("Subsidiaries"), and to offer an additional inducement in
obtaining the services of such individuals. The Plan provides for the grant of
"incentive stock options" ("ISOs") within the meaning of Section 422 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and nonqualified stock
options ("NQSOs"), but the Company makes no warranty as to the qualification of
any option as an "incentive stock option" under the Code.
2. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph
12, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of
the Company ("Common Stock") for which options may be granted under the Plan
shall not exceed 30,000. Such shares of Common Stock may, in the discretion of
the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of Directors"), consist either
in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or shares
of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company. The Company shall at all
times during the term of the Plan reserve and keep available such number of
shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the
Plan. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 13, any shares of Common Stock
subject to an option which for any reason expires, is cancelled or is terminated
unexercised or which ceases for any reason to be exercisable shall again become
available for the granting of options under the Plan.
3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the
Board of Directors which, to the extent it shall determine, may delegate its
powers with respect to the administration of the Plan to a committee of the
Board of Directors (the "Com mittee") consisting of not less than two Directors
(or such greater number as required by law), each of whom shall be a
"non-employee director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 (or any successor rule
or regulation) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"). References in the Plan to determinations or actions by the
Committee shall be deemed to include determinations and actions by the Board of
Directors. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum,
and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a
quorum is present, and any acts approved in writing by all members without a
meeting, shall be the acts of the Committee.
Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall
have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine: the key employees,
Outside Directors and consultants who shall receive options; the times when they
shall receive options; whether an Employee Option shall be an ISO or a NQSO; the
number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each option; the term of each
option; the date each option shall become exercisable; whether an option shall
be exercisable in whole, in part or in installments, and, if in installments,
the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each installment; whether
the installments shall be cumulative; the date each installment shall become
exercisable and the term of each installment; whether to accelerate the date of
exercise of any installment; whether shares of Common Stock may be issued on
exercise of an option as partly paid, and, if so, the dates when future
installments of the exercise price shall become due and the amounts of such
installments; the exercise price of each option; the form of payment of the
exercise price; whether to restrict the sale or other disposition of the shares
of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of an option and to waive any such
restriction; whether to subject the exercise of all or any portion of an option
to the fulfillment of contingencies as specified in the Contract (as described
in Paragraph 11), including without limitations, contingencies relating to
entering into a covenant not to compete with the Company and its Parent and
Subsidiaries, to financial objectives for the Company, a Subsidiary, a division,
a product line or other category, and/or the period of continued employment of
the optionee with the Company or its Subsidiaries, to determine whether such
contingencies have been met; to construe the respective Contracts and the Plan;
to determine the amount, if any, necessary to satisfy the Company's obligation
to withhold taxes; with the consent of the optionee, to cancel or modify an
option, provided such option as modified would be permitted to be granted on
such date under the terms of the Plan; to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and
regulations relating to the Plan; and to make all other determinations necessary
or advisable for administering the Plan. The determinations of the Committee on
the matters referred to in this Paragraph 3 shall be conclusive. No member or
former member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination
made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted hereunder.
4. ELIGIBILITY; GRANTS. The Committee may, consistent with the
purposes of the Plan, grant options from time to time, to key employees
(including officers and directors who are key employees), Outside Directors and
consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Options granted shall
cover such number of shares of Common Stock as the Committee may determine;
provided, however, that the maximum number of shares subject to options that may
be granted to any employee in any fiscal year of the Company under the Plan (the
"162(m) Maximum") may not exceed 100,000; and FURTHER, PROVIDED, that the
aggregate market value (determined at the time the option is granted) of the
shares of Common Stock for which any eligible employee may be granted ISOs under
the Plan or any other plan of the Company, or of a Parent or a Subsidiary of the
Company, which are exercisable for the first time by such optionee during any
calendar year shall not exceed $100,000. The $100,000 ISO limitation shall be
applied by taking ISOs into account in the order in which they were granted. Any
option (or the portion thereof) granted in excess of such amount shall be
treated as a NQSO.
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5. EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of the shares of Common Stock
under each Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that
the exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the
Common Stock subject to such option on the date of grant; and further provided,
that if, at the time an ISO is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own
under Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its
Subsidiaries or of a Parent, the exercise price of such ISO shall not be less
than 110% of the fair market value of the Common Stock subject to such ISO on
the date of grant.
The fair market value of a share of Common Stock on any day shall be
(a) if the principal market for the Common Stock is a national securities
exchange, the average between the high and low sales prices per share of the
Common Stock on such day as reported by such exchange or on a consolidated tape
reflecting transactions on such exchange, (b) if the principal market for the
Common Stock is not a national securities exchange and the Common Stock is
quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
System ("NASDAQ"), and (i) if actual sales price information is available with
respect to the Common Stock, the average between the high and low sales prices
per share of the Common Stock on such day on NASDAQ, or (ii) if such information
is not available, the average between the highest bid and the lowest asked
prices for the Common Stock on such day on NASDAQ, or (c) if the principal
market for the Common Stock is not a national securities exchange and the Common
Stock is not quoted on NASDAQ, the average between the highest bid and lowest
asked prices per share for the Common Stock on such day as reported on the
NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board Service, National Quotation Bureau, Incorporated or a
comparable service; provided that if clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this Paragraph
are all inapplicable, or if no trades have been made or no quotes are available
for such day, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock shall be
determined by the Committee by any method consistent with applicable regulations
adopted by the Treasury Department relating to stock options. The determination
of the Committee shall be conclusive in determining the fair market value of the
stock.
6. TERM. The term of each option granted pursuant to the Plan shall
be such term as is established by the Committee, in its sole discretion, at or
before the time such option is granted; provided, however, that the term of each
ISO granted pursuant to the Plan shall be for a period not exceeding 10 years
from the date of grant thereof, and further, provided, that if, at the time an
ISO is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own under Section 424(d) of
the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of
all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its Subsidiaries or of a Parent,
the term of the ISO shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the date
of grant. Options shall be subject to earlier termination as hereinafter
provided. Each Director Option shall be exercisable for a term of 10 years
commencing on the date of grant.
7. EXERCISE. An option (or any part or installment thereof), to the
extent then exercisable, shall be exercised by giving written notice to the
Company at its principal office (at present 2727 Maricopa Street, Torrence,
California, Attn: Chairman of the Board),
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stating which ISO or NQSO is being exercised, specifying the number of shares of
Common Stock as to which such option is being exercised and accompanied by
payment in full of the aggregate exercise price therefor (or the amount due on
exercise if the Contract permits installment payments) (a) in cash or by
certified check or (b) if the applicable Contract at the time of grant so
permits, with the authorization of the Committee, with previously acquired
shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value, on the date of
exercise, equal to the aggregate exercise price of all options being exercised,
or with any combination of cash, certified check or shares of Common Stock.
The Committee may, in its discretion, permit payment of the exercise
price of an option by delivery by the optionee of a properly executed exercise
notice, together with a copy of his irrevocable instructions to a broker
acceptable to the Committee to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of
sale or loan proceeds sufficient to pay such exercise price. In connection
therewith, the Company may enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with
one or more brokerage firms.
A person entitled to receive Common Stock upon the exercise of an
option shall not have the rights of a shareholder with respect to such shares of
Common Stock until the date of issuance of a stock certificate to him for such
shares; provided, however, that until such stock certificate is issued, any
option holder using previously acquired shares of Common Stock in payment of an
option exercise price shall continue to have the rights of a shareholder with
respect to such previously acquired shares.
8. TERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP. Any holder of an Employee Option
whose employment with the Company (and its Parent and Subsidiaries) has
terminated for any reason other than his death or Disability (as defined in
Paragraph 19) may exercise such option, to the extent exercisable on the date of
such termination, at any time within three months after the date of termination,
but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise
have expired; provided, however, that if his employment shall be terminated
either (a) for cause, or (b) without the consent of the Company, said option
shall terminate immediately. Employee Options granted under the Plan shall not
be affected by any change in the status of the holder so long as he continues to
be a full-time employee of the Company, its Parent or any of the Subsidiaries
(regardless of having been transferred from one corporation to another).
For purposes of the Plan, an employment relationship shall be deemed
to exist between an individual and a corporation if, at the time of the
determination, the individual was an employee of such corporation for purposes
of Section 422(a) of the Code. As a result, an individual on military, sick
leave or other bona fide leave of absence shall continue to be considered an
employee for purposes of the Plan during such leave if the period of the leave
does not exceed 90 days, or, if longer, so long as the individual's right to
reemployment with the Company (or a related corporation) is guaranteed either by
statute or by contract. If the period of leave exceeds 90 days and the
individual's right to reemployment is not guaranteed by statute or by contract,
the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the 91st day
of
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such leave. In addition, for purposes of the Plan, an optionee's employment with
a Subsidiary or Parent of the Company shall be deemed to have terminated on the
date such corporation ceases to be a Subsidiary or Parent of the Company.
The termination of an optionee's relationship as a consultant of the
Company or of a Subsidiary of the Company shall not affect the option except as
may otherwise be provided in the Contract. A Director Option may be exercised at
any time during its 10 year term. The Director Option shall not be affected by
the holder ceasing to be a director of the Company or becoming an employee or
consultant of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Nothing in the Plan or in any option granted under the Plan shall
confer on any individual any right to continue in the employ or as a consultant
or director of the Company, its Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or interfere
in any way with the right of the Company, its Parent or any of its Subsidiaries
to terminate such relationship at any time for any reason whatsoever without
liability to the Company, its Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
9. DEATH OR DISABILITY OF AN OPTIONEE. If an optionee dies (a) while
he is employed by the Company, its Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) within
three months after the termination of his employment (unless such termination
was for cause or without the consent of the Company) or (c) within one year
following the termination of his employment by reason of Disability, an Employee
Option may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of his death, by
his executor, administrator or other person at the time entitled by law to his
rights under such option, at any time within one year after death, but not
thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have
expired.
Any optionee whose employment has terminated by reason of Disability
may exercise his Employee Option, to the extent exercisable upon the effective
date of such termination, at any time within one year after such date, but not
thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have
expired.
The death or Disability of an optionee to whom a Consultant Option
has been granted under the Plan shall not affect the option, except as may
otherwise be provided in the Contract. The term of a Director Option shall not
be affected by the death or Disability of the optionee. In such case, the option
may be exercised at any time during its term by his executor, administrator or
other person at the time entitled by law to the optionee's rights under such
option.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAW. It is a condition to the exercise
of any option that either (a) a Registration Statement under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the shares of Common
Stock to be issued upon such exercise shall be effective and current at the time
of exercise, or (b) there is an exemption from registration under the Securities
Act for the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon such
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exercise. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the Company to register
shares subject to any option under the Securities Act.
The Committee may require the optionee to execute and deliver to the
Company his representations and warranties, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Committee, that (i) the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the
exercise of the option are being acquired by the optionee for his own account,
for investment only and not with a view to the resale or distribution thereof,
and (ii) any subsequent resale or distribution of shares of Common Stock by such
optionee will be made only pursuant to (a) a Registration Statement under the
Securities Act which is effective and current with respect to the shares of
Common Stock being sold, or (b) a specific exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act, but in claiming such exemption, the optionee
shall prior to any offer of sale or sale of such shares of Common Stock provide
the Company with a favorable written opinion of counsel, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Company, as to the applicability of such exemption to the
proposed sale or distribution.
In addition, if at any time the Committee shall determine in its
discretion that the listing or qualification of the shares of Common Stock
subject to such option on any securities exchange or under any applicable law,
or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or
desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of an option,
or the issuance of shares of Common Stock thereunder, such option may not be
exercised in whole or in part unless such listing, qualification, consent or
approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not
acceptable to the Committee.
11. STOCK OPTION CONTRACTS. Each option shall be evidenced by an
appropriate Contract which shall be duly executed by the Company and the
optionee, and shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent herewith
as may be determined by the Committee.
12. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK. Not withstanding any
other provisions of the Plan, in the event of any change in the outstanding
Common Stock by reason of a stock dividend, recapitalization, merger or
consolidation in which the Company is the surviving corporation, split-up,
spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or the like, the aggregate number
and kind of shares subject to the Plan, the aggregate number and kind of shares
subject to each outstanding option and the exercise price thereof and the 162(m)
Maximum shall be appropriately adjusted by the Board of Directors, whose
determination shall be conclusive.
In the event of (a) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company,
(b) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving
corporation, or (c) any other capital reorganization (other than a
recapitalization) in which more than 50% of the shares of Common Stock of the
Company entitled to vote are exchanged, any outstanding options shall terminate,
unless other provision is made therefor in the transaction.
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13. AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan was adopted by
the Board of Directors on October 4, 1996. No option may be granted under the
Plan after October 3, 2006. The Board of Directors, without further approval of
the Company's shareholders, may at any time suspend or terminate the Plan, in
whole or in part, or amend it from time to time in such respects as it may deem
advisable, including, without limitation, in order that ISO granted hereunder
meet the requirements for "incentive stock options" under the Code, to comply
with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, Section
162(m) of the Code and to conform to any change in applicable law or to
regulations or rulings of admin istrative agencies; provided, however, that no
amendment shall be effective without the requisite prior or subsequent
shareholder approval which would (a) except as contemplated in Paragraph 12,
increase the maximum number of shares of Common Stock for which options may be
granted under the Plan or the 162(m) Maximum, (b) materially increase the
benefits to participants under the Plan or (c) change the eligibility
requirements for individuals entitled to receive options hereunder. No
termination, suspension or amendment of the Plan shall, without the consent of
the holder of an existing option affected thereby, adversely affect his rights
under such option. The power of the Committee to construe and administer any
options granted under the Plan prior to the termination or suspension of the
Plan nevertheless shall continue after such termination or during such
suspension.
14. NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. No option granted under the Plan
shall be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution, and options may be exercised, during the lifetime of the holder
thereof, only by him or his legal representatives. Except to the extent provided
above, options may not be assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or
disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and shall not
be subject to execution, attachment or similar process.
15. WITHHOLDING TAXES. The Company may withhold cash and/or, with the
authorization of the Committee, shares of Common Stock to be issued with respect
thereto having an aggregate fair market value equal to the amount which it
determines is necessary to satisfy its obligation to withhold Federal, state and
local income taxes or other taxes incurred by reason of the grant or exercise of
an option, its disposition, or the disposition of the underlying shares of
Common Stock. Alternatively, the Company may require the holder to pay to the
Company such amount, in cash, promptly upon demand. The Company shall not be
required to issue any shares of Common Stock pursuant to any such option until
all required payments have been made. Fair market value of the shares of Common
Stock shall be determined in accordance with Paragraph 5.
16. LEGENDS; PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company may endorse such legend
or legends upon the certificates for shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise
of an option under the Plan and may issue such "stop transfer" instructions to
its transfer agent in respect of such shares as it determines, in its
discretion, to be necessary or appropriate to (a) prevent a violation of, or to
perfect an exemption from, the registration requirements of the Securities Act,
(b) implement the provisions of the Plan or any agreement between the Company
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and the optionee with respect to such shares of Common Stock, or (c) permit the
Company to determine the occurrence of a "disqualifying disposition," as
described in Section 421(b) of the Code, of the shares of Common Stock
transferred upon the exercise of an ISO granted under the Plan.
The Company shall pay all issuance taxes with respect to the issuance
of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option granted under the Plan,
as well as all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such
issuance.
17. USE OF PROCEEDS. The cash proceeds from the sale of shares of
Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of options under the Plan shall be added
to the general funds of the Company and used for its general corporate purposes
as the Board of Directors may determine.
18. SUBSTITUTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS OF OPTIONS OF CER TAIN CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board
of Directors may, without further approval by the shareholders, substitute new
options for prior options of a Constituent Corporation (as defined in Paragraph
19) or assume the prior options of such Constituent Corporation.
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19. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Subsidiary. The term "Subsidiary" shall have the same
definition as "subsidiary corporation" in Section 424(f) of the Code.
(b) Parent. The term "Parent" shall have the same definition as
"parent corporation" in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(c) Constituent Corporation. The term "Constituent Corporation"
shall mean any corporation which engages with the Company, its Parent or any
Subsidiary in a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies (or
would apply if the option assumed or substituted were an ISO), or any Parent or
any Subsidiary of such corporation.
(d) Disability. The term "Disability" shall mean a permanent and
total disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
(e) Outside Director. The term "Outside Director" shall mean an
individual who, on the date of grant of a NQSO hereunder, is a director of the
Company but is not a common law employee of the Company or of any of its
Subsidiaries or its Parent.
(f) Employee Option. The term "Employee Option" shall mean an
option granted pursuant to the Plan to an individual who, on the date of grant,
is a key employee of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.
(g) Consultant Option. The term "Consultant Option" shall mean a
NQSO granted pursuant to the Plan to a person who, on the date of grant, is a
consultant to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company and who is not an
employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on such date.
(h) Director Option. The term "Director Option" shall mean a NQSO
granted pursuant to the Plan to a director of the Company who, on the date of
grant, is not an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.
20. GOVERNING LAW. The Plan, such options as may be granted hereunder
and all related matters shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of New York.
21. PARTIAL INVALIDITY. The invalidity or illegality of any provision
herein shall not affect the validity of any other provision.
22. SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. The Plan shall be subject to approval by a
majority of the votes cast at the next duly held meeting of the Company's
shareholders at which a majority of the outstanding voting shares are present,
in person or by proxy, and voting
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on the Plan. No options granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised prior to
such approval, provided that the date of grant of any options granted thereunder
shall be determined as if the amendment to the Plan had not been subject to such
approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Plan is not approved by a vote
of the shareholders of the Company on or before October 4, 1997, the Plan and
any options granted thereunder shall terminate.
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