Exhibit 4.15
CLARINET COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 5, 1996
1. PURPOSES.
(a) The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which selected
Employees and Directors of and Consultants to the Company, and its Affiliates,
may be given an opportunity to purchase stock of the Company.
(b) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services
of persons who are now Employees or Directors of or Consultants to the Company
or its Affiliates, to secure and retain the services of new Employees,
Directors and Consultants, and to provide incentives for such persons to exert
maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its Affiliates.
(c) The Company intends that the Options issued under the Plan shall,
in the discretion of the Board or any Committee to which responsibility for
administration of the Plan has been delegated pursuant to subsection 3(c), be
either Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options. All Options
shall be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock
Options at the time of grant, and in such form as issued pursuant to Section
6, and a separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares
purchased on exercise of each type of Option.
2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) "Affiliate" means any parent corporation or subsidiary
corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in
Sections 424(e) and (f) respectively, of the Code.
(b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) "Committee" means a Committee appointed by the Board in
accordance with subsection 3(c) of the Plan.
(e) "Company" means ClariNet Communications Corporation, a California
corporation.
(f) "Consultant" means any person, including an advisor, engaged by
the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting services and who is
compensated for such services, provided that the term "Consultant" shall not
include Directors who are paid only a director's fee by the Company or who are
not compensated by the Company for their services as Directors.
(g) "Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant" means
that the service of an individual to the Company, whether as an Employee,
Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. The Board or the
chief executive officer of the Company may determine, in that party's sole
discretion, whether Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant
shall be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) any leave of absence
approved by the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, including
sick leave, military leave, or any other personal leave; or (ii) transfers
between the Company, Affiliates or their successors.
(h) "Covered Employee" means the chief executive officer and the four
(4) other highest compensated officers of the Company for whom total
compensation is required to be reported to stockholders under the Exchange
Act, as determined for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(i) "Director" means a member of the Board.
(j) "Employee" means any person, including Officers and Directors,
employed by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a
Director nor payment of a director's fee by the Company shall be sufficient to
constitute "employment" by the Company.
(k) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(l) "Fair Market Value" means the value of the common stock as
determined in good faith by the Board and in a manner consistent with Section
260.140.50 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations.
(m) "Incentive Stock Option" means an Option intended to qualify as
an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(n) "Listing Date" means the first date upon which any security of
the Company is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any
securities exchange, or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice
of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system
if such securities exchange or interdealer quotation system has been certified
in accordance with the provisions of Section 25100(o) of the California
Corporate Securities Law of 1968.
(o) "Non-Employee Director" means a Director who either (i) is not a
current Employee or Officer of the Company or its parent or subsidiary, does
not receive compensation (directly or indirectly) from the Company or its
parent or subsidiary for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity
other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would
not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S K promulgated pursuant to
the Securities Act ("Regulation S-K")), does not possess an interest in any
other transaction as to which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a)
of Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business relationship as to which
disclosure would be required under Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is
otherwise considered a "non-employee director" for purposes of Rule 16b-3.
(p) "Nonstatutory Stock Option" means an Option not intended to
qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(q) "Officer" means a person who is an officer of the Company within
the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(r) "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(s) "Option Agreement" means a written agreement between the Company
and an Optionee evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option
grant. Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan.
(t) "Optionee" means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant
to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding
Option.
(u) "Outside Director" means a Director who either (i) is not a
current employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation" (within the
meaning of the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the
Code), is not a former employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation"
receiving compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax
qualified pension plan), was not an officer of the Company or an "affiliated
corporation" at any time, and is not currently receiving direct or indirect
remuneration from the Company or an "affiliated corporation" for services in
any capacity other than as a Director, or (ii) is otherwise considered an
"outside director" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(v) "Plan" means this 1996 Stock Option Plan.
(w) "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any
successor to Rule 16b-3 as in effect with respect to the Company at the time
discretion is being exercised regarding the Plan.
(x) "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
3. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Board unless and until the
Board delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in subsection 3(c).
(b) The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the
limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(1) To determine from time to time which of the persons eligible
under the Plan shall be granted Options; when and how each Option shall be
granted; whether an Option will be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory
Stock Option; the provisions of each Option granted (which need not be
identical), including the time or times such Option may be exercised in whole
or in part; and the number of shares for which an Option shall be granted to
each such person.
(2) To construe and interpret the Plan and Options granted under
it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its
administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any
defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Option Agreement, in a
manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan
fully effective.
(3) To amend the Plan or an Option as provided in Section 11.
(4) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts
as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the
Company.
(c) The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a committee
of the Board composed of not fewer than two (2) members (the "Committee"), all
of the members of which Committee may be, in the discretion of the Board,
Non-Employee Directors and/or Outside Directors. If administration is
delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the
administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board,
including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of two (2) or more Outside
Directors any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to
exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the
Committee or such a subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not
inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to
time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest
in the Board the administration of the Plan. Additionally, prior to the
Listing Date, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
the Board may delegate administration of the Plan to any person or persons and
the term "Committee" shall apply to any person or persons to whom such
authority has been delegated. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to
the contrary, the Board or the Committee may delegate to a committee of one or
more members of the Board the authority to grant Options to eligible persons
who (1) are not then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act and/or (2) are
either (i) not then Covered Employees and are not expected to be Covered
Employees at the time of recognition of income resulting from such Option, or
(ii) not persons with respect to whom the Company wishes to comply with
Section 162(m) of the Code.
4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments
upon changes in stock, the stock that may be sold pursuant to Options shall
not exceed in the aggregate five hundred thousand (500,000) shares of the
Company's common stock. If any Option shall for any reason expire or
otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having been exercised in
full, the stock not purchased under such Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan.
(b) The stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or
reacquired shares, bought on the market or otherwise.
5. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.
Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted only to Employees, Directors or
Consultants.
(b) No person shall be eligible for the grant of an Option if, at the
time of grant, such person owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section
424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any of its
Affiliates unless the exercise price of such Option is at least one hundred
ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of such stock at the date of grant
and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from
the date of grant.
(c) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments
upon changes in stock, no person shall be eligible to be granted Options
covering more than one hundred thousand (100,000) shares of the Company's
common stock in any calendar year. This subsection 5(c) shall not apply prior
to the Listing Date and, following the Listing Date, shall not apply until (i)
the earliest of: (A) the first material modification of the Plan (including
any increase to the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan in
accordance with Section 4); (B) the issuance of all of the shares of common
stock reserved for issuance under the Plan; (C) the expiration of the Plan; or
(D) the first meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected
that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar
year in which occurred the first registration of an equity security under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act; or (ii) such other date required by Section
162(m) of the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
6. OPTION PROVISIONS.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise)
the substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) Term. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten
(10) years from the date it was granted.
(b) Price. The exercise price of each Incentive Stock Option shall
be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the
stock subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted; the exercise
price of each Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be not less than eighty five
percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the Option on
the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option
(whether an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option) may be
granted with an exercise price lower than that set forth in the preceding
sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution
for another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of
the Code.
(c) Consideration. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to
an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and
regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised, or (ii)
at the discretion of the Board or the Committee, at the time of the grant of
the Option, (A) by delivery to the Company of other common stock of the
Company, (B) according to a deferred payment or other arrangement (which may
include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of other
common stock of the Company) with the person to whom the Option is granted or
to whom the Option is transferred pursuant to subsection 6(d), or (C) in any
other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board. In the
case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be compounded at
least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of interest necessary
to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable provisions of the
Code, of any amounts other than amounts stated to be interest under the
deferred payment arrangement.
(d) Transferability. An Option shall not be transferable except by
will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable
during the lifetime of the person to whom the Option is granted only by such
person. The person to whom the Option is granted may, by delivering written
notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a
third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionee, shall thereafter
be entitled to exercise the Option.
(e) Vesting. The total number of shares of stock subject to an
Option may, but need not, be allotted in periodic installments (which may, but
need not, be equal). The Option Agreement may provide that from time to time
during each of such installment periods, the Option may become exercisable
("vest") with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to that period,
and may be exercised with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to
such period and/or any prior period as to which the Option became vested but
was not fully exercised. The Option may be subject to such other terms and
conditions on the time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based
on performance or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The
vesting provisions of individual Options may vary but, to the extent necessary
under then applicable law, in each case will provide for vesting of at least
twenty percent (20%) per year of the total number of shares subject to the
Option. The provisions of this subsection 6(e) are subject to any Option
provisions governing the minimum number of shares as to which an Option may be
exercised.
(f) Securities Law Compliance. The Company may require any Optionee,
or any person to whom an Option is transferred under subsection 6(d), as a
condition of exercising any such Option, (1) to give written assurances
satisfactory to the Company as to the Optionee's knowledge and experience in
financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative
reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in
financial and business matters, and that he or she is capable of evaluating,
alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of
exercising the Option; and (2) to give written assurances satisfactory to the
Company stating that such person is acquiring the stock subject to the Option
for such person's own account and not with any present intention of selling or
otherwise distributing the stock. The foregoing requirements, and any
assurances given pursuant to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (i)
the issuance of the shares upon the exercise of the Option has been registered
under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities
Act, or (ii) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by
counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the
circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may
require the Optionee to provide such other representations, written assurances
or information which the Company shall determine is necessary, desirable or
appropriate to comply with applicable securities and other laws as a condition
of granting an Option to such Optionee or permitting the Optionee to exercise
such Option. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place
legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems
necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws,
including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the stock.
(g) Termination of Employment or Relationship as a Director or
Consultant. In the event an Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee,
Director or Consultant terminates (other than upon the Optionee's death or
disability), the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that
the Optionee was entitled to exercise it as of the date of termination) but
only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date three
(3) months following the termination of the Optionee's Continuous Status as an
Employee, Director or Consultant, or such longer or shorter period, which
shall not be less than thirty (30) days, specified in the Option Agreement, or
(ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Option
Agreement. If, at the date of termination, the Optionee is not entitled to
exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the unexercisable
portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available for issuance
under the Plan. If, after termination, the Optionee does not exercise his or
her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement, the Option shall
terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan.
(h) Disability of Optionee. In the event an Optionee's Continuous
Status as an Employee, Director or Consultant terminates as a result of the
Optionee's disability, the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the
extent that the Optionee was entitled to exercise it as of the date of
termination), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i)
the date twelve (12) months following such termination (or such longer or
shorter period, which in no event shall be less than six (6) months, specified
in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as
set forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the date of termination, the
Optionee is not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the shares
covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan. If, after termination, the
Optionee does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein,
the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert
to and again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(i) Death of Optionee. In the event of the death of an Optionee
during, or within a period specified in the Option Agreement after the
termination of, the Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee, Director or
Consultant, the Option may be exercised (to the extent the Optionee was
entitled to exercise the Option as of the date of death) by the Optionee's
estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest
or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the option upon the
Optionee's death pursuant to subsection 6(d), but only within the period
ending on the earlier of (i) the date eighteen (18) months following the date
of death (or such longer or shorter period, which in no event shall be less
than six (6) months, specified in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the
expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement.
If, at the time of death, the Optionee was not entitled to exercise his or her
entire Option, the shares covered by the unexercisable portion of the Option
shall revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. If,
after death, the Option is not exercised within the time specified herein, the
Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to
and again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(j) Early Exercise. The Option may, but need not, include a
provision whereby the Optionee may elect at any time while an Employee,
Director or Consultant to exercise the Option as to any part or all of the
shares subject to the Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any
unvested shares so purchased shall be subject to a repurchase right in favor
of the Company, with the repurchase price to be equal to the original purchase
price of the stock, or to any other restriction the Board determines to be
appropriate; provided, however, that (i) the right to repurchase at the
original purchase price shall lapse at a minimum rate of twenty percent (20%)
per year over five (5) years from the date the Option was granted, and (ii)
such right shall be exercisable only within (A) the ninety (90) day period
following the termination of employment or the relationship as a Director or
Consultant, or (B) such longer period as may be agreed to by the Company and
the Optionee (for example, for purposes of satisfying the requirements of
Section 1202(c)(3) of the Code (regarding "qualified small business stock")),
and (iii) such right shall be exercisable only for cash or cancellation of
purchase money indebtedness for the shares. Should the right of repurchase be
assigned by the Company, the assignee shall pay the Company cash equal to the
difference between the original purchase price and the stock's Fair Market
Value if the original purchase price is less than the stock's Fair Market
Value.
(k) Right of Repurchase. The Option may, but need not, include a
provision whereby the Company may elect, prior to the Listing Date, to
repurchase all or any part of the vested shares exercised pursuant to the
Option; provided, however, that (i) such repurchase right shall be exercisable
only within (A) the ninety (90) day period following the termination of
employment or the relationship as a Director or Consultant, or (B) such longer
period as may be agreed to by the Company and the Optionee (for example, for
purposes of satisfying the requirements of Section 1202(c)(3) of the Code
(regarding "qualified small business stock")), (ii) such repurchase right
shall be exercisable for less than all of the vested shares only with the
Optionee's consent, and (iii) such right shall be exercisable only for cash or
cancellation of purchase money indebtedness for the shares at a repurchase
price equal to the greater of (A) the stock's Fair Market Value at the time of
such termination or (B) the original purchase price paid for such shares by
the Optionee. Should the right of repurchase be assigned by the Company, the
assignee shall pay the Company cash equal to the difference between the
original purchase price and the stock's Fair Market Value if the original
purchase price is less than the stock's Fair Market Value.
(l) Right of First Refusal. The Option may, but need not, include a
provision whereby the Company may elect, prior to the Listing Date, to
exercise a right of first refusal following receipt of notice from the
Optionee of the intent to transfer all or any part of the shares exercised
pursuant to the Option.
(m) Withholding. To the extent provided by the terms of an Option
Agreement, the Optionee may satisfy any federal, state or local tax
withholding obligation relating to the exercise of such Option by any of the
following means or by a combination of such means: (1) tendering a cash
payment; (2) authorizing the Company to withhold shares from the shares of the
common stock otherwise issuable to the Optionee as a result of the exercise of
the Option; or (3) delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of
the common stock of the Company.
7. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) During the terms of the Options, the Company shall keep available
at all times the number of shares of stock required to satisfy such Options.
(b) The Company shall seek to obtain from each regulatory commission
or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required
to issue and sell shares of stock upon exercise of the Options; provided,
however, that this undertaking shall not require the Company to register under
the Securities Act either the Plan, any Option or any stock issued or issuable
pursuant to any such Option. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority
which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale
of stock under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for
failure to issue and sell stock upon exercise of such Options unless and until
such authority is obtained.
8. USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.
Proceeds from the sale of stock pursuant to Options shall constitute
general funds of the Company.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Subject to any applicable provisions of the California Corporate
Securities Law of 1968 and related regulations relied upon as a condition of
issuing securities pursuant to the Plan, the Board shall have the power to
accelerate the time at which an Option may first be exercised or the time
during which an Option or any part thereof will vest pursuant to subsection
6(e), notwithstanding the provisions in the Option stating the time at which
it may first be exercised or the time during which it will vest.
(b) Neither an Optionee nor any person to whom an Option is
transferred under subsection 6(d) shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to
have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares subject to such
Option unless and until such person has satisfied all requirements for
exercise of the Option pursuant to its terms.
(c) Throughout the term of any Option, the Company shall deliver to
the holder of such Option, not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after
the close of each of the Company's fiscal years during the Option term, a
balance sheet and an income statement. This section shall not apply (i) after
the Listing Date, or (ii) when issuance is limited to key employees whose
duties in connection with the Company assure them access to equivalent
information.
(d) Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Option granted
pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Employee, Director, Consultant or
Optionee any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate
(or to continue acting as a Director or Consultant or shall affect the right
of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of any Employee,
with or without cause, to remove any Director as provided in the Company's
By-Laws and the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of
California, or to terminate the relationship of any Consultant subject to the
terms of that Consultant's agreement with the Company or Affiliate to which
such Consultant is providing services.
(e) To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at
the time of grant) of stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are
exercisable for the first time by any Optionee during any calendar year under
all plans of the Company and its Affiliates exceeds one hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000), the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit
(according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as
Nonstatutory Stock Options.
(f) (1) The Board or the Committee shall have the authority to
effect, at any time and from time to time (i) the repricing of any outstanding
Options under the Plan and/or (ii) with the consent of the affected holders of
Options, the cancellation of any outstanding Options and the grant in
substitution therefor of new Options under the Plan covering the same or
different numbers of shares of common stock, but having an exercise price per
share not less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value (one
hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value in the case of an Incentive
Stock Option or, in the case of a ten percent (10%) stockholder (as defined in
subsection 5(b)), not less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair
Market Value) per share of common stock on the new grant date.
(2) Shares subject to an Option canceled under this subsection
9(f) shall continue to be counted, for the applicable period in which it was
granted, against the maximum award of Options permitted to be granted pursuant
to subsection 5(c) of the Plan. The repricing of an Option under this
subsection 9(f), resulting in a reduction of the exercise price, shall be
deemed to be a cancellation of the original Option and the grant of a
substitute Option; in the event of such repricing, both the original and the
substituted Options shall be counted for the applicable period against the
maximum awards of Options permitted to be granted pursuant to subsection 5(c)
of the Plan. The provisions of this subsection 9(f)(2) shall be applicable
only to the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code.
10. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.
(a) If any change is made in the stock subject to the Plan, or
subject to any Option (through merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock
split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change
in corporate structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of
consideration by the Company), the Plan will be appropriately adjusted in the
type(s) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to
subsection 4(a) and the maximum number of securities subject to award to any
person during any calendar year pursuant to subsection 5(c), and the
outstanding Options will be appropriately adjusted in the type(s) and number
of securities and price per share of stock subject to such outstanding
Options. Such adjustments shall be made by the Board or Committee, the
determination of which shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The
conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated
as a "transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the Company.")
(b) In the event of: (1) a dissolution, liquidation, or sale of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (2) a merger or
consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or (3) a
reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation but the
shares of the Company's common stock outstanding immediately preceding the
merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in
the form of securities, cash or otherwise, then: (i) any surviving or
acquiring corporation shall assume Options outstanding under the Plan or shall
substitute similar options (including an option to acquire the same
consideration paid to stockholders in the transaction described in this
Subsection 10(b)) for those outstanding under the Plan, or (ii) in the event
any surviving or acquiring corporation refuses to assume such Options or to
substitute similar options for those outstanding under the Plan, (A) with
respect to Options held by persons then performing services as Employees,
Directors or Consultants and subject to any applicable provisions of the
California Corporate Securities Law of 1968 and related regulations relied
upon as a condition of issuing securities pursuant to the Plan, the vesting of
such Options and the time during which such Options may be exercised shall be
accelerated prior to such event and the Options terminated if not exercised
after such acceleration and at or prior to such event, and (B) with respect to
any other Options outstanding under the Plan, such Options shall be terminated
if not exercised prior to such event.
11. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND OPTIONS.
(a) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section 10 relating to adjustments upon changes
in stock, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders
of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the
amendment, where the amendment will:
(1) Increase the number of shares reserved for Options under the
Plan;
(2) Modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation
in the Plan (to the extent such modification requires stockholder approval in
order for the Plan to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code); or
(3) Modify the Plan in any other way if such modification
requires stockholder approval in order for the Plan to satisfy the
requirements of Section 422 of the Code or to comply with the requirements of
Rule 16b 3.
(b) The Board may in its sole discretion submit any other amendment
to the Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to,
amendments to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m)
of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder regarding the exclusion
of performance-based compensation from the limit on corporate deductibility of
compensation paid to certain executive officers.
(c) It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in
any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide Optionees with
the maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the
Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to Incentive Stock
Options and/or to bring the Plan and/or Incentive Stock Options granted under
it into compliance therewith.
(d) Rights and obligations under any Option granted before amendment
of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and
(ii) such person consents in writing.
(e) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of
any one or more Options; provided, however, that the rights and obligations
under any Option shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and
(ii) such person consents in writing.
12. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
(a) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless
sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate on September 4, 2006, which shall
be within ten (10) years from the date the Plan is adopted by the Board or
approved by the stockholders of the Company, whichever is earlier. No Options
may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is
terminated.
(b) Rights and obligations under any Option granted while the Plan is
in effect shall not be impaired by suspension or termination of the Plan,
except with the written consent of the person to whom the Option was granted.
13. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
The Plan shall become effective as determined by the Board, but no
Options granted under the Plan shall be exercised unless and until the Plan
has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval shall be
within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the
Board.