Exhibit 99.3
STARMEDIA NETWORKS INC.
1998 STOCK PLAN
FORM OF STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have
the same defined meanings in this Option Agreement.
I. NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT
The undersigned Optionee has been granted an Option to purchase Common
Stock of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this
Option Agreement, as follows:
Grant Number
Date of Grant
Exercise Price per Share
Total Number of Shares Granted
Total Exercise Price
Type of Option: / / Incentive Stock Option
/_/ Nonstatutory Stock Option
Term/Expiration Date:
Termination Period:
This Option may be exercised for 30 days after Optionee ceases to be a
Service Provider. Upon death or Disability of the Optionee, this Option may be
exercised, to the extent it is then vested, for one (1) year after Optionee
ceases to be Service Provider. In no event shall this Option be exercised later
than the Term/Expiration Date as provided above.
II. AGREEMENT
1. Grant of Option. The Administrator of the Company hereby grants to the
Optionee named in the Notice of Grant (the "Optionee"), an option (the "Option")
to purchase the number of Shares set forth in the Notice of Grant, at the
exercise price per Share set forth in the Notice of Grant (the "Exercise
Price"), and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which is
incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 14(c) of the Plan, in the
event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option
Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail.
If designated in the Notice of Grant as an Incentive Stock Option ("ISO"),
this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option as defined in
Section 422 of the Code. Nevertheless, to the extent that it exceeds the
$100,000 rule of Code Section 422(d), this Option shall be treated as a
Nonstatutory Stock Option ("NSO").
2. Exercise of Option. This Option shall be exercisable during its term in
accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Plan as follows:
(a) Right to Exercise.
(i) This Option shall be exercisable in full at the date of
issuance.
(ii) This Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a
Share.
(b) Method of Exercise. This Option shall be exercisable by delivery
of an exercise notice in the form attached as Exhibit A (the "Exercise Notice")
which shall state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares with
respect to which the Option is being exercised, and such other representations
and agreements as may be required by the Company. The Exercise Notice shall be
accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised
Shares. This Option shall be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company
of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate Exercise
Price.
No Shares shall be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option
unless such issuance and such exercise complies with Applicable Laws. Assuming
such compliance, for income tax purposes the Shares shall be considered
transferred to the Optionee on the date on which the Option is exercised with
respect to such Shares.
3. Optionee's Representations. In the event the Shares have not been
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, at the time this Option
is exercised, the Optionee shall, if required by the Company, concurrently with
the exercise of all or any portion of this Option, deliver to the Company his or
her Investment Representation Statement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B.
4. Lock-Up Period. Optionee hereby agrees that, if so requested by the
Company or any representative of the underwriters (the "Managing Underwriter")
in connection with any registration of the offering of any securities of the
Company under the Securities Act, Optionee shall not sell or otherwise transfer
any Shares or other securities of the Company during the 180-day period (or such
other period as may be requested in writing by the Managing Underwriter and
agreed to in writing by
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the Company) (the "Market Standoff Period") following the effective date of a
registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act. Such
restriction shall apply only to the first registration statement of the Company
to become effective under the Securities Act that includes securities to be sold
on behalf of the Company to the public in an underwritten public offering under
the Securities Act. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with
respect to securities subject to the foregoing restrictions until the end of
such Market Standoff Period.
5. Method of Payment. Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price shall be by
any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of the Optionee:
(a) cash or check; or
(b) consideration received by the Company under a formal cashless
exercise program adopted by the Company in connection with the Plan.
6. Restrictions on Exercise. This Option may not be exercised until such
time as the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, or if the
issuance of such Shares upon such exercise or the method of payment of
consideration for such shares would constitute a violation of any Applicable
Law.
7. Non-Transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in
any manner otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and
may be exercised during the lifetime of Optionee only by Optionee. The terms of
the Plan and this Option Agreement shall be binding upon the executors,
administrators, heirs, successors and assigns of the Optionee.
8. Term of Option. This Option may be exercised only within the term set
out in the Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in
accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Option.
9. Tax Consequences. Set forth below is a brief summary as of the date of
this Option of some of the federal tax consequences of exercise of this Option
and disposition of the Shares. THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY INCOMPLETE, AND THE
TAX LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE OPTIONEE SHOULD CONSULT A
TAX ADVISER BEFORE EXERCISING THIS OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES.
(a) Exercise of NSO. There may be a regular federal income tax
liability upon the exercise of an NSO. The Optionee will be treated as having
received compensation income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal to the
excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise
over the Exercise Price. If Optionee is an Employee or a former Employee, the
Company will be required to withhold from Optionee's compensation or collect
from Optionee and pay to the applicable taxing authorities an amount in cash
equal to a percentage of this compensation income at the time of exercise, and
may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver Shares if such
withholding amounts are not delivered at the time of exercise.
(b) Exercise of ISO. If this Option qualifies as an ISO, there will
be no regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Option,
although the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value
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of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price will be treated as
an adjustment to the alternative minimum tax for federal tax purposes and may
subject the Optionee to the alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise.
(c) Disposition of Shares. In the case of an NSO, if Shares are held
for at least one year, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be
treated as long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. In the case
of an ISO, if Shares transferred pursuant to the Option are held for at least
one year after exercise and for at least two years after the Date of Grant, any
gain realized on disposition of the Shares will also be treated as long-term
capital gain for federal income tax purposes. If Shares purchased under an ISO
are disposed of within one year after exercise or two years after the Date of
Grant, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as compensation
income (taxable at ordinary income rates) to the extent of the difference
between the Exercise Price and the lesser of (1) the Fair Market Value of the
Shares on the date of exercise, or (2) the sale price of the Shares. Any
additional gain will be taxed as capital gain, short-term or long-term depending
on the period that the ISO Shares were held.
(d) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares. If the Option
granted to Optionee herein is an ISO, and if Optionee sells or otherwise
disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the ISO on or before the
later of (1) the date two years after the Date of Grant, or (2) the date one
year after the date of exercise, the Optionee shall immediately notify the
Company in writing of such disposition. Optionee agrees that Optionee may be
subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income
recognized by the Optionee.
10. Entire Agreement; Governing Law. The Plan is incorporated herein by
reference. The Plan and this Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of
the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede in their
entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Optionee with
respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the
Optionee's interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and
Optionee. This Option Agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws but
not the choice of law rules of New York.
11. No Guarantee of Continued Service. OPTIONEE ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES
THAT THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER DO NOT CONSTITUTE
AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR
THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND SHALL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY
WAY WITH OPTIONEE'S RIGHT OR THE COMPANY'S RIGHT TO TERMINATE OPTIONEE'S
RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
Optionee acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and represents that he
or she is familiar with the terms and provisions thereof, and hereby accepts
this Option subject to all of the terms and provisions thereof. Optionee has
reviewed the Plan and this Option in their entirety, has had an opportunity to
obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Option and fully
understands all provisions of the Option. Optionee hereby agrees to accept as
binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the
Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan or this Option. Optionee
further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address
indicated below.
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OPTIONEE STARMEDIA NETWORK, INC.
/s/
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Signature on behalf of By
VP Finance & Admin.
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Print Name Title
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Residence Address
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