EX-10.3 13 dex103.htm 1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN AND FORM OF AGREEMENTS THEREUNDER. 1997 Stock Option Plan and form of agreements thereunder.

EXHIBIT 10.3

 

PRN CORPORATION

 

1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN

 

1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Stock Option Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to promote the success of the Company’s business. Options granted under this Plan may be incentive stock options (as defined under Section 422 of the Code) or non-statutory stock options, as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant of an option and subject to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

 

  (a) Administrator” means the Board or any of its Committees appointed pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.

 

  (b) Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

  (c) Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

  (d) Committee” means the Committee appointed by the Board of Directors in accordance with paragraph (a) of Section 4 of the Plan.

 

  (e) Company” means PRN Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

 

  (f) Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is engaged by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to render services and is compensated for such services, and any director of the Company whether compensated for such services or not.

 

  (g) Continuous Status as an Employee” means the absence of any interruption or termination of the employment relationship by the Company or any Subsidiary. Continuous Status as an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board, including sick leave, military leave, or any other personal leave; provided, however, that for purposes of Incentive Stock Options, such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant to Company policy adopted from time to time; or (ii) in the case of transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Subsidiaries or its successor.

 

  (h) Employee” means any person, including officers and directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. The payment of a director’s fee by the Company shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.

 

  (i) Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

  (j) Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Stock determined as follows:

 

  (i) If the Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system including, without limitation, the National Market of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation (“NASDAQ”) System, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported, as quoted on such system or exchange or the exchange with the greatest volume of trading in Stock for the last market trading day prior to the time of determination) as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;


  (ii) If the Stock is quoted on the NASDAQ System (but not on the National Market thereof) or regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean between the high and low asked prices for the Stock or;

 

  (iii) In the absence of an established market for the Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Administrator.

 

  (k) Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

  (l) Non-statutory Stock Option” means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

  (m) Option” means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.

 

  (n) Optioned Stock” means the Stock subject to an Option.

 

  (o) Optionee” means an Employee or Consultant who receives an Option.

 

  (p) Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

  (q) Plan” means this 1997 Stock Option Plan.

 

  (r) Share” means a share of the Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 12 of the Plan.

 

  (s) Stock” means the Class A Common Stock of the Company;

 

  (t) Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

3. Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 12 of the Plan, the maximum number of shares of Stock which may be optioned and sold under the Plan is Three Million Eight Hundred Fifty Thousand (3,850,000) shares plus (i) any unused Shares, (ii) any forfeited Shares under the Plan and (iii) the lesser of any Shares covered by grants under the Company’s 1992 Stock Option Plan (the “1992 Plan”) or any forfeited Shares under the 1992 Plan. For purposes of this Section 3, the following apply: (i) “unused Shares” means any Shares reserved for issuance which are not covered by grants prior to the termination of the 1992 Plan; (ii) “forfeited Shares” means any Shares issued pursuant to awards which are forfeited to the Company pursuant to award terms and conditions. The term “forfeited Shares” shall not include Shares as to which the original recipient received any benefits of ownership (other than voting rights). The Shares may be authorized, but not issued, or reacquired Stock.

 

If an Option should expire or become unexercisable for any reason without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased Shares which were subject thereto shall, unless the Plan shall have been terminated, become available for future grant under the Plan.

 

4. Administration of the Plan.

 

  (a) Procedure.

 

  (i) Multiple Administrative Bodies. The Plan may be administered by different bodies with respect to directors, non-director officers and Employees who are neither directors nor officers.

 

  (ii) Administration. The Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee designated by the Board, which Committee shall be constituted in such a manner as to

 

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       satisfy the legal requirements relating to the administration of incentive stock option plans, if any, of the corporate and securities laws of California and of the Code (the “Applicable Laws”). Once appointed, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board. From time to time the Board may increase the size of the Committee and appoint additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies, however caused, and remove all members of the Committee and thereafter directly administer the Plan, all to the extent permitted by the Applicable Laws.

 

  (b) Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and in the case of a Committee, the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its discretion:

 

  (i) to determine the Fair Market Value of the Stock, in accordance with Section 2(j) of the Plan;

 

  (ii) to select the Consultants and Employees to whom Options may from time to time be granted hereunder;

 

  (iii) to determine whether and to what extent Options are granted hereunder;

 

  (iv) to determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by each such award granted hereunder;

 

  (v) to approve forms of agreement for use under the Plan;

 

  (vi) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any award granted hereunder (including, but not limited to, the share price and any restriction or limitation, or waiver of forfeiture restrictions regarding any Option or other award and/or the shares of Stock relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion);

 

  (vii) to determine whether and under what circumstances an Option may be bought out for cash under Section 9(e);

 

  (viii) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Stock and other amounts payable with respect to an award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the participant (including providing for and determining the amount, if any, of any deemed earnings on any deferred amount during any deferral period); and

 

  (ix) to reduce the exercise price of any Option to the then current Fair Market Value if the Fair Market Value of the Stock covered by such Option shall have declined since the date the Option was granted.

 

  (c) Effect of Committee’s Decision. All decisions, determinations and interpretations of the Administrator shall be final and binding on all Optionees and any other holders of any Options.

 

5. Eligibility.

 

  (a) Non-statutory Stock Options may be granted to Employees and Consultants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. An Employee or Consultant who has been granted an Option may, if he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted an additional Option or Options.

 

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  (b) Each Option shall be designated in the written option agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-statutory Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designations, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionee during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Non-statutory Stock Options.

 

  (c) For purposes of Section 5(b), Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the time the Option with respect to such Shares is granted.

 

  (d) The Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with respect to continuation of employment or consulting relationship with the Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with his right or the Company’s right to terminate his employment or consulting relationship at any time, with or without cause.

 

6. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board of Directors or its approval by the stockholders of the Company as described in Section 18 of the Plan. It shall continue in effect for ten (10) years after the date it became effective, unless sooner terminated under Section 14 of the Plan.

 

7. Term of Option. The term of each Option shall be the term stated in the Option Agreement; provided, however, that such term shall be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Option Agreement. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an Optionee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the Option shall be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Option Agreement.

 

8. Option Exercise Price and Consideration.

 

  (a) The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option shall be such price as is determined by the Board, but shall be subject to the following:

 

  (i) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option

 

  (A) granted to an Employee who, at the time of the grant of such Incentive Stock Option, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

  (B) granted to any Employee, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

  (ii) In the case of a Non-statutory Stock Option

 

  (A) granted to a person who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of the grant.

 

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  (B) granted to any person, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 85% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

 

  (b) The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator (and, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, shall be determined at the time of grant) and may consist entirely of (1) cash, (2) check, (3) promissory note, (4) other shares of the Company’s capital stock which (x) in the case of shares of the Company’s capital stock acquired upon exercise of an Option either have been owned by the Optionee for more than six months on the date of surrender or were not acquired, directly or indirectly, from the Company, and (y) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised, (5) authorization from the Company to retain from the total number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price for the total number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised, (6) delivery of a properly executed exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds required to pay the exercise price, (7) by delivering an irrevocable subscription agreement for the Shares which irrevocably obligates the option holder to take and pay for the Shares not more than twelve months after the date of delivery of the subscription agreement, (8) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment, (9) or such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted under Applicable Laws. In making its determination as to the type of consideration to accept, the Administrator shall consider if acceptance of such consideration may be reasonably expected to benefit the Company.

 

9. Exercise of Option.

 

  (a) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder. Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable according to the terms hereof at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Option Agreement, but in no case at a rate of less than 20% per year over five (5) years from the date the Option is granted. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Options granted hereunder shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

 

An Option shall be deemed to be exercised, and the Optionee deemed to be a stockholder of the shares being purchased upon exercise, when written notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Option by the person entitled to exercise the Option and full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been received by the Company. Full payment may, as authorized by the Board, consist of any consideration and method of payment allowable under Section 8(b) of the Plan.

 

Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares which thereafter may be available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.

 

  (b) Termination of Employment. In the event of termination of an Optionee’s consulting relationship or Continuous Status as an Employee with the Company (as the case may be), such Optionee may, within thirty (30) days (or such longer period of time as is determined by the Board, with such determination in the case of an Incentive Stock Option being made at the time of grant of the Option and not exceeding ninety (90) days) after the date of such termination (but in no event later than the expiration date of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement), exercise his or her Option to the extent that Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. To the extent that Optionee was not entitled to exercise the Option at the date of such termination, or if Optionee does not exercise such Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

 

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  (c) Disability of Optionee. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9(b) above, in the event of termination of an Optionee’s Consulting relationship or Continuous Status as an Employee as a result of his disability (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), Optionee may, but only within twelve (12) months from the date of such termination (but in no event later than the expiration date of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement), exercise the Option to the extent otherwise entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. To the extent that Optionee was not entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination, or if Optionee does not exercise such Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

 

  (d) Death of Optionee. In the event of the death of an Optionee, the Option may be exercised, at any time within twelve (12) months following the date of death (but in no event later than the expiration date of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option Agreement), by the Optionee’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent the Optionee was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of death. To the extent that Optionee was not entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination, or if Optionee does not exercise such Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

 

  (e) Buyout Provisions. The Administrator may at any time offer to buy out for a payment in cash or Shares, an Option previously granted, based on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall establish and communicate to the Optionee at the time that such offer is made.

 

10. Non-transferability of Options. The Option may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Optionee, only by the Optionee.

 

11. Stock Withholding to Satisfy Withholding Tax Obligations. At the discretion of the Administrator, Optionees may satisfy withholding obligations as provided in this paragraph. When an Optionee incurs tax liability in connection with an Option, which tax liability is subject to tax withholding under applicable tax laws, and the Optionee is obligated to pay the Company an amount required to be withheld under applicable tax laws, the Optionee may satisfy the withholding tax obligation by electing to have the Company withhold from the Shares to be issued upon exercise of the Option, that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount required to be withheld. The Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld shall be determined on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined.

 

12. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization or Merger.

 

  (a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each outstanding Option, and the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Options have yet been granted or which have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation or expiration of an Option, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each such outstanding Option, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall

 

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not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option.

 

  (b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator shall notify each Optionee as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. The Optionee shall have the right to exercise his or her Option until ten (10) days prior to such transaction as to all of the Optioned Stock covered thereby to the extent such Option is then vested and exercisable. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, the Option will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.

 

  (c) Merger or Asset Sale. In the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation, or the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, each Option shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be substituted by such successor corporation (including as a “Successor” any purchaser of substantially all of the assets of the Company) or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation does not agree to assume the Option or to substitute an equivalent option, the Administrator shall, as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such transaction, provide for the Optionee to have the right to exercise the Option as to all or a portion of the Optioned Stock, including Shares that would not otherwise be exercisable. In such event the Administrator shall notify the Optionee as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such transaction that the Option shall be fully exercisable for a period of ten (10) days from the date of such notice, and the Option shall terminate upon the expiration of such period. For the purposes of this paragraph, the Option shall be considered assumed if, following the merger, the option confers the right to purchase, for each Share of Optioned Stock subject to the Option immediately prior to the merger, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the merger by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the merger was not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option, for each Share of Optioned Stock subject to the Option, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the merger.

 

13. Time of Granting Options. The date of grant of an Option shall, for all purposes, be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Option, or such other date as is determined by the Board. Notice of the determination shall be given to each Employee or Consultant to whom an Option is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.

 

14. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

 

  (a) Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time amend, alter, suspend or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, suspension or discontinuation shall be made which would impair the rights of any Optionee under any grant theretofore made, without his or her consent. In addition, to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Section 422 of the Code (or any other applicable law or regulation, including the requirements of the NASD or an established stock exchange), the Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

 

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  (b) Effect of Amendment or Termination. Any such amendment or termination of the Plan shall not affect Options already granted and such Options shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been amended or terminated, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Optionee and the Board, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Optionee and the Company.

 

15. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned relevant provisions of law.

 

16. Reservation of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

 

The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

 

17. Agreements. Options shall be evidenced by written agreements in such form as the Board shall approve from time to time.

 

18. Stockholder Approval. Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted. Such stockholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner required under applicable state and federal law.

 

19. Information to Optionees. The Company shall provide to each Optionee not less frequently than annually during the period such Optionee has one or more Options, and, in the case of an individual who acquires Shares pursuant to the Plan, during the period such individual owns such Shares, copies of annual financial statements. The Company shall not be required to provide such statements to key employees whose duties in connection with the Company assure their access to equivalent information.

 

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