EX-99.1 2 tm213764d1_ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

LUCKIN COFFEE INC.

 

2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

ARTICLE 1

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this 2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN (the “Plan”) is to promote the success of Luckin Coffee Inc., (the “Company”), by linking the personal interests of the Directors, Employees, and Consultants to those of the Company’s shareholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to the Company’s shareholders.  The Plan is further intended to attract, retain and motivate the services of the Directors, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, all previous equity incentive plans of the Company shall not be superseded and/or replaced solely as a result of the Company’s adoption of this Plan. Any options, incentives or benefits awarded in connection with previous equity incentive plans will continue to be governed by the terms thereof.

 


ARTICLE 2

 

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

 

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.  The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

 

2.1           Applicable Laws” means any applicable legal requirements relating to the administration of and the issuance of securities under this plan, including, without limitation, the requirements of laws of the United States, PRC or the Cayman Islands, and the requirements of any stock exchange or quotation system upon which the Shares may then be listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted under the Plan. For all purposes of this Plan, references to statutes and regulations shall be deemed to include any successor statutes or regulations, to the extent reasonably appropriate as determined by the Committee.

 

2.2           Award” means an Option, Restricted Share, Restricted Share Unit award or other types of awards approved by the Committee granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan.

 

2.3           Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium.

 

2.4           Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.5           Cause” with respect to a Participant means (unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, or another applicable contract with the Participant that defines such term based upon a finding by the Service Recipient, acting in good faith and based on its reasonable belief at the time, that the Participant:

 

 

 

(a)           has been negligent in the discharge of his or her duties to the Service Recipient, has refused to perform stated or assigned duties or is incompetent in or (other than by reason of a disability or analogous condition) incapable of performing those duties;

 

(b)           has been dishonest or committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, a breach of confidentiality, an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information;

 

(c)           has breached a fiduciary duty, or willfully and materially violated any other duty, law, rule, regulation or policy of the Service Recipient; or has been convicted of, or plead guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or misdemeanor (other than minor traffic violations or similar offenses) or other crimes;

 

(d)          has materially breached any of the provisions of any agreement with the Service Recipient;

 

(e)           has engaged in unfair competition with, or otherwise acted intentionally in a manner injurious to the reputation, business or assets of, the Service Recipient;

 

(f)           has improperly induced an employee, a vendor or customer to break or terminate any contract with the Service Recipient or induced a principal for whom the Service Recipient acts as agent to terminate such agency relationship; or

 

(g)          has engaged in any conduct that is materially adverse to the name, reputation or interests of the Company.

 

2.6           Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of the United States, as amended.

 

2.7           Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any other committee composing of members of the Board that is appointed by the Board to administer the Plan. Reference to the Committee shall refer to the Board in the absence of the Committee.

 

2.8           Consultant” means any consultant or adviser if: (a) the consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to a Service Recipient; (b) the services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and (c) the consultant or adviser is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Service Recipient to render such services.

 

2.9           Corporate Transaction”, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, means any of the following transactions, providedhowever, that the Committee shall determine under (d) and (e) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive:

 

(a)           an amalgamation, arrangement or consolidation or scheme of arrangement (i) in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated or (ii) following which the holders of the voting securities of the Company do not continue to hold more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity;

 

 

 

(b)          the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

(c)           the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

 

(d)          any reverse takeover or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse takeover (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse takeover) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the Company’s equity securities outstanding immediately prior to such takeover are converted or exchanged by virtue of the takeover into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such takeover or the initial transaction culminating in such takeover, but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Committee determines shall not be a Corporate Transaction; or

 

(e)           acquisition in a single or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Committee determines shall not be a Corporate Transaction.

 

2.10         Director”, means a member of the Board or a member of the board of directors of any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

2.11         Disability”, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, means that the Participant qualifies to receive long-term disability payments under the Service Recipient’s long-term disability insurance program, as it may be amended from time to time, to which the Participant provides services regardless of whether the Participant is covered by such policy.  If the Service Recipient to which the Participant provides service does not have a long-term disability plan in place, “Disability” means that a Participant is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions of the position held by the Participant by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period as defined in the Company policies then in effect or as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.  A Participant will not be considered to have incurred a Disability unless he or she furnishes proof of such impairment sufficient to satisfy the Committee in its discretion.

 

2.12         Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.

 

2.13         Employee” means any person, including an officer or a Director, who is in the employment of a Service Recipient, subject to the control and direction of the Service Recipient as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance. The payment of a director’s fee by a Service Recipient shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Service Recipient.

 

2.14         Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of the United States, as amended.

 

 

 

2.15         Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Shares determined as follows:

 

(a)           If the Shares are listed on one or more established stock exchanges or national market systems, including without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Shares are listed (as determined by the Committee) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported on the website maintained by such exchange or market system or such other source as the Committee deems reliable;

 

(b)          If the Shares are regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such Shares as quoted on such system or by such securities dealer on the date of determination, but if selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Shares on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; or

 

(c)           In the absence of an established market for the Shares of the type described in (a) and (b) above, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined by the Committee in good faith.

 

2.16         Incentive Share Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

2.17         Independent Director” means (i) a Director of the Company who meets the independence standards of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act; and (ii) if the Shares or other securities representing the Shares are listed on one or more stock exchange, a Director of the Company who meets the independence standards under the applicable corporate governance rules of the stock exchange(s).

 

2.18         Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who qualifies as a “Non-Employee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) of the Exchange Act, or any successor definition adopted by the Board.

 

2.19         Non-Qualified Share Option” means an Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Share Option.

 

2.20         Option” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 5 of the Plan to purchase a specified number of Shares at a specified price during specified time periods.  An Option may be either an Incentive Share Option or a Non-Qualified Share Option.

 

2.21         Participant” means a person who, as a Director, Consultant or Employee, has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.

 

2.22         Parent” means a parent corporation under Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

2.23         Plan” means this 2021 Equity Incentive Plan of Luckin Coffee Inc., as amended and/or restated from time to time.

 

 

 

2.24         Related Entity” means any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company, a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company holds a substantial ownership interest, directly or indirectly, or controls through contractual arrangements and consolidates the financial results according to applicable accounting standards, but which is not a Subsidiary and which the Board designates as a Related Entity for purposes of the Plan.

 

2.25         Restricted Share” means a Share awarded to a Participant pursuant to Article 6 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.

 

2.26         Restricted Share Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Article 7 to receive a Share at a future date.

 

2.27         Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States, as amended.

 

2.28         Service Recipient” means the Company or Subsidiary of the Company to which a Participant provides services as an Employee, a Consultant or a Director.

 

2.29         Share” means a Class A Ordinary Share of the Company.

 

2.30         Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting shares or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company. For purposes of this Plan, any “variable interest entity” that is consolidated into the consolidated financial statements of the Company under applicable accounting principles or standards which may apply to the consolidated financial statements of the Company shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary.

 

2.31         Terminated for Cause” or “Termination for Cause” means, in the case of a Participant, (i) the termination of the Participant’s status as an Employee, a Consultant or a Director for Cause or (ii) the Participant’s voluntary resignation as an Employee, a Consultant or a Director if the Service Recipient determines at any time that, before or after the Participant’s resignation, the Company had Cause to terminate such Participant’s status as an Employee, a Consultant or a Director. A Termination for Cause shall be deemed to occur (subject to reinstatement upon a contrary final determination by the Committee) on the date on which the Service Recipient first delivers written notice to the Participant of a finding of Termination for Cause.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

3.1 Number of Shares.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of Article 9 and Section 3.1(b), the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to all Awards under the Plan shall be 222,769,232 Shares.

 

 

 

(b) To the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, or is settled in cash and not Shares, then any Shares subject to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan. To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, Shares issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form or combination by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company shall not be counted against Shares available for grant pursuant to the Plan. Shares delivered by the Participant or withheld by the Company upon the exercise of any Award under the Plan, in payment of the exercise price thereof or tax withholding thereon, may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a). If any Restricted Shares are forfeited by the Participant or repurchased by the Company, such Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Share Option to fail to qualify as an incentive share option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

3.2 Shares Distributed. Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares, treasury Shares (subject to Applicable Laws) or Shares purchased on the open market.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

4.1 Eligibility. Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include Employees, Consultants, and Directors as determined by the Committee by record in writing in its sole discretion.

 

4.2 Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and Article 46 of the Articles of Association of the Company, the Committee may, from time to time, select from among all eligible individuals, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award. No individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to this Plan.

 

4.3 Jurisdictions. In order to assure the viability of Awards granted to Participants employed in various jurisdictions, the Committee may provide for such special terms as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy, or custom applicable in the jurisdiction in which the Participant resides or is employed. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of, the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose; provided, however, that no such supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 3.1 of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate any Applicable Laws.

 

ARTICLE 5

 

OPTIONS

 

5.1 General. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:

 

(a) Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement which, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, may be a fixed or variable price related to the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant; providedhowever, that no Option may be granted to an individual subject to taxation in the United States with an exercise price per Share at less than the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. The exercise price per Share subject to an Option may be amended or adjusted in the absolute discretion of the Committee or the Board, the determination of which shall be final, binding and conclusive. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent not prohibited by Applicable Laws (including any applicable exchange rule), a downward adjustment of the exercise prices of Options mentioned in the preceding sentence shall be effective without the approval of the Company’s shareholders or the approval of the affected Participants.

 

 

 

(b) Time and Conditions of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, including exercise prior to vesting; provided that the term of any Option granted under the Plan shall not exceed ten years, except as provided in Section 11.1. The Committee shall also determine the conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised.

 

(c) Payment. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid and the form of payment.

 

(d) Evidence of Grant. All Options shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant. The Award Agreement shall include such additional provisions as may be specified by the Committee.

 

5.2 Incentive Share Options. Incentive Share Options may be granted to Employees of the Company, a Parent, or a Subsidiary of the Company. Incentive Share Options may not be granted to Employees of a Related Entity or to Independent Directors or Consultants. The terms of any Incentive Share Options granted pursuant to the Plan, in addition to the requirements of Section 5.1, must comply with the following additional provisions of this Section 5.2:

 

(a) Expiration of Option. An Incentive Share Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after the first to occur of the following events:

 

(i) Ten years from the date it is granted, unless an earlier time is set in the Award Agreement;

 

(ii) immediately (or such later date approved by the Board in writing with the relevant Participant) upon the Participant’s termination of employment or service as an Employee other than for Disability or death; and

 

(iii) One year after the date of the Participant’s termination of employment or service on account of Disability or death. Upon the Participant’s Disability or death, any Incentive Share Options exercisable at the Participant’s Disability or death may be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative or representatives, by the person or persons entitled to do so pursuant to the Participant’s last will and testament, or, if the Participant fails to make testamentary disposition of such Incentive Share Option or dies intestate, by the person or persons entitled to receive the Incentive Share Option pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

(b) Individual Dollar Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of all Shares with respect to which Incentive Share Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed US$100,000 or such other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of the Code, or any successor provision. To the extent that Incentive Share Options are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such limitation, the excess shall be considered Non-Qualified Share Options.

 

 

 

(c) Exercise Price. The exercise price of an Incentive Share Option shall be equal to the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. However, the exercise price of any Incentive Share Option that is granted to any individual who, at the date of grant, owns Shares possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company, such Option shall only qualify as an Incentive Share Option if such Option is granted with an exercise price that is not less than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no more than five years from the date of grant.

 

(d) Transfer Restriction. Subject to any restrictions on transfers provided in Section 8.4, the Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Share Option within (i) two years from the date of grant of such Incentive Share Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant.

 

(e) Expiration of Incentive Share Options. No Award of an Incentive Share Option may be made pursuant to this Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

(f) Right to Exercise. During a Participant’s lifetime and in circumstances where the Participant is not effected by any Disability, an Incentive Share Option may be exercised only by the Participant.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

RESTRICTED SHARES

 

6.1 Grant of Restricted Shares. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Shares to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. All Awards of Restricted Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

 

6.2 Issuance and Restrictions. Restricted Shares shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Shares or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Share). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.

 

6.3 Forfeiture/Repurchase. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Shares that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited or repurchased in accordance with the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Share Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Shares will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Shares.

 

 

 

6.4 Certificates for Restricted Shares. Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Shares are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS

 

7.1           Grant of Restricted Share Units. The Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Restricted Share Units to Participants as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the number of Restricted Share Units to be granted to each Participant.

 

7.2           Restricted Share Units Award Agreement. Each Award of Restricted Share Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify any vesting conditions, the number of Restricted Share Units granted, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine.

 

7.3           Form and Timing of Payment of Restricted Share Units. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Share Units shall become fully vested and non-forfeitable. Upon vesting, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay Restricted Share Units in the form of cash, Shares or a combination thereof.

 

7.4           Forfeiture/Repurchase. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Share Units that are at that time unvested shall be forfeited or repurchased in accordance with the Award Agreement; provided, however, the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Share Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture and repurchase conditions relating to Restricted Share Units.

 

ARTICLE 8

 

PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS

 

8.1 Award Agreement. Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Agreements that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include the term of an Award, the provisions applicable in the event the Participant’s employment or service terminates, and the Company’s authority to unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.

 

 

 

8.2 Termination for Cause. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if a Participant’s employment by or service to the Service Recipient is Terminated for Cause, the Participant’s Awards will terminate upon such Termination for Cause, whether or not the Award is then vested and/or exercisable.

 

8.3 Misconduct. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, upon finding of any Cause with respect to a Participant, the Company may unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind the Participant’s Award, whether or not the Award is then vested and/or exercisable.

 

8.4 No Transferability; Limited Exception to Transfer Restrictions.

 

(a)    Limits on Transfer. Unless otherwise expressly provided in (or pursuant to) this Section 8.4, by applicable law and by the Award Agreement, as the same may be amended:

 

(i)      all Awards are non-transferable and will not be subject in any manner to sale, transfer, anticipation, alienation, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge;

 

(ii)     Awards will be exercised only by the Participant; and

 

(iii)    amounts payable or shares issuable pursuant to an Award will be delivered only to (or for the account of), and, in the case of Shares, registered in the name of, the Participant.

 

In addition, the shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(b)    Exceptions to Limits on Transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision herein shall prevent or forbid transfers to a trust that was established solely for tax planning purposes and not for purposes of profit or commercial activity or, to one or more “family members” (as such term is defined in SEC Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) by gift or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order.

 

8.5 Beneficiaries. Notwithstanding Section 8.4, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If the Participant is married and resides in a community property jurisdiction, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participant’s spouse. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.

 

 

 

8.6 Performance Objectives and Other Terms. The Committee, in its discretion, shall set performance objectives or other vesting criteria which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of the Awards that will be granted or paid out to the Participants.

 

8.7 Buy-Out. In the sole discretion of the Committee, any Award (in whole or in part) under the Plan may be settled in cash or other property in lieu of Shares; provided, however, payment in cash or other property in lieu of Shares shall not be made earlier than the time such Shares are deliverable pursuant to the terms of the Award. If any Award (in whole or in part) is settled in cash or other property in lieu of Shares, the number of Shares subject to such Award (or such portion thereof) shall revert to the Plan and again be available for grant or award under the Plan.

 

8.8 Share Certificate. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Board has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance and delivery of such Shares is in compliance with the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, all Applicable Laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the Shares are listed or traded. All Share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with all Applicable Laws, and the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Share certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the Share. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Committee shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.

 

8.9 Paperless Administration. Subject to Applicable Laws, the Committee may make Awards, provide applicable disclosure and procedures for exercise of Awards by an internet website or interactive voice response system for the paperless administration of Awards.

 

8.10 Foreign Currency. A Participant may be required to provide evidence that any currency used to pay the exercise price of any Award were acquired and taken out of the jurisdiction in which the Participant resides in accordance with Applicable Laws, including foreign exchange control laws and regulations. In the event the exercise price for an Award is paid in Chinese Renminbi or other foreign currency, as permitted by the Committee, the amount payable will be determined by conversion from U.S. dollars at the official rate promulgated by the People’s Bank of China for Chinese Renminbi, or for jurisdictions other than the People’s Republic of China, the exchange rate as selected by the Committee on the date of exercise.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 9

 

CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE

 

9.1 Adjustments. In the event of any distribution, share split, combination or exchange of Shares, amalgamation, arrangement or consolidation, reorganization of the Company, including the Company becoming a subsidiary in a transaction not involving a Corporate Transaction, spin-off, recapitalization or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to its shareholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of a Share, the Committee shall make such proportionate and equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (a) the aggregate number and type of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and substitutions of shares in a parent or surviving company); (b) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (c) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan. The form and manner of any such adjustments shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

9.2 Corporate Transactions.  Except as may otherwise be provided in any Award Agreement or any other written agreement entered into by and between the Company and a Participant, if the Committee anticipates the occurrence, or upon the occurrence, of a Corporate Transaction, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for (i) any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future and shall give each Participant the right to exercise the vested portion of such Awards during a period of time as the Committee shall determine, or (ii) the purchase of any Award for an amount of cash equal to the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of such date the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment), or (iii) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion or the assumption of or substitution of such Award by the successor or surviving corporation, or a Parent or Subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of Shares and prices, or (iv) payment of such Award in cash based on the value of Shares on the date of the Corporate Transaction plus reasonable interest on the Award through the date as determined by the Committee when such Award would otherwise be vested or have been paid in accordance with its original terms, if necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

 

9.3 Outstanding Awards – Other Changes. In the event of any other change in the capitalization of the Company or corporate change other than those specifically referred to in this Article 9, the Committee may, in its absolute discretion, make such adjustments in the number and class of shares subject to Awards outstanding on the date on which such change occurs and in the per share grant or exercise price of each Award as the Committee may consider appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights.

 

9.4 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares subject to an Award or the grant or exercise price of any Award.

 

 

 

ARTICLE 10

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

10.1 Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee to whom the Board shall delegate the authority to grant or amend Awards to Participants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the full Board, acting by majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan if required by Applicable Laws.

 

10.2 Action by the Committee. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

 

10.3 Authority of Committee. Subject to any specific designation in the Plan, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:

 

(a) Designate eligible Participants to receive Awards;

 

(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;

 

(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

 

(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;

 

(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and pursuant to what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered (whether or not in exchange for another Award or combination of Awards);

 

(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;

 

(g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

 

(h) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

(i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan or any Award Agreement; and

 

 

 

(j) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.

 

10.4 Decisions Binding. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.

 

ARTICLE 11

 

EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE

 

11.1 Effective Date. The Plan is effective as of the date it is adopted and approved by the Board in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Company’s Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association (the “Effective Date”).

 

11.2 Expiration Date. The Plan will expire on, and no Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan after, the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Any Awards that are outstanding on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 12

 

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION

 

12.1 Amendment, Modification, And Termination. The Board in its sole discretion may terminate this Plan at any time. The Board may amend this Plan at any time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable; provided, that to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws, or stock exchange rules, the Company shall obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

 

12.2 Awards Previously Granted. Except with respect to amendments made pursuant to Section 13.15, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted pursuant to the Plan without the prior written consent of the Participant.

 

ARTICLE 13

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

13.1 No Rights to Awards. No Participant, employee, or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants, employees, and other persons uniformly.

 

13.2 No Shareholders Rights. No Award gives the Participant any of the rights of a Shareholder of the Company unless and until Shares are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.

 

 

 

13.3 Taxes. No Shares shall be delivered under the Plan to any Participant until such Participant has made arrangements acceptable to the Committee for the satisfaction of any income and employment tax withholding obligations under Applicable Laws. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy all applicable taxes (including the Participant’s payroll tax obligations) required or permitted by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of this Plan. The Committee may in its discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the return of Shares) having a Fair Market Value equal to the sums required to be withheld. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award after such Shares were acquired by the Participant from the Company) in order to satisfy all of the Participant’s income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of the Award shall, unless specifically approved by the Committee, be limited to the number of Shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory income and payroll tax withholding rates that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income under Applicable Laws.

 

13.4 No Right to Employment or Services. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Service Recipient to terminate any Participant’s employment or services at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of any Service Recipient.

 

13.5 Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for any Service Recipient. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of any Service Recipient: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, members of the Board or Consultants, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

13.6 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

13.7 Indemnification. To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided that he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

 

 

13.8 Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits pursuant to any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

13.9 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

13.10 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.

 

13.11 Fractional Shares. No fractional Share shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down as appropriate.

 

13.12 Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to make payment of awards in Shares or otherwise shall be subject to all Applicable Laws and to such approvals by government agencies as may be required. The Company shall be under no obligation to register any of the Shares paid pursuant to the Plan under the Securities Act or any other similar law in any applicable jurisdiction. If the Shares paid pursuant to the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from registration pursuant to the Securities Act or other Applicable Laws, the Company may restrict the transfer of such Shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.

 

13.13 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

13.14 Section 409A. To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is or may become subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and the Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the U.S. Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretative guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulation or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related U.S. Department of Treasury guidance (including such U.S. Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines is necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and /or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related U.S. Department of Treasury guidance.

 

 

 

13.15 Appendices. The Committee may approve such supplements, amendments or appendices to the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for purposes of compliance with applicable laws or otherwise and such supplements, amendments or appendices shall be considered a part of the Plan; provided, however, that no such supplements shall increase the share limitations contained in Section 3.1 of the Plan without the approval of the Board.

 

13.16 Disputes. Any dispute arising in connection with this Plan (whether as to the number of Shares the subject of an Option, the amount of the Exercise Price or otherwise) may be determined by the Board, the decision of which shall be final and binding on all parties who may be affected thereby.