EX-99.1 5 d472908dex991.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

EXPRO GROUP HOLDINGS N.V.

2022 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN,

EFFECTIVE MAY 25, 2022


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

           Page  

1.

   Purpose of the Plan      1  

2.

   Definitions      1  

3.

   Administration      6  
   (a)    Authority of the Committee      6  
   (b)    Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority      7  
   (c)    Limitation of Liability      7  

4.

   Stock Subject to Plan      8  
   (a)    Overall Number of Shares Available for Delivery      8  
   (b)    Application of Limitation to Grants of Awards      8  
   (c)    Availability of Shares Not Issued under Awards      8  
   (d)    Stock Offered      9  
   (e)    Substitute Awards      9  

5.

   Eligibility; Award Limitations      9  
   (a)    Eligibility      9  
   (b)    Annual Limit on Awards to Non-Employee Directors      9  
   (c)    Limitation on Dividends and Dividend Equivalents      10  
   (d)    Minimum Vesting      10  

6.

   Specific Terms of Awards      10  
   (a)    General      10  
   (b)    Options      11  
   (c)    Stock Appreciation Rights      12  
   (d)    Restricted Stock      13  
   (e)    Restricted Stock Units      13  
   (f)    Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations      14  
   (g)    Other Awards      14  

7.

   Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards      14  
   (a)    Termination of Employment      14  
   (b)    Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards      14  
   (c)    Term of Awards      15  
   (d)    Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals      15  
   (e)    Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability      15  
   (f)    Restrictive Covenant Agreement      16  

8.

   Performance Awards      16  

 

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9.

   Subdivision or Consolidation; Recapitalization; Change in Control; Reorganization      16  
   (a)    Existence of Plans and Awards      16  
   (b)    Subdivision or Consolidation of Shares      17  
   (c)    Corporate Recapitalization      17  
   (d)    Additional Issuances      18  
   (e)    Change in Control      18  
   (f)    Change in Control Price      20  
   (g)    Impact of Corporate Events on Awards Generally      20  

10.

   General Provisions      21  
   (a)    Transferability      21  
   (b)    Taxes      22  
   (c)    Changes to this Plan and Awards      22  
   (d)    Limitation on Rights Conferred under Plan      23  
   (e)    Unfunded Status of Awards      23  
   (f)    Nonexclusivity of this Plan      23  
   (g)    Fractional Shares      23  
   (h)    Severability      23  
   (i)    Governing Law      24  
   (j)    Conditions to Delivery of Stock      24  
   (k)    Section 409A of the Code      24  
   (l)    Restrictions on Repricing of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights      25  
   (m)    Clawback      25  
   (n)    Persons Residing Outside of the United States      25  
   (o)    Right of Offset      26  
   (p)    Electronic Delivery and Signatures      26  
   (q)    No Guarantee of Tax Treatment      26  
   (r)    Plan Establishment and Term      26  

 

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EXPRO GROUP HOLDINGS N.V.

2022 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

1. Purpose of the Plan. The purpose of the Expro Group Holdings N.V. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is (i) to provide a means through which Expro Group Holdings N.V., a limited liability company organized in the Netherlands (the “Company”), and its Subsidiaries may attract and retain able persons as employees, directors, and consultants of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (ii) to provide a means whereby those persons upon whom the responsibilities for the successful administration and management of the Company and its Subsidiaries rest, and whose present and potential contributions to the welfare of the Company and its Subsidiaries are of importance, can acquire and maintain stock ownership, or awards the value of which is tied to the performance of the Company, thereby strengthening such persons’ concern for the welfare of the Company and its Subsidiaries and their desire to remain employed. A further purpose of this Plan is to provide such employees, directors, and consultants with additional incentive and reward opportunities designed to enhance the profitable growth of the Company. Accordingly, this Plan primarily provides for the granting of Incentive Stock Options, options which do not constitute Incentive Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Bonus Stock, Other Stock-Based Awards, Performance Awards, or any combination of the foregoing, as is best suited to the circumstances of the particular individual as provided herein.

2. Definitions. For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below, in addition to such terms defined in Section 1 hereof:

(a) “Affiliate” means any entity which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any entity, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power (i) to vote more than 50% of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of the controlled entity, or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the controlled entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise.

(b) “Award” means any Option, SAR, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Bonus Stock, Other Stock-Based Award, or Performance Award, together with any other right or interest granted to a Participant under this Plan.

(c) “Award Agreement” means a written or electronic means an agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing an Award and its terms. Each Award Agreement shall designate (i) the type of Award being issued, (ii) the vesting conditions or forfeiture provisions applicable to the Award, including any applicable Performance Goals or provisions constituting a substantial risk of forfeiture; (iii) transferability restrictions; (iv) any applicable rules regarding delivery of shares of Stock under the Award; (v) subject to Section 5(c) below, provisions regarding payments of dividends or Dividend Equivalents; and (vi) any additional matters as the Committee may determine to be appropriate. The terms and provisions of each Award Agreement need not be identical. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, subject to the consent of the Participant, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend an outstanding Award Agreement from time to time in any manner that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

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(d) “Beneficiary” means one or more persons, trusts, or other entities which have been designated by a Participant, in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee, to receive the benefits specified under this Plan upon such Participant’s death or to which Awards or other rights are transferred if and to the extent permitted under Section 10(a) hereof. If, upon a Participant’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term “Beneficiary” means the persons, trusts, or other entities entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.

(e) “Board” means the Company’s Board of Directors.

(f) “Bonus Stock” means Stock granted as a bonus pursuant to Section 6(f).

(g) “Cause” means a determination by the Company that a Participant (i) has engaged in gross negligence, incompetence, or misconduct in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Employer or any of its affiliates; (ii) has failed to materially perform Participant’s duties and responsibilities to the Company or any of its affiliates; (iii) has breached any material provision of the Plan, an Award Agreement or any written agreement or corporate policy or code of conduct established by the Company or any of its affiliates; (iv) has engaged in conduct that is, or could reasonably expected to be, materially injurious to the Company or any of its affiliates; (v) has committed an act of theft, fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, or breach of a fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates; or (vi) has been convicted of, pleaded no contest to, or received adjudicated probation or deferred adjudication in connection with a crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or moral turpitude or any felony (or a crime of similar import in a foreign jurisdiction).

(h) “Change in Control” means, except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i) The acquisition of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) by any Person of, 50% or more of either (x) the then outstanding shares of Stock (the “Outstanding Stock”) or (y) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company, or (D) any acquisition by any entity pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (iii) below;

(ii) Individuals who constitute the Incumbent Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board;

 

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(iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or an acquisition of assets of another entity (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) the Outstanding Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination represent or are converted into or exchanged for securities which represent or are convertible into more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock or common equity interests and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or other governing body, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company, or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), and (B) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors or similar governing body of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

(iv) Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of any Award that provides for a deferral of compensation under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, to the extent the impact of a Change in Control on such an Award would subject a Participant to additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, a Change in Control for purposes of such Award will mean a Change in Control that is also a “change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation” within the meaning of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

(i) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.

(j) “Committee” means a committee of two or more directors of the Board and/or of the Company’s Management Board designated by the Board to administer this Plan; provided, however, that, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Committee shall consist solely of two or more directors, each of whom shall be a Qualified Member.

(k) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person to receive cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock, or other periodic payments.

(l) “Eligible Person” means all officers and employees of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries, and other persons who provide services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including directors of the Company. An employee on a leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for purposes of eligibility for participation in this Plan.

 

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(m) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.

(n) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any specified date, (i) if the Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of the Stock, as reported on the stock exchange composite tape on the immediately preceding date (or if no sales occur on that date, on the last preceding date on which such sales of the Stock are so reported); (ii) if the Stock is not traded on a national securities exchange but is traded over the counter at the time a determination of its fair market value is required to be made under the Plan, the average between the reported high and low bid and asked prices of Stock on the most recently preceding date on which Stock was publicly traded; or (iii) in the event Stock is not publicly traded at the time a determination of its value is required to be made under the Plan, the amount determined by the Committee in its discretion in such manner as it deems appropriate, taking into account all factors the Committee deems appropriate, including, without limitation, the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

(o) “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

(p) “Incumbent Board” means the portion of the Board constituted of the individuals who are members of the Board as of the Effective Date and any other individual who becomes a director of the Board after the Effective Date and whose election or appointment by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Incumbent Board.

(q) “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules” means the limitations or requirements of section 409A of the Code and the guidance and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(r) “Option” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(b) hereof, to purchase Stock or other Awards at a specified price during specified time periods.

(s) “Other Stock-Based Awards” means Awards granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(h) hereof.

(t) “Participant” means a person who has been granted an Award under this Plan which remains outstanding, including a person who is no longer an Eligible Person.

(u) “Performance Award” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 8 hereof, to receive Awards based upon performance criteria specified by the Committee.

 

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(v) “Performance Goals” means the criteria the Committee selects for purposes of calculating payment under a Performance Award. The Performance Goals shall be designated by the Committee in its sole discretion and may be based on (i) one or more business criteria that apply to the Participant, (ii) one or more business units of the Company, (iii) the Company as a whole, or (iv) individual performance goals established by the Committee, and may reference to one or more of the following: (1) earnings per share; (2) increase in revenues; (3) increase in cash flow; (4) increase in cash flow from operations; (5) increase in cash flow return; (6) return on net assets; (7) return on assets; (8) return on investment; (9) return on capital; (10) return on equity; (11) economic value added; (12) operating margin; (13) contribution margin; (14) net income; (15) net income per share; (16) pretax earnings; (17) pretax earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization; (18) pretax operating earnings after interest expense and before incentives, service fees, and extraordinary or special items; (19) total stockholder return; (20) debt reduction; (21) market share; (22) change in the Fair Market Value of the Stock; (23) operating income; (24) objective safety measures, such as the total recordable incident rate (TRIR) or the lost time incident rate (LTIR); (25) other objective measures related to the completion of projects; or (26) such other events or matters as the Committee determines appropriate in its sole discretion. Any Performance Goal may be determined on an absolute or relative basis or as compared to the performance of a published or special index deemed applicable by the Committee, including, but not limited to, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index or a group of comparable companies. Unless otherwise stated, a Performance Goal need not be based upon an increase or positive result under a particular business criterion and could include, for example, maintaining the status quo or limiting economic losses (measured, in each case, by reference to specific business criteria). The Committee, in its discretion, may adjust or modify the calculation of the Performance Goals for each Performance Period in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants (i) in the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or extraordinary corporate item, transaction, event, or development; (ii) in the event of, or in connection with, any acquisition or divestiture of a portion of the Company’s business or operations; or (iii) in recognition of, or in anticipation of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company, or in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions.

(w) “Performance Period” means the time period during which achievement of a Performance Goal in respect of a Performance Awards shall be measured, which may include a period of up to ten years, as specified by the Committee.

(x) “Permitted Transferee” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, in each case with respect to the Participant, an individual sharing the Participant’s household (other than a tenant or employee of the Company), a trust in which any of the foregoing individuals have more than fifty percent of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which any of the foregoing individuals (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which any of the foregoing individuals (or the Participant) owns more than fifty percent of the voting interests.

 

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(y) “Person” means any person or entity of any nature whatsoever, specifically including an individual, a firm, a company, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, a trust, or other entity; a Person, together with that Person’s Affiliates and Associates (as those terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, provided that “registrant” as used in Rule 12b-2 shall mean the Company), and any Persons acting as a partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, association, syndicate, or other group (whether or not formally organized), or otherwise acting jointly or in concert or in a coordinated or consciously parallel manner (whether or not pursuant to any express agreement), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting, or disposing of securities of the Company with such Person, shall be deemed a single “Person.

(z) “Qualified Member” means a member of the Committee who is a “nonemployee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3).

(aa) “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(d) hereof, that is subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.

(bb) “Restricted Stock Unit” means a right, granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(e) hereof, to receive Stock, cash, or a combination thereof at the end of a specified deferral period.

(cc) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under section 16 of the Exchange Act, as from time to time in effect and applicable to this Plan and Participants.

(dd) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any successor law, as it may be amended from time to time.

(ee) “Stock” means the Company’s Common Stock, par value €0.06 per share, and such other securities as may be substituted (or resubstituted) for Stock pursuant to Section 9.

(ff) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted to an Eligible Person under Section 6(c) hereof.

(gg) “Subsidiary” means with respect to the Company, any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company.

3. Administration.

(a) Authority of the Committee. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee except to the extent the Board elects to administer this Plan, in which case references herein to the “Committee” shall be deemed to include references to the “Board.” Subject to the express provisions of the Plan and Rule 16b-3, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to (i) adopt, amend, and rescind administrative and interpretive rules and regulations relating to the Plan; (ii) determine the Eligible Persons to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards shall be granted; (iii) determine the amount of cash and/or the number of shares

 

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of Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Units, Restricted Stock, Bonus Stock, Other Stock-Based Awards, Performance Awards, as applicable, or any combination thereof, that shall be the subject of each Award; (iv) determine the terms and provisions of each Award Agreement (which need not be identical); (v) accelerate the time of vesting or exercisability of any Award that has been granted; (vi) construe the respective Award Agreements and the Plan; (vii) make determinations of the Fair Market Value of the Stock pursuant to the Plan; (viii) delegate its duties under the Plan (including, but not limited to, the authority to grant Awards) to such agents as it may appoint from time to time, provided that the Committee may not delegate its duties where such delegation would violate state or foreign corporate law, or with respect to making Awards to, or otherwise with respect to Awards granted to, Eligible Persons who are subject to section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; (ix) terminate, modify, or amend the Plan; and (x) make all other determinations, perform all other acts, and exercise all other powers and authority necessary or advisable for administering the Plan, including the delegation of those ministerial acts and responsibilities as the Committee deems appropriate. Subject to Rule 16b-3, the Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission, or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, in any Award, or in any Award Agreement in the manner and to the extent it deems necessary or desirable to carry the Plan into effect, and the Committee shall be the sole and final judge of that necessity or desirability. The determinations of the Committee on the matters referred to in this Section 3(a) shall be final and conclusive.

(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. At any time that a member of the Committee is not a Qualified Member, any action of the Committee relating to an Award granted or to be granted to an Eligible Person who is then subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company may be taken either (i) by the full Board, (ii) by a subcommittee, designated by the Committee, composed solely of two or more Qualified Members, or (iii) by the Committee but with each such member who is not a Qualified Member abstaining or recusing himself or herself from such action; provided, however, that, upon such abstention or recusal, the Committee remains composed solely of two or more Qualified Members. Such action, authorized by such a subcommittee, by the full Board, or by the Committee upon the abstention or recusal of such non-Qualified Member(s), as applicable, shall be the action of the Committee for purposes of this Plan. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all Persons, including the Company, its Subsidiaries, stockholders, Participants, Beneficiaries, and transferees under Section 10(a) hereof or other persons claiming rights from or through a Participant. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to officers or managers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions, including administrative functions, as the Committee may determine, to the extent that such delegation will not result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3(d)(1) for Awards granted to Participants subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company. The Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan.

(c) Limitation of Liability. The Committee and each member thereof shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company’s legal counsel, independent auditors, consultants, or any other agents assisting in the administration of

 

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this Plan. Members of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acting at the direction of or on behalf of the Committee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to this Plan and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be indemnified and held harmless by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.

4. Stock Subject to Plan.

(a) Overall Number of Shares Available for Delivery. Subject to adjustment in a manner consistent with any adjustment made pursuant to Section 9, the total number of shares of Stock reserved and available for issuance in connection with Awards under this Plan shall not exceed the sum of (x) 11,050,000 shares of Stock, (y) the number of shares remaining for issuance under the Expro Group Holdings N.V. Long-Term Incentive Plan on the Effective Date, and such total will be available for the issuance of Incentive Stock Options, and (iii) any shares issued under the Expro Group Holdings N.V. Long-Term Incentive Plan that are the subject of an award under that plan on the Effective Date and thereafter are forfeited or terminated, expire unexercised, are settled in cash in lieu of shares of Stock or in a manner such that all or some of the shares of Stock covered by such award are not issued to the award holder, or are exchanged for an awards that does not involve shares of Stock (provided, however, for purposes of this clause (iii) any shares that are withheld from payment of an award to satisfy tax obligations shall be treated as issued).

(b) Application of Limitation to Grants of Awards. No Award may be granted if the number of shares of Stock to be delivered in connection with such Award exceeds the number of shares of Stock remaining available under this Plan, minus the number of shares of Stock issuable in settlement of or relating to then-outstanding Awards. The Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double-counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or substitute awards), and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award.

(c) Availability of Shares Not Issued under Awards. Shares of Stock subject to an Award under this Plan that expire or are canceled, forfeited, exchanged, settled in cash, or otherwise terminated, including (i) shares forfeited with respect to Restricted Stock, (ii) the number of shares withheld in payment of any exercise or purchase price of an Award or taxes relating to Awards (other than for Options or SARs), and (iii) the number of shares surrendered in payment of any exercise or purchase price of an Award or taxes relating to any Award (other than an Option or an SAR), will again be available for Awards under this Plan, except that if any such shares could not again be available for Awards to a particular Participant under any applicable law or regulation, such shares shall be available exclusively for Awards to Participants who are not subject to such limitation. If shares of Stock are withheld to satisfy tax obligations with respect to an Option or an SAR, such shares shall not again be available for issuance under the Plan. If shares of Stock are tendered in payment of an option price of an Option or the exercise price of a SAR, such shares shall not be available for issuance under the Plan.

 

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(d) Stock Offered. The shares to be delivered under the Plan shall be made available from (i) authorized but unissued shares of Stock, (ii) Stock held in the treasury of the Company, or (iii) previously issued shares of Stock reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased on the open market.

(e) Substitute Awards. Subject to the listing rules of the stock exchange, if any, on which the Stock is listed, shares of Stock delivered with respect to substitute awards granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, awards held by individuals who become Eligible Persons as a result of a merger, consolidation or acquisition of another entity or the assets of another entity by or with the Company or an affiliate shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock in the available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4(a); provided, however, that such substitute awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options shall count against the limitation with respect to shares that may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options provided in Section 4(a). Subject to the listing rules of the stock exchange, if any, on which the Stock is listed, a number of shares under a pre-existing shareholder-approved plan of an entity directly or indirectly acquired by the Company or any affiliate as a result of a merger, consolidation or acquisition equal to the shares remaining available for delivery under such pre-existing shareholder-approved plan as of the date of the consummation of such transaction (as appropriately adjusted to reflect such transaction) may, if and to the extent permitted by the Board, be delivered with respect to Awards under the Plan and such shares shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4(a); provided, however, that such Awards shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have otherwise been made under the terms of such pre-existing shareholder-approved plan, absent the transaction.

5. Eligibility; Award Limitations.

(a) Eligibility. Awards may be granted under this Plan only to Persons who are Eligible Persons at the time of grant thereof.

(b) Annual Limit on Awards to Non-Employee Directors. In each calendar year, during any part of which this Plan is in effect, a non-employee director of the Board may not be granted Awards having a value (determined, if applicable, pursuant to the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, as amended or any successor accounting standard) on the date of grant in excess of $1,000,000, multiplied by the number of full or partial calendar years in any performance period established with respect to an Award, if applicable; provided, that, the limits set forth in this Section 5(b) shall be without regard to grants of Awards, if any, made to a non-employee director during any period in which such individual was an employee of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries or was otherwise providing services to the Company or to any of its Subsidiaries other than in the capacity as a director of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the annual limit set forth in this Section 5(b) shall apply solely to equity-based compensation Awards granted under this Plan and shall not apply to shares of Stock granted to a non-employee director in lieu of all or any portion of such non-employee director’s cash-based director fees.

 

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(c) Limitation on Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee may provide that Awards under this Plan shall earn dividends or Dividend Equivalents or issue awards of Dividend Equivalents; provided, however, that no portion of such dividends or Dividend Equivalents may be paid prior to vesting or during the period an Award is subject to forfeiture. Prior to payment, such dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be credited to an account maintained on the books of the Company. Any crediting of dividends or Dividend Equivalents will be subject to such terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions as the Committee may establish, from time to time, including reinvestment in additional shares of Common Stock or common share equivalents. Dividend or Dividend Equivalent rights shall be as specified in the Award Agreement, or pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Committee with respect to outstanding Awards. No dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be paid on Options or SARs.

(d) Minimum Vesting. The Committee shall establish the vesting schedule to apply to any Award. Each such Award issued under this Plan’s terms shall have a vesting period of not less than one (1) year (or, in the case of vesting based upon performance-based objectives, exercise and vesting restrictions cannot lapse earlier than the one-year anniversary measured from the commencement of the period over which performance is evaluated); provided, however, that the following awards shall not be subject to this requirement:

(i) Substitute Awards granted in connection with awards that are assumed, converted or substituted pursuant to a merger, acquisition or similar transaction entered into by the Company or any of its Affiliates;

(ii) Shares of Stock delivered in lieu of fully vested cash bonuses;

(iii) Awards to Non-Employee Directors that vest on earlier of the one-year anniversary of the date of grant and the next annual meeting of stockholders, provided such meeting is at least fifty (50) weeks after the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting; and

(iv) Any additional Awards the Committee may grant, up to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the available share reserve authorized for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4(a) (subject to adjustment under Section 9(b);

and, provided, further, that the foregoing restriction does not apply to the Committee’s discretion to provide for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award, including in cases of retirement, death, or disability, in the terms of an Award Agreement or otherwise.

6. Specific Terms of Awards.

(a) General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 10(c)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment by the Participant, or termination of the Participant’s service relationship with the Company, and terms permitting a Participant to make elections relating to his or her Award. The Committee shall retain full power and discretion to accelerate, waive, or modify, at any time, any term or condition of an Award that is not mandatory under this Plan; provided, however, that the Committee shall not have any discretion to accelerate the terms of payment of any Award that provides for a deferral of compensation under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules if such acceleration would

 

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subject a Participant to additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules unless the Committee makes an informed decision based on consultation with legal counsel to take such action and disqualify the Award from meeting such requirements of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules due to other considerations.

(b) Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i) Exercise Price. Each Option agreement shall state the exercise price per share of Stock (the “Exercise Price”); provided, however, that the Exercise Price per share of Stock subject to an Option shall not be less than the greater of (A) the par value per share of the Stock or (B) 100% of the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock as of the date of grant of the Option (or in the case of an ISO granted to an individual who owns stock possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its parent or any subsidiary, 110% of the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock on the date of grant).

(ii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which, or the circumstances under which, an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the methods by which such Exercise Price may be paid or deemed to be paid, the form of such payment, including without limitation cash, Stock, other Awards or awards granted under other plans of the Company or any Subsidiary, or other property (including notes or other contractual obligations of Participants to make payment on a deferred basis), and the methods by, or forms in which, Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, including, but not limited to, the delivery of Restricted Stock subject to Section 6(d). In the case of an exercise whereby the Exercise Price is paid with Stock, such Stock shall be valued as of the date of exercise.

(iii) ISOs. The terms of any ISO granted under this Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of section 422 of the Code. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9, no provision of this Plan relating to ISOs (including any SAR in tandem therewith) shall be interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted under this Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify either this Plan or any ISO under section 422 of the Code, unless the Participant has first requested the change that will result in such disqualification. ISOs shall not be granted more than ten years after the earlier of the adoption of this Plan or the approval of this Plan by the Company’s stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock subject to an ISO and the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of stock of any parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code) subject to any other ISO (within the meaning of section 422 of the Code) of the Company or a parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code) that first becomes purchasable by a Participant in any calendar year may not (with respect to that Participant) exceed $100,000, or such other amount as may be prescribed under section 422 of the Code or applicable regulations or rulings from time to time. As used in the previous sentence, Fair Market Value shall be determined as of the date the ISOs are granted. Failure to comply with this provision shall not impair the enforceability or exercisability of any Option, but shall cause the excess amount of shares to be reclassified in accordance with the Code.

 

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(c) Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i) Right to Payment. An SAR shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise over (B) the grant price of the SAR as determined by the Committee.

(ii) Rights Related to Options. An SAR granted pursuant to an Option shall entitle a Participant, upon exercise, to surrender that Option or any portion thereof, to the extent unexercised, and to receive payment of an amount computed pursuant to Section 6(c)(ii)(B). That Option shall then cease to be exercisable to the extent surrendered. SARs granted in connection with an Option shall be subject to the terms of the Award Agreement governing the Option, which shall comply with the following provisions in addition to those applicable to Options:

(A) An SAR granted in connection with an Option shall be exercisable only at such time or times and only to the extent that the related Option is exercisable and shall not be transferable except to the extent that the related Option is transferable.

(B) Upon the exercise of an SAR related to an Option, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company of an amount determined by multiplying:

(1) the difference obtained by subtracting the Exercise Price with respect to a share of Stock specified in the related Option from the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the SAR, by

(2) the number of shares as to which that SAR has been exercised.

(iii) Right Without Option. An SAR granted independent of an Option shall be exercisable as determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement governing the SAR, which Award Agreement shall comply with the following provisions:

(A) Each Award Agreement shall state the total number of shares of Stock to which the SAR relates.

(B) Each Award Agreement shall state the time or periods in which the right to exercise the SAR or a portion thereof shall vest and the number of shares of Stock for which the right to exercise the SAR shall vest at each such time or period.

(C) Each Award Agreement shall state the date at which the SARs shall expire if not previously exercised.

 

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(D) Each SAR shall entitle a Participant, upon exercise thereof, to receive payment of an amount determined by multiplying:

(1) the difference obtained by subtracting the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of grant of the SAR from the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of that SAR, by

(2) the number of shares as to which the SAR has been exercised.

(iv) Terms. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Committee shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which an SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not an SAR shall be in tandem or in combination with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. SARs may be either freestanding or in tandem with other Awards.

(d) Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:

(i) Grant and Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture, and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee may determine at the date of grant or thereafter. During the restricted period applicable to the Restricted Stock, the Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, margined, or otherwise encumbered by the Participant.

(ii) Certificates for Stock. Restricted Stock granted under this Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Committee may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, that the Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.

(e) Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Units, which are rights to receive Stock or cash (or a combination thereof) at the end of a specified deferral period (which may or may not be coterminous with the vesting schedule of the Award), to Eligible Persons. Settlement of an Award of Restricted Stock Units shall occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for such Restricted Stock Unit by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). In addition, Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions (which may include a risk of forfeiture) as the Committee may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future service requirements), separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine. Restricted Stock Units shall be satisfied by the delivery of cash or Stock in the amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the specified number of shares of Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Units, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee at the date of grant or thereafter.

 

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(f) Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Obligations. The Committee is authorized to grant Stock as a bonus, or to grant Stock or other Awards in lieu of obligations to pay cash or deliver other property under this Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, provided that, in the case of Participants subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, the amount of such grants remains within the discretion of the Committee to the extent necessary to ensure that acquisitions of Stock or other Awards are exempt from liability under section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. Stock or Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to such other terms as shall be determined by the Committee. In the case of any grant of Stock to an officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in lieu of salary or other cash compensation, the number of shares granted in place of such compensation shall be reasonable, as determined by the Committee.

(g) Other Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law and Section 5(d) above, to grant to Participants such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of this Plan, including without limitation convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified Subsidiaries of the Company. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Other Stock-Based Awards. Stock delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(g) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award under this Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 6(g).

7. Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.

(a) Termination of Employment. Except as provided herein, the treatment of an Award upon a termination of employment or any other service relationship by and between a Participant and the Company or any Subsidiary shall be specified in the agreement controlling such Award.

(b) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards. Awards granted under this Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, any other Award; any award granted under another plan of the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries, or of any business entity to be acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or any other right of an Eligible Person to receive payment from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Such additional, tandem, and substitute or exchange Awards may be granted at any time. If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award in consideration

 

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for the grant of the new Award. Awards under this Plan may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash amounts payable under other plans of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in which the value of Stock subject to the Award is equivalent in value to the cash compensation, or in which the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price of the Award in the nature of a right that may be exercised is equal to the Fair Market Value of the underlying Stock minus the value of the cash compensation surrendered, but only to the extent such substitution does not cause the Award to violate the requirements of Section 6(b)(i) hereof. Awards granted pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be designed, awarded and settled in a manner that does not result in additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

(c) Term of Awards. Except as specified herein, the term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided, that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR exceed a period of ten years (or such shorter term as may be required in respect of an ISO under section 422 of the Code).

(d) Form and Timing of Payment under Awards; Deferrals. Subject to the terms of this Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries upon the exercise of an Option or other Award or upon the settlement of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis; provided, however, that any such deferred payment will be set forth in the agreement evidencing such Award and/or otherwise made in a manner that will not result in additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Except as otherwise provided herein, the settlement of any Award may be accelerated, and cash paid in lieu of Stock in connection with such settlement, in the discretion of the Committee or upon the occurrence of one or more specified events (in addition to a Change in Control). Installment or deferred payments may be required by the Committee (subject to Section 10(c) of this Plan, including the consent provisions thereof in the case of any deferral of an outstanding Award not provided for in the original Award Agreement) or permitted at the election of the Participant on terms and conditions established by the Committee and in compliance with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents or other amounts in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock. Any deferral shall only be allowed as is provided in a separate deferred compensation plan adopted by the Company (to the extent such separate plan is required for compliance with the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules) and shall further be made pursuant to the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. This Plan shall not constitute an “employee benefit plan” for purposes of section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

(e) Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability. It is the intent of the Company that the grant of any Awards to or other transaction by a Participant who is subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be exempt from such section pursuant to an applicable exemption (except for transactions acknowledged in writing to be non-exempt by such Participant). Accordingly, if any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 as then applicable to any such transaction, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 so that such Participant shall avoid liability under section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

 

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(f) Restrictive Covenant Agreement. Each Participant to whom an Award is granted under this Plan may be required to agree in writing as a condition to the granting of such Award not to engage in conduct in certain conduct, including, but not limited to, a restriction against competition with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a restriction against solicitation of employees, customers, and business affiliates, and confidentiality provisions, for a period after the termination of such Participant’s employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries as determined by the Committee (a “Restrictive Covenant Agreement”); provided, however, to the extent a legally binding right to an Award within the meaning of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules is created with respect to a Participant, the Restrictive Covenant Agreement must be entered into by such Participant within 30 days following the creation of the legally binding right.

8. Performance Awards. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may grant Performance Awards under the Plan to Eligible Persons in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. The right of an Eligible Person to receive a grant, and the right of a Participant to exercise or receive a grant or settlement of any Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions, and may exercise its discretion to reduce or increase the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions. The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards shall be granted, exercised, and/or settled upon achievement of any one Performance Goal or that two or more of the Performance Goals must be achieved as a condition to grant, exercise, and/or settlement of such Performance Awards. Performance Goals may differ for Performance Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants. In connection with the payment of any compensation based on the achievement of Performance Goals, the Committee must certify in writing that applicable Performance Goals and any of the material terms thereof were, in fact, satisfied.

9. Subdivision or Consolidation; Recapitalization; Change in Control; Reorganization.

(a) Existence of Plans and Awards. The existence of this Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Board or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization, or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of debt or equity securities ahead of or affecting Stock or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding. In no event will any action taken by the Committee pursuant to this Section 9 result in the creation of deferred compensation within the meaning of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

 

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(b) Subdivision or Consolidation of Shares. The terms of an Award and the number of shares of Stock authorized pursuant to Section 4 for issuance under the Plan shall be subject to adjustment from time to time, in accordance with the following provisions:

(i) If at any time, or from time to time, the Company shall subdivide as a whole (by reclassification, by a Stock split, by the issuance of a distribution on Stock payable in Stock, or otherwise) the number of shares of Stock then outstanding into a greater number of shares of Stock, then, as appropriate: (A) the maximum number of shares of Stock available for the Plan or in connection with Awards as provided in Section 4(a) shall be increased proportionately, and the kind of shares or other securities available for the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted, (B) the number of shares of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) that may be acquired under any then outstanding Award shall be increased proportionately, and (C) the price (including the exercise price) for each share of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) subject to then outstanding Awards shall be reduced proportionately, all without changing the aggregate purchase price or value as to which outstanding Awards remain exercisable or subject to restrictions.

(ii) If at any time, or from time to time, the Company shall consolidate as a whole (by reclassification, by reverse Stock split, or otherwise) the number of shares of Stock then outstanding into a lesser number of shares of Stock, (A) the maximum number of shares of Stock for the Plan or available in connection with Awards as provided in Sections 4(a) and 5(b) shall be decreased proportionately, and the kind of shares or other securities available for the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted, (B) the number of shares of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) that may be acquired under any then outstanding Award shall be decreased proportionately, and (C) the price (including the exercise price) for each share of Stock (or other kind of shares or securities) subject to then outstanding Awards shall be increased proportionately, all without changing the aggregate purchase price or value as to which outstanding Awards remain exercisable or subject to restrictions.

(iii) Whenever the number of shares of Stock subject to outstanding Awards and the price for each share of Stock subject to outstanding Awards are required to be adjusted as provided in this Section 9(b), the Committee shall promptly prepare a notice setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring adjustment, the amount of the adjustment, the method by which such adjustment was calculated, and the change in price and the number of shares of Stock, other securities, cash, or property purchasable subject to each Award after giving effect to the adjustments. The Committee shall promptly provide each affected Participant with such notice.

(iv) Adjustments under Sections 9(b)(i) and (ii) shall be made by the Committee, and its determination as to what adjustments shall be made and the extent thereof shall be final, binding, and conclusive. No fractional interest shall be issued under the Plan on account of any such adjustments.

(c) Corporate Recapitalization. If the Company recapitalizes, reclassifies its capital stock, or otherwise changes its capital structure (a “Recapitalization”) without the occurrence of a Change in Control, the number and class of shares of Stock covered by an Option or an SAR theretofore granted shall be adjusted so that such Option or SAR shall thereafter cover

 

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the number and class of shares of stock and securities to which the holder would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the Recapitalization if, immediately prior to the Recapitalization, the holder had been the holder of record of the number of shares of Stock then covered by such Option or SAR and the share limitations provided in Sections 4(a) and 5(b) shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with the Recapitalization.

(d) Additional Issuances. Except as hereinbefore expressly provided, the issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class for cash, property, labor, or services, upon direct sale, upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities, and in any case whether or not for fair value, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Stock subject to Awards theretofore granted or the purchase price per share, if applicable.

(e) Change in Control.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or any severance plan under which a Participant is eligible to receive benefits, if a Participant is involuntarily terminated without Cause during the twenty-four (24) month period immediately following the date a Change in Control occurs, then such Award shall become fully vested.

(iii) Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Change of Control, to the extent the successor company does not assume or substitute for an outstanding Award (or in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and does not continue the Award), then as of the Change of Control the Committee, acting in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of any holder (subject to any restrictions or limitations in an individual Award Agreement or any other written agreement entered into between the Company and a holder), shall affect one or more of the following alternatives, which may vary among individual holders and which may vary among Awards held by any individual holder:

(A) for any award of Options or SARs, either (1) accelerate the time at which Options or SARs then outstanding may be exercised so that such Awards may be exercised in full for a limited period of time on or before a specified date (before or after such Change in Control) fixed by the Committee, after which specified date all unexercised Awards and all rights of holders thereunder shall terminate; or (2) require the mandatory surrender to the Company by selected holders of some or all of the outstanding Options or SARs held by such holders (irrespective of whether such Options or SARs are then exercisable under the provisions of this Plan) as of a date, before or after such Change in Control, specified by the Committee, in which event the Committee shall thereupon cancel such Options or SARs and pay to each holder an amount of cash per share equal to the excess, if any, of the amount calculated in Section 9(f) (the “Change in Control Price”) of the shares subject to such Options or SARs over the Exercise Price(s) under such Options or SARs for such shares (except that to the extent the Exercise Price under any such Options or SARs is equal to or exceeds the Change in Control Price, in which case no amount shall be payable with respect to such Options or SARs);

 

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(B) For any Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Bonus Stock, Other Stock-Based Awards, or any Performance Award, any restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to such Award shall lapse and the shares of Stock subject to such Award shall, as applicable, be issued and/or become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested and transferable to the full extent of the original Award; and

(C) For any Award subject to performance criteria, the number of shares of Stock delivered under such Award shall be determined based on the greater of (1) actual performance, or (2) target, as calculated during the Performance Period through the date of the Change of Control;

provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10(k) or an Award Agreement, then, for any situation in which this Section 9(e)(ii) applies, in addition to the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(e)(ii), upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Committee, acting in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of a holder, may cancel outstanding Awards in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such Awards, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion.

(iv) To the extent the successor company agrees to assume or substitute for an outstanding Award, then as of the Change of Control the Committee, acting in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of any holder (subject to any restrictions or limitations in an individual Award Agreement or any other written agreement entered into between the Company and a holder), shall affect one or more of the following alternatives, which may vary among individual holders and which may vary among Awards held by any individual holder:

(A) for any Award, with respect to all or selected holders, have some or all of their then outstanding Awards (whether vested or unvested) assumed or have a new award of a similar nature substituted for some or all of their then outstanding Awards under the Plan (whether vested or unvested) by an entity which is a party to the transaction resulting in such Change in Control and which is then (or will be upon completion of the Change in Control transaction) employing such holder or which is (or will be upon completion of the Change in Control transaction) affiliated or associated with such holder in the same or a substantially similar manner as the Company prior to the Change in Control, or a parent or subsidiary of such entity, provided that (1) such assumption or substitution is on a basis where the excess of the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Stock subject to the Award immediately after the assumption or substitution is equal to the excess of the aggregate Fair Market Value of all Stock subject to the Award immediately before such assumption or substitution, and (B) the assumed rights under such existing Award or the substituted rights under such new Award, as the case may be, will have substantially the same terms and conditions as the rights under the existing Award assumed or substituted for, as the case may be; or

(B) make such adjustments to Grants then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such Change in Control (provided, however, that the Committee may determine in its sole discretion that no adjustment is necessary to Awards then outstanding), including adjusting an Award to provide that the number and class of Shares covered by such Award shall be adjusted so that such Award shall thereafter cover securities of the surviving or acquiring corporation or other property (including cash) as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion;

 

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provided, however, that the Committee may determine in its sole discretion that no adjustment is necessary to Awards then outstanding.

(f) Change in Control Price. The “Change in Control Price” shall equal the amount determined in the following clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v), whichever is applicable, as follows:

(i) the price per share offered to holders of Stock in any merger or consolidation;

(ii) the per share Fair Market Value of the Stock immediately before the Change in Control without regard to assets sold in the Change in Control and assuming the Company has received the consideration paid for the assets in the case of a sale of the assets;

(iii) the amount distributed per share of Stock in a dissolution transaction;

(iv) the price per share offered to holders of Stock in any tender offer or exchange offer whereby a Change in Control takes place; or

(v) if such Change in Control occurs other than pursuant to a transaction described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this Section 9(f), the Fair Market Value per share of the Stock that may otherwise be obtained with respect to such Grants or to which such Grants track, as determined by the Committee as of the date determined by the Committee to be the date of cancellation and surrender of such Grants.

In the event that the consideration offered to stockholders of the Company in any transaction described in this Section 9(f) or in Section 9(e) consists of anything other than cash, the Committee shall determine the fair cash equivalent of the portion of the consideration offered which is other than cash and such determination shall be binding on all affected Participants to the extent applicable to Awards held by such Participants.

(g) Impact of Corporate Events on Awards Generally. In the event of a Change in Control or changes in the outstanding Stock by reason of a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange, or other relevant change in capitalization occurring after the date of the grant of any Award and not otherwise provided for by this Section 9, any outstanding Awards and any Award Agreements evidencing such Awards shall be subject to adjustment by the Committee at its discretion, which adjustment may, in the Committee’s discretion, be described in the Award Agreement and may include, but not be limited to, adjustments as to the number and price of shares of Stock or other consideration subject to such Awards, accelerated vesting (in full or in part) of such Awards, conversion of such Awards into awards denominated in the securities or other interests of any successor Person, or the cash settlement of such Awards in exchange for the cancellation thereof. In the event of any such change in the outstanding Stock, the aggregate number of shares of Stock available under this Plan may be appropriately adjusted by the Committee, whose determination shall be conclusive.

 

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10. General Provisions.

(a) Transferability.

(i) Permitted Transferees. The Committee may, in its discretion, permit a Participant to transfer all or any portion of an Option or SAR, or authorize all or a portion of an Option or SAR to be granted to an Eligible Person to be on terms which permit transfer by such Participant; provided that, in either case the transferee or transferees must be a Permitted Transferee; provided further that, (A) there may be no consideration for any such transfer and (B) subsequent transfers of Options or SARs transferred as provided above shall be prohibited except subsequent transfers back to the original holder of the Option or SAR and transfers to other Permitted Transferees of the original holder. Agreements evidencing Options or SARs with respect to which such transferability is authorized at the time of grant must be approved by the Committee and must expressly provide for transferability in a manner consistent with this Section 10(a)(i).

(ii) Qualified Domestic Relations Orders. An Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Unit, Restricted Stock, or other Award may be transferred to a Permitted Transferee, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered or approved by a court of competent jurisdiction upon delivery to the Company of written notice of such transfer and a certified copy of such order.

(iii) Other Transfers. Except as expressly permitted by Sections 10(a)(i) and 10(a)(ii), Awards shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 10, an Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

(iv) Effect of Transfer. Following the transfer of any Award as contemplated by Sections 10(a)(i), 10(a)(ii) and 10(a)(iii), (A) such Award shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to transfer, provided that the term “Participant” shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, the recipient under a qualified domestic relations order, or the estate or heirs of a deceased Participant or other transferee, as applicable, to the extent appropriate to enable the Participant to exercise the transferred Award in accordance with the terms of this Plan and applicable law and (B) the provisions of the Award relating to exercisability shall continue to be applied with respect to the original Participant and, following the occurrence of any applicable events described therein, the Awards shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee, the recipient under a qualified domestic relations order, or the estate or heirs of a deceased Participant, as applicable, only to the extent and for the periods that would have been applicable in the absence of the transfer.

(v) Procedures and Restrictions. Any Participant desiring to transfer an Award as permitted under Sections 10(a)(i), 10(a) (ii) or 10(a)(iii) shall make application therefor in the manner and time specified by the Committee and shall comply with such other requirements as the Committee may require to assure compliance with all applicable securities laws. The Committee shall not give permission for such a transfer if (A) it would give rise to short swing liability under section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or (B) it may not be made in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and foreign securities laws.

 

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(vi) Registration. To the extent the issuance to any Permitted Transferee of any shares of Stock issuable pursuant to Awards transferred as permitted in this Section 10(a) is not registered pursuant to the effective registration statement of the Company generally covering the shares to be issued pursuant to this Plan to initial holders of Awards, the Company shall not have any obligation to register the issuance of any such shares of Stock to any such transferee.

(b) Taxes. The Company and any of its Subsidiaries are authorized to withhold from any Award granted, or any payment relating to an Award under this Plan, including from a distribution of Stock, any amounts required by federal, state, local or foreign tax law to be withheld with respect to an Award including the vesting or exercise of an Award. Alternatively, the Company or any Subsidiary may require a Participant (or other person validly exercising the Award) to pay such sums for taxes directly to the Company or Subsidiary in cash or by check upon the vesting or exercise. Alternatively, in the discretion of the Committee, the Company may reduce the number of Shares issued to a Participant upon the exercise or vesting of a Participant’s Award to satisfy the tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate or take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award, either on a mandatory or elective basis, in the discretion of the Committee. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting or exercise of any Award until the Company or a Subsidiary has received payment sufficient to satisfy the Company’s or the Subsidiary’s tax withholding obligations with respect to that vesting or exercise. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall be obligated to advise a Participant of the existence of the tax or the amount which it will be required to withhold.

(c) Changes to this Plan and Awards. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate this Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under this Plan without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any amendment or alteration to this Plan, including any increase in any share limitation, shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders not later than the annual meeting next following such Board action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such changes to this Plan to stockholders for approval; provided, that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Board action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award. The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any Award theretofore granted and any Award Agreement relating thereto, except as otherwise provided in this Plan; provided, however, that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such Committee action may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under such Award. For purposes of clarity, any adjustments made to Awards pursuant to Section 9 will be deemed not to materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant under any previously granted and outstanding Award and therefore may be made without the consent of affected Participants.

 

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(d) Limitation on Rights Conferred under Plan. Neither this Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as (i) giving any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue as an Eligible Person or Participant or in the employ or service of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) interfering in any way with the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to terminate any Eligible Person’s or Participant’s employment or service relationship at any time, (iii) giving an Eligible Person or Participant any claim to be granted any Award under this Plan or to be treated uniformly with other Participants and/or employees and/or other service providers, (iv) conferring on a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until the Participant is duly issued or transferred shares of Stock in accordance with the terms of an Award; or (v) preventing the Company or any Affiliate from taking any action which is deemed by the Company or such Affiliate to be appropriate or in its best interest, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on the Plan or any Award made under the Plan (and no Participant, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any Affiliate as a result of any such action).

(e) Unfunded Status of Awards. This Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for certain incentive awards.

(f) Nonexclusivity of this Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or a committee thereof to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable. Nothing contained in this Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from taking any corporate action which is deemed by the Company or such Subsidiary to be appropriate or in its best interest, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on this Plan or any Award made under this Plan. No employee, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of any such action.

(g) Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

(h) Severability. If any provision of this Plan is held to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions hereof, but such provision shall be fully severable, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had never been included herein. If any of the terms or provisions of this Plan or any Award Agreement conflict with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 (as those terms or provisions are applied to Eligible Persons who are subject to section 16(b) of the Exchange Act) or section 422 of the Code (with respect to Incentive Stock Options), then those conflicting terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent they so conflict with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 (unless the Board (including the Company’s Management Board if required under Rule 16b-3(d)(1)) or the Committee, as appropriate, has expressly determined that the Plan or such Award should not comply with Rule 16b-3) or section 422 of the Code. With respect to Incentive Stock Options, if this Plan does not contain any provision required to be included herein under section 422 of the Code, that provision shall be deemed to be incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if that provision had been set out at length herein; provided, further, that, to the extent any Option that is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option cannot so qualify, that Option (to that extent) shall be deemed an Option not subject to section 422 of the Code for all purposes of the Plan.

 

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(i) Governing Law. All questions arising with respect to the provisions of the Plan and Awards shall be determined by application of the laws of the State of Texas, without giving effect to any conflict of law provisions thereof, except to the extent Texas law is preempted by federal law. The obligation of the Company to sell and deliver Stock hereunder is subject to applicable federal and state laws and to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale, or delivery of such Stock.

(j) Conditions to Delivery of Stock. Nothing herein or in any Award granted hereunder or any Award Agreement shall require the Company to issue any shares with respect to any Award if that issuance would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, constitute a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable statute or regulation, or the rules of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, as then in effect. At the time of any exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or at the time of any grant of Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, or other Award the Company may, as a condition precedent to the exercise of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right or settlement of any Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit or other Award, require from the Participant (or in the event of his or her death, his or her legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) such written representations, if any, concerning the holder’s intentions with regard to the retention or disposition of the shares of Stock being acquired pursuant to the Award and such written covenants and agreements, if any, as to the manner of disposal of such shares as, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, may be necessary to ensure that any disposition by that holder (or in the event of the holder’s death, his or her legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) will not involve a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable state or federal statute or regulation, or any rule of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, as then in effect. No Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable and no settlement of any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit shall occur with respect to a Participant unless and until the holder thereof shall have paid cash or property to, or performed services for, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that the Committee believes is equal to or greater in value than the par value of the Stock subject to such Award.

(k) Section 409A of the Code. Awards shall be designed, granted and administered in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. Each Award Agreement for an Award that is intended to comply with the requirements of the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intention. If the Committee determines that an Award, an Award Agreement, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction, or any other action or arrangement contemplated by the provisions of the Plan would, if undertaken or implemented, cause a Participant to become subject to additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules, then unless the Committee specifically provides otherwise, such Award, Award Agreement, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or other action or arrangement shall not be given effect to the extent it causes such result and the related provisions of the Plan or Award Agreement will be deemed modified, or, if necessary, suspended in order to comply with the requirements of the Nonqualified Deferred

 

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Compensation Rules to the extent determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case without the consent of or notice to the Participant. The exercisability of an Option shall not be extended to the extent that such extension would subject the Participant to additional taxes under the Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules.

(l) Restrictions on Repricing of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. Except as provided in Section 9, the Committee may not, without approval of the stockholders of the Company, (i) amend any outstanding Award Agreement for an Option to lower the option price (or cancel and replace any outstanding Award Agreement for an Option with a new Award Agreement having a lower option price), (ii) amend any outstanding Award Agreement for a SAR or to lower the SAR grant price (or cancel and replace any outstanding SAR with a new SAR having a lower SAR grant price), or (iii) cancel any outstanding “underwater” Option or SAR in exchange for cash. Further, the Committee may not lower an option price of an Option (or cancel and replace any outstanding Award Agreement with a new Award Agreement having a lower option price) or lower the SAR grant price (or cancel and replace any outstanding SAR with a new Award Agreement having a lower SAR grant price) to the extent that doing so would subject the Participant to additional taxes under section 409A of the Code.

(m) Clawback. All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with (i) any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or other applicable law, or (ii) any policy that may be adopted by the Board. In addition, the Committee may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Committee determines necessary or appropriate, including, but not limited to, a recovery right in respect of previously acquired shares of Stock and/or a repayment right with respect to previously acquired cash or property, including the proceeds of any shares of Stock received under this Plan’s terms.

(n) Persons Residing Outside of the United States. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operates or has employees, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to (i) determine which Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which persons employed or hired outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) amend or vary the terms and provisions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of any Award granted to persons who reside outside the United States; (iv) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable (and any subplans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 10(n) by the Committee shall be attached to the Plan document as Appendices); and (v) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals. Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act, the Code, any securities law or governing statute or any other applicable law.

 

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(o) Right of Offset. The Company will have the right to offset against its obligation to deliver shares of Stock (or other property) under the Plan or any Award Agreement any outstanding amounts (including, without limitation, travel and entertainment or advance account balances, loans, repayment obligations under any Awards, or amounts repayable to the Company pursuant to tax equalization, housing, automobile or other employee programs) that the Participant then owes to the Company and any amounts the Committee otherwise deems appropriate pursuant to any tax equalization policy or agreement; provided, however, that no such offset shall be permitted if it would constitute an “acceleration” of a payment hereunder within the meaning of Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Rules. This right of offset shall not be an exclusive remedy and the Company’s election not to exercise the right of offset with respect to any amount payable to a Participant shall not constitute a waiver of this right of offset with respect to any other amount payable to the Participant or any other remedy.

(p) Electronic Delivery and Signatures. Any reference in an Award Agreement or the Plan to a written document includes without limitation any document delivered electronically or posted on the Company’s or an Affiliate’s intranet or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company or an Affiliate. The Committee and any Participant may use facsimile, PDF or other electronic signatures in signing any Award or Award Agreement, in exercising any Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or in any other written document in the Plan’s administration. The Committee and each Participant are bound by facsimile, PDF and other electronic signatures, and acknowledge that the other party relies on facsimile and PDF signatures.

(q) No Guarantee of Tax Treatment. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, a Participant shall be solely responsible for the taxes relating to the grant or vesting of, or payment pursuant to, any Award, and none of the Company, the Board or the Committee (or any of their respective members, officers or employees) guarantees any particular tax treatment with respect to any Award.

(r) Plan Establishment and Term. The Plan was adopted and established by the Board and approved by the Company’s stockholders on May 25, 2022 (the “Effective Date”). Awards may be granted under this Plan no earlier than the Effective Date, and no Awards may be granted under this Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

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